Ideal for architecture buffs and people who enjoy peeking at neighbors' homes, Saturday's bi-annual "Gems of South Orange" House Tour offers a glimpse into a few of South Orange's most striking homes. 

Stops on the tour will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets purchased on the day of the tour are $25 but can be reserved online.

All tickets will be distributed on Saturday at St. Andrew and Holy Communion, which celebrates its 150th anniversary this year, and there's parking available behind the church and at the NJ Transit lot. A tour map and guide will be provided with each ticket. Attendees may drive their own cars to featured homes or catch the special jitney.

The locations of the houses aren't divulged until the day of the tour, but here's a preview:

Of the seven homes, two are in the Newstead area and were built for New York executives to have the best Manhattan views. Each has a billiard room.

The original portion of the white brick house is mostly Tudor revival. Its inspiration shows in the curve of a small roof over the western entry and in the truncated roof peaks. It was built in 1929 on an oversized double lot, and 64 years later, more space, hallmarked by an atrium with 20-plus vertical feet of glass, was appended.

Overlooking the yard is a modern kitchen with windows running the length of the almost 40-foot space. 

The other mega-house, Quarry Hall, has a 60-foot-high rock outcropping to support its construction. Alterations made since it was built in 1936 maintain its Tudor heritage.

The husband-and-wife owners have undertaken several projects in the past four years, acting as general contractors to tackle flooring, bathrooms, relocation of garage doors, addition of a spiral staircase, and renovation of the first-floor den to give a centuries-old look.