Mary Palmieri Gai, Broker

Before central heating, there were those folks who knew that building a house of stone made it warmer in winter and cooler in summer. The stones would become warm from the heat of the fireplace and would warm up circulating air keeping the entire space warm during cold New England days and nights. And if you can't be in a house with central air, the next best thing is a solid stone house. They stay amazingly cool.

Most stone houses today have wood frames and stone veneers. They're gorgeous but stone houses I am writing about  are stone all the way through to the interior finishes. The majority of stone houses in Connecticut have plaster walls over wood lath, which are the thin slats of wood.  There are many great insulating materials out there so that solid stone houses can have space to house electrical, plumbing and plenty of insulation. You'd be surprised how much heat is lost with solid stone when there is a central heating system.

Frazier Peters, esteemed local architect, developer and builder who was active in lower Fairfield County during the late1920s and 1930s and early 40s, was a lover of the stone house. There are lovely stone houses dotting Westport, Weston, Wilton, Norwalk and New Canaan that are his designs. They're unmistakeable once you understand his architecture. He studied in Europe and came back with an appreciation for homes that were built hundreds of years ago. He wanted to capture the essence of homes in the European countryside; ones that had been added onto to accomodate growing familes and generations. He wanted them to maintain that country cottage look. He went so far as to import French Clay for an exterior finish that he used a few times on projects, one of which was at Valley Road in Westport. He did use wood exterior on some homes as well and sometimes a combination of materials.

Frazier Peters loved the Connecticut countryside because It reminded him of Europe. He usually looked for building sites that were not flat, that had were near streams or rivers, and had rock outcroppings or ledge. Because he often built on ledge, his basements were not a priority. They were utilitarian only, housing the heating system and wiring boxes. He loved old beams so he did try to use recycled beams from dismantled buildings. They were usually hand hewn even if they were new.

Many of his floor plans centered around a great room with a stone fireplace. He often had arched doorways, narrow staircases, and bedrooms that radiated off central living spaces. His kitchens were utiltarian and were often small and tucked into a corner.

There was almost always an outbuilding or two, with at least one apartment attached to the outbuilding or over the garage which was usually detached.

Most owners of Frazier Peters homes cherish them and they are sought after. His own home was on Charcoal Hill in Westport where there are a cluster of his homes still standing and there are several in Old Hill in Westport and on Dogwood Lane in Westport. I don't think Mr. Peters would have ever realized the impact he had on the charm of Fairfield County. Thanks to him, every once in awhile, you'll think you're in Europe.