For An Owner Who Knows Her Mind—

Building A Smaller, More Personal Home

By John Voket

Longtime Newtown resident and State Representative Julia Wasserman has probably heard enough clichés about adversity making you stronger, and references to her new home in terms of a Phoenix rising from the ashes.

She just wants to get on with the process of settling into her a new, cozy abode and getting back to business operating her modest Christmas Tree farm following the back-to-back losses of her loving husband and a devastating fire that destroyed her beloved century-old family home on Walnut Tree Hill Road.

Now nearing completion, Mrs Wasserman’s new home will buck building trends in the region. In keeping with her needs and wishes, it will be significantly smaller than her former residence and will incorporate several unique features that will likely make this quaint house an instant classic.

Mrs Wasserman said that she was blessed to be able to collaborate on the reconstruction project with three very talented professionals: Newtown builder Kim Danziger of Danziger Homes; retired Middlebury (Vt.) College architecture professor Parker Croft; and Paul Egee of Paul Egee Interior Design. In speaking with the collaborators, however, it is unclear who feels more privileged to work with whom.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Julia on several projects over the years,” Mr Egee said during a recent call from his design studio. “I’m honored that she asked me to work with her on her new home. I’m proud to call her both a client and a friend.”

“The prospect of working with Julia was enough to bring me out of retirement,” said Mr Croft, calling in from his own retirement home in Hawaii. “I have great admiration for her. And working with her on her new home was inspirational.”

“This property is her love, and this home project was based precisely on her needs,” Mr Danziger added, during a walk-through of the home on recent morning. “I believe when it’s completed, this home will be a unique treasure, a landmark here in Newtown.”

Mr Danziger credits Mr Croft with capturing exactly what Mrs Wasserman wanted in her new home.

“She really wanted something like a modern-looking barn, and envisioned it in her mind’s eye complete with chickens running around in the dooryard,” Mr Danziger said.

Following the architect’s plans, which were as much a product of Mrs Wasserman’s input as they were of Mr Croft’s inspiration, the local builder set out to expedite the construction while taking into account the rustic post-and-beam construction that would be showcased throughout.

“We wanted to complete the project as soon as possible so we used an unorthodox method of integrating a post-and-beam interior construction within the shell of a conventional house,” Mr Danziger said.

Mr Croft likened the process with manufacturing the skin first and inserting the skeleton after the fact.

“It was a very innovative process,” Mr Croft said. “But it worked. The structure is functional and its elegance is somewhat primitive, not ostentatious. The builder remained mindful of using very straightforward materials in a very straightforward application.”

“Everything you see inside isn’t holding anything up,” Mr Danziger said. “In fact, we had the roof on long before the post-and-beam materials arrived from California.”

The building is one floor built up from a slab foundation, which will allow for natural cooling in the warmer months, and incorporates a radiant hot water heating system under slate flooring to keep the living area cozy and warm during colder periods without wasting energy heating the space between body level and the vaulted ceilings.

“The advantage of this system is you can keep your feet nice and warm without needing as much warm air at or above your head,” he explained.

Although a radiant heat system is pricier than a more conventional hot air or baseboard system, Mr Croft added that its efficiency allows for payback in a short period of time.

“It’s much more like the kind of heat you get from a wood stove or the sun,” he said. “The actual thermostat temperature can always be kept a few degrees cooler because it will seem as warm, and you don’t have to pump out all that extra energy to heat the air up near the ceiling.”

Mr Croft likens the overall design to one of the great Adirondack Camp lodges built across eastern New York in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

“And since this will be the base of an ongoing agricultural operation, the design grows from that tradition,” he said. “We wanted to create a feeling that the structure has grown from an original small building that has been added on to over time.”

Mr Egee said that from his perspective, even the interior design plans were derived through a unique and very organic process.

“I like to work in concert with both the client and the architect from as close to the beginning of the entire process as possible,” Mr Egee said. “I tend to take a much more architectural approach to my work than say, an interior decorator.”

He said the space may be smaller than what he is used to working on in new homes throughout the region, but it is very much like working on an older post-World War II structure, or even a large New York City apartment.

“The interior design process was very much about allowing for functional furnishings while retaining a stimulating sense of space,” he said. “Early on I developed a seating and furnishing plan for each room, even though Julia prefers to come at this from a more organic perspective, without a lot of design plans set in stone.”

He said Mrs Wasserman will take an approach of outfitting the home to allow for her immediate comfort as she begins occupying the building, and layering on as time goes on. “Julia was able to salvage some beautiful pieces from the fire, which will be restored and used in the new home,” Mr Egee added.

“We’re taking the same approach as if we were outfitting a remodeled barn,” he said. “The theme of the house is meant to feel like a farm building. The wood ceilings are meant to bring the visual perspective down closer to you.”

Mr Egee said he also worked closely with the architect to interpret the many ideas Mrs Wasserman developed from dozens of meetings poring over books and magazines. While the house is single-story, he said the different ceiling heights and floor levels provide a sense of moving you through the building.

“The central core of the house gives you a clear indication of where you are going as you move through it, with the added benefit of a single guest room that functions almost like a separate guest house accessed through a hall that functions almost like a breezeway.

“This is a very personal house,” Mr Egee said. “And the architect’s design allows it to be very integrated with the site.”

All three building professionals agreed that Mrs Wasserman reinforced her strong individualism by insisting the home be sized for her needs. And even she admits that she may have sooner or later moved from her former residence.

“My husband and I had a wonderful life in that house,” she said. “But after he was gone I started to think every once in awhile that the house was much too big for one person.”

Mr Croft believes the home will stand to serve its occupants well, long after the original owner, builder, architect, and designer are gone.

“I’m confident that many generations will enjoy this home,” he said.

Mr Danziger said he was extremely excited at the prospect of building a home that was so contrary to many of the projects he has worked on over the years.

“While almost everyone considers the standard patterns — a four-bedroom, three-bath house that would provide an attractive resale opportunity — this project was designed for one person’s needs,” he said. “It’s completely opposite from the norm and will be a unique legacy. I can’t remember when I’ve done such a finely executed home where the owner constructed it just for themselves, with no pretense.”

Mr Egee agreed, saying the home was always considered to be a component of her working farm.

“Julia never intended this home to be a showpiece, although it is already becoming one,” Mr Egee said. “It would be wonderful if people and builders took a cue from it and decided to begin a new trend toward building smaller, more personal homes. I’m sure that would make Julia very happy.”