Peek Inside 5 Sprawling Homes in Which Artists and Writers Completed Their Most Famous Work

The quirky and historic home on the Long Island Sound that once belonged to author Jean Kerr and her equally notable husband, New York Times resident theater critic Walter Kerr, has only housed three families in the century since it was built—the Kerrs being one of them. Walter once described the architectural gem as “neo-gingerbread,” but the 9,000-square-foot abode that’s designed like a contemporary castle is undeniably stunning.

Shaped like a quadrangle, the structure formerly made up the stables and carriage-house complex for the nearby Crocker Estate (now the Larchmont Shore Club). Not only did the Kerrs raise their six children here, but Jean wrote her homage to suburban life, Please Don’t Eat the Daisies, about this specific house. The book was published in 1957, when urbanites were retreating to charming towns just outside bustling cities. It was later adapted for the screen in a film starring Doris Day.

The previous (and first) owner, manufacturer and driver of the first automobile in Detroit, Charles B. King, installed quite a few treasures in the Larchmont home. When King was renovating the waterfront estate, the William K. Vanderbilt mansion in midtown Manhattan was being demolished. King managed to scoop up more than 30 truckloads’ worth of prime Vanderbilt decor, including fireplaces and staircases. He also had installed in the home’s towers custom carillon bells, which the Kerrs programmed to play an aria from Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen every day at six o’clock to signal their flock of children (who were most likely at the beach) that dinner was served.

Price: $5.49 million

Beds/Baths: 6 bedrooms, 5 full baths, 2 half baths

Square Footage: 8,596 acres

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