Dark-wood paddocks crisscross gently rolling pastureland on Fenian Farms?home to a motley assortment of farm animals rescued from perilous fates. Adding to the tableau, a 7,000-square-foot, 300-year-old barn-cum-residence perches atop a slope, inviting visitors in to discover its colorful history.
The picturesque scene represents a childhood dream for owner Sheila Heinze. The soon-to-be empty nester had recently retired from a career in government contracting and was ready for a new chapter. She already had a horse and wanted space for more animals?so she was thrilled to find this bucolic, 37-acre parcel in Hamilton, Virginia. Luckily, she was undeterred by the property?s dilapidated main structure. A former dairy barn, it had been built in the 1780s, expanded in the 1840s and converted into a residence in the 1970s. By the time Heinze bought the property, its condition was rough, to say the least. ?Holes and hay were everywhere and insulation hung from the ceiling,? Heinze recalls. ?But I could see the bones of it; I knew a good team could make the house be anything. And I wanted the land.? She made an offer the same day, then tapped Sadie Johnson of Emerald Hill Interiors, who?d helped her design previous residences in Leesburg and Lake Anna, to assemble the right people for the project. Architect Jim Rill soon came on board, along with contractor Gene Davis of Arise Builds.
A collective understanding of Heinze?s vision soon crystallized. She was fascinated by the buildin...