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 building’s history and wished to preserve it while creating a stylish, comfortable home for today. And she insisted on a strong connection with the outdoors. “I wanted to feel like I was part of the farm,” she explains. “I wanted balconies and windows so I can look down and see the animals.”

Today, the aged barn is a six-bedroom, eight-bath abode. Its once-crumbling exterior is clad in crisp-white board-and-batten with a standing seam-metal roof; a silo that dominates the front façade was cleared of crazily tangled vines and painted. A glass link between the two volumes forms the front entry.

The open main level—including living and dining areas—has been reimagined with 21st-century functionality in mind. Rill’s airy plan relocated the kitchen; created a foyer delineated by reclaimed-wood hanging shelves; installed expansive windows scaled to fit the soaring, vaulted ceiling; and added a rear deck to take in views of an existing horse stable and paddocks. “There’s always a vista,” the architect notes. “The house has so much texture, we just built on it and used the windows as art.”

A bedroom wing, complete with a workout zone and Heinze’s home office, was carved out from a couple of hay lofts; balconies off the primary bedroom and office directly overlook the paddocks, as does a lower-level porch. The silo contains the mudroom; a stair now winds up to the top, where skylights and windows present bird’s eye views.

A broad, new staircase in the great room leads to the basement, once a milking room with troughs bisecting a rough concrete floor—where the homeowner and design team vividly recall finding snakes coiled atop the beams. The finished lower level now houses a rec room, an Irish-style pub, two ensuite guest rooms and—beneath the silo—a cozy wine-tasting room.

The painstaking transformation from barn to abode was a marvel. “The structure is quirky; there’s not a straight wall or floor in the whole place,” observes Rill. “We embraced that, stripping everything down to showcase and enhance the original architecture.” Now pristine, the 18th-century stone foundation walls convey a rustic-chic vibe. Circa-1800s, wide-plank oak flooring was revived over two weeks by a meticulous hand-scraping process. Original ceiling beams, doors and trim were preserved; when necessary, reclaimed wood found on the property was used to match those elements. The construction team even took chains to columns and beams to make them look old. When new doors had to be sourced, they were clad in reclaimed wood. History occasionally reared its head, as when a Civil War-era cannonball was found lodged in a scorched wall; it’s now displayed in a glass case.

Sadie Johnson had the job of marrying new items with furnishings, lighting and artwork from Heinze’s previous homes. “Sheila likes variety but wanted it all to flow and not compete with the house,” the designer recounts. “We brought in textures like caning and woven wicker and kept the color scheme simple.” A classic, black-and-white kitchen boasts industrial touches while the bathrooms feature black, white and gray tile motifs and clean-lined vanities.

Heinze recently registered Fenian Farms as a nonprofit animal rescue. Now enlarged, the stable is home to eight horses, a pony and a miniature donkey. Goats, pigs, chickens and a turkey occupy neighboring paddocks. Newly added, a caretaker’s cottage, garage and swimming pool are all positioned so as not to obstruct Heinze’s view of her flock. “Everything is the way I want it,” she says, smiling. “I might add another linen closet—but that’s about it.”

RESOURCES

THROUGHOUT
Art Installation: kramerinstallation.com. Appliances: adu.com. Plumbing Fixtures: ferguson.com. Paint: Salt by farrow-ball.com. Windows: windsorwindows.com. Doors: ironlionentries.com.

KITCHEN
Cabinetry: Danish Builders. Cabinetry Paint: Salt and Off Black by farrow-ball.com. Hardware: rejuvenation.com. Stools: fourhands.com. Countertop: eurostonecraft.com. Backsplash: chesapeaketileandmarble.com. Island Pendants: shadesoflight.com. Sconces: barnlight.com. Hood: rawurth.com. Refrigerator & Range: subzero-wolf.com through adu.com.

FOYER
Lamp on Console: visualcomfort.com. Antique Rug: Aliloo and Son Rug Gallery; 540-687-3048. Chandeliers: rh.com. Black Chandelier: visualcomfort.com.

DINING AREA
Chandelier: hvlgroup.com. Table: anythingwoodandmetal.com. Host Chairs: vanguardfurniture.com. Host Chair Fabric: schumacher.com. Side Chairs: Owners’ Collection. Side Chair Cushions: wdiworks.com. Side Chair Cushion Fabric: maxwellfabrics.com. Leather-Covered Bench: fourhands.com. China Cabinet: Owners’ Collection.

LIVING AREA
Sofa & Sofa Fabric: Custom through kravet.com. Chairs: lazarind.com. Chair Fabric: schumacher.com. Rug: loloirugs.com. Console: Owners’ Collection. Coffee Table: emeraldhillinteriors.com. Game Table: butlerspecialty.net. Chairs: rejuvenation.com. Pendant Over Game Table: 27-south.com. Linear Fireplace: flarefireplaces.com.

IRISH PUB
Countertop: eurostonecraft.com. Cabinetry: Danish Builders. Cabinetry Paint: Off Black by farrow-ball.com. Stools: thosmoser.com. Banquette & Table: arisebuildsllc.com; Loudoun Home Improvements; 571-258-7645. Banquette Upholstery Fabrication: ibelloupholstery.com. Banquette Fabric: designersguild.com. Chairs: furnitureclassics.com.  Pendants Over Bar: emeraldhillinteriors.com.

BEDROOM
Chair: arudin.com. Chair Upholstery: wdiworks.com. Chair Fabric: pollackassociates.com. Throw Pillow: wdiworks.com. Throw Pillow Fabric: pkaufman.com; schumacher.com. Bedding: moniquelhuillier.com. Drapes: wdiworks.com. Drapery Fabric: pindler.com; schumacher.com. Nightstand: Owners’ Collection.

CLOSET
Pink Velvet Chair: tovfurniture.com. Vanity: homary.com. Runner: anthropologie.com.

BATHROOM
Wall & Floor Tile: chesapeaketileandmarble.com. Glass Enclosure: sterlingglass.net.

WINE ROOMFloor Tile: chesapeaketileandmarble.com. Area Rug: jaipurliving.com. Chairs: emeraldhillinteriors.com. Pillows: adamsbroequestrian.com. Ottoman: allmodern.com. Mirror: anthropologie.com.