Charming, Antique-Filled, Spacious Country Home

This 3400 square-foot home outside Charlottesville, Virginia sits on twenty-seven acres of gorgeous land, across from a horse farm and a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is filled with three lifetimes' worth of collectibles and antiques, as I come from a long line of women who took pride in their homes. From the 1920s until the 90s, my grandmother used her ten-bedroom house as a tourist home, the early notion of a shared economy. For the last dozen years, I have kept up that tradition in, let's say, entrepreneurial hospitality. Everything has been inherited or culled from my favorite "junque" haunts. Because of its early 20th century look, many overnight guests were shocked when they learned the house was built in 2006. The main floor has a huge dining room, large enough to seat 20 people at two large antique tables. Large foyers at the front and back, as well as the kitchen, while usually just flow areas, could seat another dozen. A large wraparound front porch sits above a basement level and could be used as a music perch for the yard below, or for 8 more at a big outdoor glass top vintage table, or both. The lovely back deck is on two conversational levels that can seat 10-12. It looks out on a huge grassy area perfect for croquet and other balls-on-the-lawn type games. A little over an acre around the house is cut, including a huge field below the house. The above-ground basement level has a full apartment with another kitchen. On the other side is a family room with a huge television and pool/ping-pong table, too. This level opens up to the front yard. While the home is very private and quiet, it is very conveniently located to many activities. I am very close to Charlottesville and the west end of Richmond, both accessible by Interstate 64 just 10 minutes down the road. Monticello, Montpelier, and Highland are close by, as well as too many breweries and wineries to list. A new one, Southern Revere, is just 7 minutes away. The house has already been used as the setting for an Investigation Discovery "Impact of Hate" program in which many participants in the Charlottesville protests were interviewed about their experiences. I was proud to provide a peaceful, homey, rural backdrop for them to tell their traumatic stories. The producers were very complimentary about how well the house presented on camera. I agreed when I saw it on air. This is a very unique, personal, and light-filled home. Based on the guests' comments over the years, as well as my own big family gatherings, it provides a cozy, kind of grandmother-hipster vibe.