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"We needed a zone change because it was a mixed use," said Ms. Winer, explaining that part of the property falls within the Main Street Design District, while the remainder was zoned for residential use. To allow the inn and restaurant, all of the property will be folded into the design district.
"It's ready to be an inn," said Ms. Winer of the 1706 Samuel Bull Homestead, which has five bedrooms, a great room and a fully-restored, eat-in kitchen. "We have such a big property," she added. "We have a two-acre pond, [and] we have behind us an old Woodbury stone quarry. It would be wonderful for walking and hiking."
In addition to requesting the change from the Zoning Commission, Ms. Winer has filed preliminary applications with the historic district, planning and wetlands commissions for an inn and restaurant.
In 1981, Ms. Winer opened a store specializing in 18th- and 19th-century French antiques in Washington Depot. In 1984, she came to Woodbury and opened Country Loft Antiques by acquiring an old barn on Main Street. In 1995, she acquired the current location, and fully restored the main house, along with the landmark barns on the property.
Country Loft Antiques displays a vast collection of European and American antiques, along with custom designed items. The shop has wine accoutrements, accessories and culinary antiques and large collection of unique gifts.
"It's really hard in this particular time period of our country to maintain this kind of property without doing a little more," said Ms. Winer, who lives in a house on the property.
At the shop, an 1800s silo where grain was once stored now houses a contemporary wine cellar, and nearby a wine tasting table ready to be put in use.
Ms. Winer is a graduate of the Parsons The New School of Design in New York City, and she offers complete design services while specializing in custom design of wine cellars. Among her credits, she designed a wine museum at the Rockaway Glen Estate Winery in St. Catherine's, Canada. She has also designed commercial and residential wine caves and tasting rooms.
Walt Disney Company designers were drawn by her expertise when they selected wine-related antiques to complement one of the restaurants in the Tokyo Disneyland theme park.
Country Loft Antiques also has been featured in various publications, including Connecticut Magazine, Country Living magazine, House Beautiful and more.
"Hopefully, we will be able to build some stone cottages to accompany the inn along the hillside. We have a huge knoll with a gorgeous view way in the back and it's quite private," said Ms. Winer.
The new inn will have an antiques boutique, and Ms. Winer plans to continue her decades of work as an interior designer. "I think it's going to benefit the town," she said.
Ms. Winer is known for devoting time and resources to good causes, and has used the appeal of her taste and property to raise funds for Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, The Northwestern Connecticut AIDS Project, the Leever Regional Cancer Center in Waterbury, St. Mary's Hospital in Waterbury, The Chapman House and more.
Ms. Winer will go before the Zoning Commission once more, on Aug. 11, to finalize a resolution. Construction will not begin until she receives approvals from the other commissions.
Country Loft Antiques is located at 557 Main Street South in Woodbury. For more information, call 203-266-4500 or see the Web site atwww.countryloftantiques.com.
