Linton native's home featured in national magazine

The Linton connection is that Mrs. Barreiro is the former Marsha Wall, daughter of Doris and the late Tom Wall. Marsha was raised in Linton, is a Linton-Stockton High School graduate, and visits her hometown often to see family and friends.

The magazine takes readers a step back in time as they view the Barreiro home that Marsha has decorated in authentic, New England country decor. It could very well be in Williamsburg or Greenfield Village.

In the magazine layout, the charming home is decorated for an Early American Christmas with simplistic trimmings of pomegranates, nuts, ribbons and folk-art pieces. Many of Marsha's antiques and collections are also featured.

Included in the pictures are the Barreiro grandchildren, James and Andrew, who share their grandmother's interest in folk-art animals and toys.

Marsha said she didn't always decorate in a simple manner. She said she decorated their first house with antiques but gradually added more and more items to her collection.

After a while, she decided she wanted to dispense of a lot of "things" and make life easier.

"I don't have curtains, and I don't have dust ruffles," she said. "I just want life to be simpler and easier."

Marsha said she has loved to decorate and collect since she was 7 years old.

"I think I was born loving antiques," she said. "As a little girl, I would go to my Grandma Frederick's house and rearrange her furniture. She (Grandma Frederick) also loved antiques."

As a teenager, Marsha said she often drove her grandma to Worthington and Dugger to visit antique shops, always looking for a favorite item.

As for having her home featured in Country Home magazine, she said it was a thrill and a big surprise.

"I have a friend in Zionsville who works for several magazines," Marsha said, "and she called and asked if I knew of anyone's house that could be featured in a magazine issue."

Marsha set up appointments for her friend to view and photograph several homes. While in Bloomington, her friend also photographed Marsha and Manny's home.

"I never even thought about my house being in it," noted Marsha. "When she called and said, 'They want to put your home in the Christmas issue,' I was surprised."

The magazine crew from New York stayed four days in Bloomington while working in the Barreiro home.

"I would leave the house," Marsha said. "I had no idea what they were going to do, but they were lovely people."

During the four days, Marsha said the crew rearranged some of her furniture.

"I like it the way they arranged it, and I am leaving it that way," she said.

Marsha added that the experience inspired her and gave her a renewed interest in her home.