A historic piece of local heritage will step into the spotlight next year as “Hillside Place” has been selected as the venue for the 66th annual St. Margaret’s Hospital Guild Decorators’ Show House & Gardens.
The announcement marks a historic milestone for the organization: it is the first time in the event’s six-decade history that the Show House will be hosted in Zionsville.
The upcoming showcase will take place from April 22 to May 9, 2027, with an advance “Before Tour” scheduled for January 2027, giving visitors a glance at the historic residence prior to its full designer transformation. Proceeds from the annual event benefit Eskenazi Health.
Built in 1917, the original homestead sits on five wooded acres in Zionsville. Following additions in the 1970s and 1980s, the structure now encompasses 5,500 square feet. Throughout its history, only five owners have served as caretakers of the unique property.
The layout features four bedrooms, including a primary suite outfitted with sunroom and porch attachments. The home includes two-and-a-half baths, four fireplaces, and cedar closets throughout. A first-floor library is highlighted by a decorative spiral staircase leading to an upper library loft. Connecting the main residence to four garage bays is a closed breezeway flanked by closets and French doors opening to front and rear gardens.
For current owner Tracy Barron, a Zionsville resident and columnist for the Zionsville Press and Zionsville Monthly, hosting the event is both a professional alignment and a personal milestone.
“I’ve been eagerly waiting to share this!” Barron said. “Hillside Place, my home for 20 years this month, has been selected as the next St. Margaret’s Hospital Guild Decorators’ Show House & Gardens, benefiting Eskenazi Health. Making this even more special: this is the first time the Show House has been in Zionsville!”
Barron, whose career and volunteer background center on fundraising, noted the connection between the venue and the event’s charitable impact.
“My professional and volunteer life have circled around one core idea…the mission comes first. That’s why this feels so right to me,” Barron said. “The Decorators’ Show House raises hundreds of thousands of dollars each year so Eskenazi can care for our neighbors who need help affording healthcare. The thought that this old house I’ve loved so fiercely will help do that in 2027 is a full‑circle gift to my fundraiser’s heart.”
The event will also mark a transition for the long-time homeowner.
“It’s also a turning point for me personally. Saying yes to the Show House means saying yes to letting Hillside Place have one last big purpose, and then letting her go,” Barron said. “Over the next year she’ll be transformed by designers, opened to the public, and eventually handed off to a new family, while I step into a smaller, quieter life that I’m choosing on purpose.”
“For now, I’m just grateful…grateful to St. Margaret’s Guild for the honor, grateful that Hillside Place gets this final chapter of service, and grateful that I can enjoy this autonomous and empowering decision about a place that meant so much to so many while still honoring those memories,” she added.
Over the coming months, interior designers and landscape architects will reimagine the property’s interior and exterior spaces ahead of the spring 2027 public tour. Additional information and future updates regarding ticket sales and tour schedules will be available at https://showhouseindy.org/.
