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A newly built 6,000-square-foot farmhouse in Momence, Illinois, was designed by Buccellato Design and Architecture to appear as though it had developed over generations. The project also restored the property’s 19th-century barn and corn crib; the account does not provide the construction date or a detailed cost breakdown.
A new 6,000-square-foot farmhouse in Momence, Illinois, was designed to look as if it had grown organically on its rural site over generations, according to House Beautiful’s report on the project. Buccellato Design and Architecture created the four-bedroom home for a retired couple returning to the area, while the work also included restoration of the property’s 19th-century barn and corn crib.
Designers Aimee and Kevin Buccellato said the homeowners wanted the new house to fit the memory and character of the property rather than announce itself as a replacement. Aimee, who founded Buccellato Design and Architecture with her husband, said the clients hoped neighbors might think the original farmhouse remained, carefully renovated and expanded. The report describes the project as a rebuild, but does not detail which parts of the earlier house, if any, were retained.
The design draws on traditional farm complexes, which often took shape through additions made over time. The home’s antique white oak floors, salvaged beams and barnboards contribute to that impression. Inside, heritage-style patterns and colors drawn from the surrounding landscape continue the historical approach without making the new construction appear overtly formal.
Several rooms connect the house directly to its setting. In the kitchen, windows overlooking the farmland take the place of upper cabinets; storage and food preparation functions were moved to an adjacent dish room and larder. The glass porch looks toward the Kankakee River, while a small speakeasy references the stone foundation of the earlier farmhouse. The source also describes a four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom layout.
A New House Shaped by Farm History
The project illustrates one approach to building on a property where local memory and historic structures are part of its character: make the new home respond to the site, while restoring older agricultural buildings rather than treating them as scenery. The barn and corn crib give the work a preservation component beyond the farmhouse’s historically inspired appearance.
The design choices also show how that goal affected everyday use. Removing upper cabinets from the kitchen opened views across the farmland, while a separate dish room and larder kept practical storage nearby. Salvaged materials, traditional finishes and rooms oriented to the river and fields link the home’s interiors to its location. Those details support the designers’ stated aim of making the house feel established, though the account does not independently evaluate the project’s environmental impact or compare its costs with other construction approaches.
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Returning to a Familiar Illinois Site
House Beautiful describes the owners as a retired couple returning to their Midwestern roots. Aimee Buccellato said she had grown up nearby and that the property carried a strong sense of memory and place for the clients. That connection shaped the brief: rather than make a visibly modern statement, the couple asked for a home that would seem at home among the area’s farms.
The report identifies the site as a country road in Momence, in the agricultural landscape near the Kankakee River. It says the project involved a 6,000-square-foot rebuild and restoration of the original 19th-century barn and corn crib. It does not provide a construction timeline, the age or condition of the former farmhouse, or a full account of how the earlier buildings were altered.
For the interiors, the designers used details intended to suggest gradual accumulation. The entry includes paneled walls, old-looking oak flooring and antique furnishings; the sitting room pairs traditional forms with patterned fabrics and a blue backdrop. A mural in the dining room references the river setting. These descriptions come from House Beautiful’s project feature, which credits Buccellato Design and Architecture and stylist Cate Ragan.
“At the outset of the project, and throughout, our clients wanted the new house to feel like it had always been there, so much so that perhaps the neighbors could be led to believe that the original house remained intact, yet amended by skillful renovation and discreet additions.”
— Aimee Buccellato, co-founder of Buccellato Design and Architecture
Project Details Not in the Report
House Beautiful’s account does not state when construction was completed, who built the home, what it cost, or how long the work took. It also does not specify the amount of the original farmhouse that remained after the described rebuild, or provide technical details about the barn and corn crib restoration.
The description that the house feels as though it has been present for centuries is the designers’ goal and a stylistic impression, not evidence that the new building is old. The source does not include independent assessments of the building’s historical accuracy, energy performance or environmental effects. The project’s full construction and preservation records are not provided.
No Further Milestones Reported
The source presents the project as a completed home and does not identify a future construction phase, public opening or additional restoration milestone. It also gives no schedule for further work on the property. Any later update would need to come from the homeowners, the design firm or a subsequent report; no next step is confirmed in the material available here.
Key Questions
Where is the farmhouse?
The house is on a country road in Momence, Illinois, in an agricultural area near the Kankakee River.
Is the farmhouse actually centuries old?
No. The report describes it as a newly built farmhouse designed to look as if it had developed over time. Its intended aged appearance is not the same as a claim of historical age.
What older structures were included in the project?
The project also included restoration of the property’s original 19th-century barn and corn crib, according to House Beautiful.
How large is the house?
The home covers 6,000 square feet and has four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms, according to the report.
When was it completed, and what did it cost?
The source does not give a completion date or project cost. It also does not provide a construction timeline.
Source: housebeautiful.com
