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Aimee and Kevin Buccellato designed a new 6,000-square-foot farmhouse in Momence, Illinois, to appear as though it had developed over generations. The project also restored the property’s original 19th-century barn and corn crib; details about the construction timeline and cost were not provided in the report.
A newly built 6,000-square-foot farmhouse in Momence, Illinois, was designed to look as if it had grown out of the rural property over generations, while the project also restored its original 19th-century barn and corn crib. Designers Aimee and Kevin Buccellato told House Beautiful that the retired homeowners wanted the replacement house to fit the site so naturally that neighbors might think the original farmhouse remained.
The four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom house was designed by Buccellato Design and Architecture for a couple returning to their Midwestern roots. House Beautiful reported that the homeowners had a personal connection to the area and viewed the property as a place tied to memories as well as a setting for new ones. The designers aimed to make the new construction feel established rather than conspicuously new.
The architectural approach drew on traditional farm complexes, which often took shape through additions made over time. Alongside the new house, the work included restoration of the original barn and corn crib. The report describes the site’s influences as Folk-Victorian farmhouse and agricultural architecture, but does not give a construction date for the new home or explain the full scope of the restoration.
Inside, the design uses antique white oak flooring, salvaged beams and barnboards, along with traditional patterns and furnishings. In the kitchen, windows overlooking farmland take the place of upper cabinets; the practical storage and food-preparation functions were moved to an adjacent dish room and larder. A glass porch looks toward the Kankakee River, while a tucked-away speakeasy references the former farmhouse’s stone foundation, according to House Beautiful.
Designing a House Into the Farmstead
The project shows how a new house can be planned to respect the character of a rural property without presenting itself as a historic building. Its designers used the restored agricultural structures, familiar farmhouse forms and materials with an aged appearance to connect the home to the surrounding landscape. That approach matters to readers interested in residential design because it treats the house and its setting as one composition, rather than making the new build the sole focus.
The clients’ wish for a home that felt as if it had always been there also shaped choices beyond the exterior. The kitchen’s open view toward the fields and the porch’s outlook over the river make the landscape part of daily use, while the relocated kitchen storage allows the window wall to remain open. These are specific design decisions reported for this home, not evidence that the project has changed local preservation or building practices.
The work also paired new construction with the retention of existing farm buildings. Restoring the barn and corn crib kept older structures in use as part of the property’s overall story. The report does not specify their condition before restoration or their present uses, so the extent of the preservation work cannot be measured from the available details.
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A Return to Momence Roots
The homeowners were a retired couple returning to the Midwest, and the property was near the community where they had grown up. Aimee Buccellato said that the location carried a strong sense of memory and place for them. Their brief called for a new house that would blend into the established farm setting rather than read as a dramatic departure.
House Beautiful presents the home as a new-build project shaped by the visual language of the area’s farmhouses and outbuildings. The designers described their aim as being sensitive to the surroundings and avoiding an ostentatious result. The report gives the project’s location and size, but does not identify the property’s previous farmhouse in detail or provide plans, permit records, or a before-and-after account.
“Having grown up nearby, the property evoked a strong sense of memory and place.”
— Aimee Buccellato, co-founder of Buccellato Design and Architecture, speaking to House Beautiful
Project Details Not Reported
The House Beautiful report does not provide the project’s cost, design and construction dates, architect or builder beyond the design firm, or permit details. It also does not say whether the original farmhouse was demolished, how much of it was retained, or what specific work was required to restore the barn and corn crib. The source describes the house as new construction and says the clients wanted it to feel like an unchanged or carefully amended older home, but does not document the building’s full construction history.
The designers’ comments about how the home might be perceived by neighbors are statements of intent, not a reported survey of community reaction. The report likewise does not establish the age of the property’s earlier farmhouse or claim that the new house is itself historic.
No Further Milestone Listed
The source presents the home as a completed design project but does not identify a forthcoming construction phase, public event, or additional announcement. No follow-up date is given for the restoration work or for further information from the homeowners or designers. The next developments, if any, remain unreported.
Key Questions
Where is the new farmhouse?
It is on a country road in Momence, Illinois, in a rural setting associated with the Kankakee River and surrounding farmland.
Who designed the house?
Aimee and Kevin Buccellato of Buccellato Design and Architecture designed the home, according to House Beautiful.
How large is the house?
The report identifies it as a 6,000-square-foot home with four bedrooms and four-and-a-half bathrooms.
What older structures were included in the project?
The project included restoration of the property’s original 19th-century barn and corn crib. The report does not detail their condition or current use.
Was the farmhouse itself built centuries ago?
No. The report describes it as new construction designed to look established. It does not provide a construction date for the house or confirm that the new building is historic.
Source: housebeautiful.com
