Our Story

How A Primitive Place Magazine Started 🤎

A lot of you are newer to our community, so we wanted to share the story of how A Primitive Place Magazine began, because it truly started with one simple goal: creating a community.

Back in 2008, Kristine Berg created a primitive decorating forum on ProBoards as a place for people to talk, meet virtually, and come together to share all things primitive decor and antique collecting.

At the time, social media looked very different than it does today, and there weren’t the same easy platforms for collectors to gather and share  — so the forum became a special little home for so many of us. Friendships formed, inspiration was shared, and a love for early antiques continued to grow.

So many hours were spent:
➖sharing home photos
➖trading styling tips and decorating ideas
➖asking for advice
➖and even posting displays for others to kindly critique

And in that community… a spark happened.

Some members encouraged Kristine to create a coffee table book, but Kristine had something else in mind. She didn’t want to create just one book.

She had the idea and determination to build something ongoing… a magazine.

With no experience in the industry, Kristine taught herself everything behind the scenes: finding homes, photography, design + layouts, printing, mailing, marketing, building a website — all of it.

She envisioned one publication that combined everything she loved most:
• inspiring home tours
• primitive antiques and the history behind them
• styling and decorating tips
• recipes
• DIY projects
• and artisan features that help keep this industry alive

In 2010, A Primitive Place Magazine officially began publication — and since then, we’ve been graciously welcomed into over 350 homes, trusted by homeowners to share their spaces and collections with all of you.

Our magazine highlights antiques from the 1600s–1800s, and a wide range of decorating styles, including: primitive, early American, colonial, federal, country, or a mixture.

And while our name is A Primitive Place, our heart has always been simple: you are welcome here.

No matter your home style, how long you’ve been collecting, or whether you’re just beginning to learn… we’re grateful you’re part of this community.

Today, we still strive to do what we’ve done from the beginning: share and preserve the love of early antiques, help pass them down and care for them for generations, and educate a younger audience on the history behind the pieces we treasure.