We’re delighted to reveal the cover of our Fall 2025 issue of A Primitive Place
Magazine, featuring the beautifully styled home of Tim and Sandy McCrory of Elgin, Illinois. Although their home is newly built, their love of early American design led them to transform it from top to bottom—adding barnwood beams, handcrafted floor treatments, and a whims fireplace wall to create an interior that feels centuries old. Anchored by a David T. Smith kitchen, their space is proof that even modern houses can be filled with timeworn soul.
Inside, you’ll find five deeply personal and historically inspired home tours, each offering a distinct take on primitive, colonial, or country living:
• Tim & Sandy McCrory – Elgin, Illinois
A modern house turned primitive haven, filled with meaningful finds and handcrafted architectural touches.
• Jerel & Karen Jackson – Bismarck, Illinois
Their colonial-style home continues to evolve, now with a handcrafted tavern room inspired by historic New England inns.
• Scott & Kathie Rosenberg – Montoursville, Pennsylvania
Once a rental, their reproduction stone and log house is now a beloved forever home with a lived-in feel and historic character.
• Cheryl Donahue – East Falmouth, Massachusetts
A dear friend of Lana Testa, Cheryl’s home is a reflection of shared passions—filled with redware, crewelwork textiles, and the warmth of a fall-inspired color palette that echoes throughout each thoughtfully styled room.
• The Late David & Lana Testa – Mashpee, Massachusetts
First featured in our sold-out Fall 2011 issue, we revisit Lana’s home with new photos and memories of her artistry, warmth, and lasting legacy.
You’ll also discover standout features like:
• "Stamped in Salt-Glaze" – A spotlight on Crocker & Springer, potters keeping tradition alive after 38 years.
• "Illuminating the Past" – A rich dive into 18th- and 19th-century lighting: from rush lights to trammel sconces.
• "A Revival in Brushstrokes" – The inspiring restoration of Rufus Porter’s 1825 mural by Susan Leach.
• Seasonal inspiration on early mantels, dried apothecary goods, and antique bed forms like rope beds and settle beds.
