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A Primitive Place
I am a New Subscriber: Start a Subscription with the SUMMER 2026 Issue (Releasing in May)
I am a New Subscriber: Start a Subscription with the SUMMER 2026 Issue (Releasing in May)
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This is an in-print NEW subscription starting with the SUMMER 2026 issue, which will be released in May. If you are an existing subscriber, please RENEW your subscription.
A One-Year Subscription Will Include the Following Issues: Summer, Fall, and Christmas 2026, and the Spring 2027 issues
A Two-Year Subscription Will Include the Following Issues: Summer, Fall, and Christmas 2026, Spring, Summer, Fall, and Christmas 2027, and Spring 2028 issues
Please allow 8-10 weeks to process all new subscriptions and renewals.
This issue will not be released until May. The official cover and description will be released at a later date.
5 Home Tours:
Scott and Cindy Kappes of Freeport, Illinois
What draws Cindy Kappes to an antique piece isn’t perfection—it’s the flaws that tell a story. “I don’t like perfect items,” she says, noting she’s especially fond of primitive antiques with old repairs, visible wear, and rich patina that reflect generations of use. Interestingly, this marks a complete shift from her earlier collecting days, when she sought out pristine graniteware free of chips or cracks.
Jim and Jennifer McKelvie of Campton Hills, Illinois
The red stepback cupboard, built with square nails and bearing an old mouse hole at its base, is one of Jennifer’s favorite pieces. It’s topped with two original Shaker boxes, including a rare stenciled seed box; a third Shaker seed box rests nearby on the floor.
The McKelvies have collected several Shaker pieces over the years, many found online—timeless forms that are now highly sought after, in part due to high-profile collectors such as Oprah Winfrey and Bill Cosby, who helped spotlight Shaker simplicity and design. Jennifer, a respected rug hooker for over 45 years, has attended rug hooking schools across the country and continues to share her artistry through her work. Jim, a master gardener, brings equal dedication and creativity to their outdoor spaces.
Fred and Gail Gersch of Midlothian, Texas
Fred’s architectural talent is extraordinary! He has designed 15 houses without the aid of modern-day computers, including their own Cape Cod–style home built in 2012. Every element was chosen to look as though it could have stood between 1750 and 1830: Hardy board to mimic clapboard siding, wood planks, authentic placement of antiques, and colonial paint colors and finishes. A cage bar door swings open a tavern atmosphere the second you step through the front door!
One of the most captivating features is their working hearth, designed for both authenticity and use. Fred and Gail continue the tradition of hearthside cooking, and we filmed a 15-minute video that we can’t wait to share
Nik and Kim Groothuis of Casey, Illinois
It’s no surprise that the buttery is Kim’s favorite space. “I need to have color, but I also like an attic finish,” she shared—and this layered stack of greens delivers just that! Kim leans toward a warm, country-style of decorating that feels both collected and lived-in.
John Stys of New Hartford, New York
Little did John Stys know that the influence of America’s Bicentennial in 1976 would shape not only his decorating choices, but eventually lead to a feature in A Primitive Place Magazine during the year of America’s Semiquincentennial. History truly has a way of coming full circle. John’s New Hartford, New York home is more than 240 years old and sits on land once purchased from George Washington, one of the most revered figures of the American Revolution. Even more remarkably, John attended an estate sale at this very property in 2018, only to return the following year as its owner. His story is filled with moments where past and present quietly intersect, proving just how deeply his life is intertwined with history.
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