2020 Recipient: Landmarks Illinois + Driehaus Foundation Award for Architectural Preservation Need to escape from the city? A week? Or a weekend? The time you spend at our award-winning 1868 Victorian is up to you. Book a weekend for rural relaxation. Or redefine working from home with days connected to the office and nights spent grilling, biking and just hanging out with family beneath gorgeous sunsets. Either way, our home is perfect to stop feeling cooped up and spread your wings and fly. *** 2020 Recipient: Landmarks Illinois + Driehaus Foundation Award for Architectural Preservation *** In 2005, John and Valentino bought this house and spent the next 15 years bringing it back to its original character. We were looking to create a peaceful, intimate escape from the city. It's so lovely here that we even got married on the lawn under the old-growth oak trees in 2019. (Check out the photos in the profile.) Now we are opening the home for you to enjoy as well. This 1868 Victorian Italianate villa has been lovingly restored through years of effort. The charm of the time period has been preserved. Floors, doors and windows have been restored to their original detail, the home has been repainted to its original palette, and Victorian furnishings fill the rooms. The home sits on five acres of old growth oak trees and flowing pasture. Escape from the 21st century and step back in time. The house is here for you to enjoy. Our home has ten rooms/spaces and sits on five acres on the edge of town facing the countryside. We have two older bikes that you can use to tool around town or take jaunts through the country. There is a gas grill at your disposal, and we'll leave you lounge chairs and beach towels so you can take advantage of the summer sun. A park 500 feet away has tennis courts and a baseball diamond. We keep tennis rackets, tennis balls, pickle ball rackets and pickle balls on hand in case you'd like to venture over. You'll have access to all areas of the home except for one room upstairs and the basement. You will have the house and grounds to yourselves, but we will be available via phone and the Airbnb app to answer any questions and resolve any issues that may arrive. We are very responsive. SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR YOU AT THE HOUSE GOURMET DINNERS (SEE PHOTOS IN PROFILE): Valentino is a chef from Italy, and he’s created several menus of 4-course Italian and Spanish meals for you to enjoy during your stay. They are a great way to celebrate anniversaries or birthdays or to just add something special to your visits. Dinner options: - Spanish paella - Seafood dinner - Mediterranean beef stew with cheese polenta - Homemade lasagna Each dinner comes with appetizers, a first course, the second course listed above, and dessert. Inquire for for menus and prices. AN AFTERNOON OF WATERCOLOR PAINTING: A local artist offers for our Airbnb guests an afternoon of learning how to watercolor. You'll end the session with your very very own work of art to take with you as a souvenir. FIREPLACE: We occasionally get questions about the fireplace. There is one downstairs in the rear parlor. However, it is decorative only. The chimney is capped and it cannot be used. FIRE PIT: If you would like to experience fire while at the house, there is a fire pit in the field behind the house. With some 60 trees on the property, there is generally some wood available to burn.