Jan. 20--A 5-acre estate in far northwest suburban Bull Valley that contains an extensively renovated 1850s saltbox home and a 6,000-square-foot, 200-year-old dairy barn has been listed for $950,000.
The property has long been owned by an interior designer, Dana Riley, and her husband, Dennis, who were married in the barn. Over a year and a half, they spent $1.4 million to upgrade the two-story house and renovate the barn, which has hand-carved beams and hand-whittled wood pegs.
The house includes a renovated 700-square-foot studio space that has been used as Dana Riley's interior design studio and has 12-foot double entrance doors, four large bay windows, walnut floors and built-in display cabinets.
In the house, other features include two-story white paneled walls in the foyer, a winding staircase, a library with 30-foot ceilings and a double-sided limestone gas fireplace, a sunroom, a 60-foot art gallery hallway and a 1,200-square-foot bonus room above the garage.
"The finishes and the amount of details to this home can only be appreciated in person," said listing agent Michael LaFido of Conlon: A Real Estate Company. "This property has hosted many events from weddings and fundraisers to video productions and live events."
Bob Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.
