Cover Model

By Mark Loehrke
Appears in the March 2026 issue.

Featured in books and magazines, this St. Charles estate is more than just a pretty face

While plenty of proud homeowners may believe their well-maintained abodes belong on the cover of a book or magazine, few can actually claim to have seen that vision come to reality.

But that rare distinction is among the many that await the buyers of the French Normandy–inspired stone estate at 2450 Persimmon Drive in St. Charles (now on the market for $4.95 million). In addition to securing a spread in Traditional Home magazine, the property also landed the cover of the third entry (Forever Beautiful, pictured at right) of L.A.-based interior designer Mark D. Sikes’s recent book series. (Sikes designed two of the home’s three levels and the pool house.)

That all makes for an impressive portfolio and some nice items for the coffee table, of course, but does it ultimately make for a comfortable and inviting place to call home? It does if one happens to be a fan of the connection between the luxe surroundings of the 9,500-square-foot interior and the professionally landscaped yard and gardens of the 3.64-acre setting. “When you’re inside the home, from every window, you feel as though you’re in the middle of a park,” is how listing agent Amy Crane of @properties Christie’s International Real Estate describes it.

And nowhere is that feeling more palpable than in spaces like the screened porch (which features a cathedral ceiling with barn beams, all-stone walls, and a heated bluestone floor) or the upper-level primary suite, with its soaring 12-foot ceiling and expansive windows overlooking the grounds. When the weather warms, those grounds beckon with an in-ground swimming pool and a series of garden “rooms” to explore. Meanwhile, you can catch a movie in the 12-seat theater, work on that swing in the upstairs golf simulator room in the garage, or simply relax with a good book (maybe a Sikes title) in front of the fireplace in the paneled library.

Photos: Martina Magnusson—The Media Collective