How Post Company Reimagined This 1800s Cottage for the Modern Era

Rip & Tan: What are the hallmarks of a Post Company design? Are there specific elements or feelings you aim to evoke?

Leigh Salem: Our natural inclinations are toward utility and effortlessness, balanced with warmth and intimacy. Whether we’re designing a hotel, restaurant, residence, or product, we want our designs to feel welcoming and to facilitate human connection.  

Our process always starts with deep research into a project’s location, environment, history, and operational needs. This understanding of the “why” of every project allows us to craft spaces that can endure and evolve, with an eye toward design that transcends the current moment and imagines new traditions. Ultimately, we see design as an enabler of experience, rather than a singular protagonist.

Rip & Tan: Can you walk us through your approach to starting a new project?

Leigh Salem: Our designs are grounded in extensive research that delves into each project’s history, cultural significance, and environmental context, and each client’s vision and needs. This dedication to understanding the past, present, and future enables us to design environments that are not only beautiful, but also deeply resonant and purposeful. We are generally fascinated by all of the layers of meaning beneath the surface, and we believe that this level of thoughtfulness helps us to create timeless work.

Our process is a fusion of research, collaboration, and craft. The firm is an amalgam of disciplines, with a team comprised of architects, architectural historians, interior designers, carpenters, art directors, and graphic designers. We feel that the integration of these various viewpoints–often through a roundtable discussion where everyone contributes and talks through ideas–leads to more expansive and holistic expression. This foundational exploration considers a broad range of outcomes, which are then edited and honed into a cohesive narrative that serves as the project’s foundation. 

Rip & Tan: What story does this particular space tell? What was the vision?

Leigh Salem: The cottage, which dates back to the 1860s, is one of the oldest preserved houses in the area. It also measures just 1,250 square feet, and because of its historic nature, the essence of the house–including the overall footprint, roof lines, and window openings–could not be modified. 

Our brief became finding ways to highlight the home’s unique features while crafting a contemporary, inviting space suited to our very cool clients. For example, since we couldn’t raise or open up the low ceilings in the attic bedroom, we instead called attention to them by limewashing every surface of the room. 

The primary bathroom was also reorganized to maximize space and comfort without expanding the original footprint. We shifted the shower placement from a corner to the center of the room, where the ceiling is highest, added built-in storage, and replaced the large swing shower door with two smaller doors, which allowed for more flexibility. The entire room is clad in Calacatta Rosa marble–a colorful counterpoint to the subtle gray tones of the limewashed bedroom. 

The goal was to make this historic home a contemporary expression of the homeowners and their interests.

Rip & Tan: You’ve managed to make this home feel warm and welcoming yet still thoroughly polished. How did you achieve such a masterful balance?

Leigh Salem: Our philosophy was to create a rhythm of light and dark, restraint and saturation. Color and texture are concentrated in smaller, more intimate rooms, such as the mudroom, which is entirely painted in a terracotta red, and the primary bathroom, clad in slabs of pink Calacatta marble. Larger, open areas, such as the living room, feature subtly shifting tones of limewash gray. The furniture also strikes a balance between vintage and contemporary.

Rip & Tan: If you had to choose, what’s your favorite detail in this space and why?

Leigh Salem: We love the collection of furniture and objects in the home, which represents a mix of contemporary works and vintage pieces sourced from across the Hudson Valley. A vintage Belgian table that can double as a kitchen island, for example, seamlessly coexists with chairs from Roll & Hill, a coffee table by ceramicist Jordan McDonald, hardware from In Common With, and light fixtures by Long Made Co. This interplay of modern and historic inspirations is woven throughout the home.

Rip & Tan: Do you have any general tips for readers designing their own spaces?

Leigh Salem: We think there is always a way to honor the original character of a space while creating an environment that still feels contemporary and suited to modern life. Unique details and craftsmanship can seamlessly coexist with clean lines, updated finishes, and modern functionality to create an aesthetic that is both dynamic and timeless. The interplay of past and present–and the thoughtful layering of old and new elements–can be truly magical.