Marx Cottage

Project: 1920’s Cottage
Location: Newburgh, New York
How do you make a nearly century-old cottage work for the way a family lives today without designing the history out of it? And how do you add storage to a house built before closets were even really a thing? Those were some of the questions behind this 1929 cottage. Rather than trying to make the house feel new, we worked with its quirks and original character, finding opportunities to make it function better within the existing footprint. We added storage wherever the architecture allowed, turning an underused pass-through between the kitchen and dining room into cabinetry for everything from morning coffee to dinner party essentials, while finding other places throughout the house to tuck away the realities of everyday family life. An unused chimney became a small tea nook rather than wasted space.

While this was not a complete restoration, a great deal of care was taken to preserve what was original to the house. The existing woodwork, including the original windows, doors, mouldings, and trim, was retained wherever possible. When something new was introduced, we wanted it to feel considered and specific to this particular home. We worked with local artisans to source details such as the Hudson Valley flowers on the kitchen tiles and commissioned custom kitchen cabinetry, allowing us to create a completely custom design rather than relying on off the shelf solutions.

That same approach carried outside. We chose exterior materials and details that honored the period of the house rather than trying to modernize it. The landscaping was also completely reworked to make the property feel more established and connected to the cottage, including the creation of an outdoor dining area that extended the way the family could use and enjoy the home during the warmer months.

Throughout the project, we layered pattern, color, antiques, natural materials, and collected pieces so that the newer interventions felt like they belonged. The result is a home that functions for a modern family while still feeling very much like the old cottage it was meant to be.

All photos © Phil Mansfield Photography

Florals from Anthusiant Florals