33: Just Back From: The Hudson Valley
Where one Washington, D.C. interior designer stays, eats, and shops in Upstate New York’s hippest enclave.
New York State’s Hudson Valley gets ample press for bucolic scenery, quaint small towns, and a hip shopping and dining scene. The town of Hudson itself—about two hours from Manhattan by train or car—is the undeniable star. I’ve spent time there, but not as much as my dear friend Nicole Lanteri, a Washington, D.C. interior designer (see our prior collabs in The Washington Post and Washingtonian Magazine). She brands her style as “eclectic, bespoke, playful,” terms that bubble up when you see her projects (and her Georgetown, D.C. showroom).
Lanteri and her husband Aaron keep returning to the towns of the Hudson Valley (including Hudson, Rhinebeck, and Kinderhook) and they’ve designed several homes for clients in the area. Below, Lanteri reveals the antiques shops, funky restaurants, and other spots she recommends.
Why do you love Hudson Valley and spend time there?
The Hudson Valley has a reputation for being a retreat and a place with a deep affinity for good design, both old and new. During the pandemic, Aaron and I wanted to relocate for a bit, and I found out we could rent designer Sheila Bridges’ guest house, which had been featured in Domino Magazine!
You often stay in and around Hudson. Why do you like it?
Hudson’s Warren Street feels like the longest indie shopping drag in the U.S. It has so many stores and restaurants I like.
Clove and Creek, for great candles, silverware, and home goods.
The Farm Shoppe, is a really charming market with kitchen and home goods.
FINCH Hudson, which has a wonderful curation of vintage and modern homewares plus a collection of books.
Modern Exchange, with a really great selection of vintage and resale furniture. We’ve also found great prints by artist Mary Maguire here.
Mary Maguire prints star in a kids’ bedroom Lanteri designed in a Hudson Valley project. Quiet Botanist, a lovely dried flower shop with a delightful name.
Regan and Smith, where Kurt, the owner, has a great selection of outdoor and large-scale pieces. The stock is mostly vintage, and we sourced a fabulous tete-a-tete (two-seater) from them!
The Spotty Dog Books & Ale lets you have a drink at the bar and buy books!
Upstate Rug Supply has unique , colorful, patterned rugs.
Any favorite small towns in Hudson Valley?
There are lots of towns around, many of which we’ve stayed in, including Woodstock and Kinderhook, New York. Kinderhook has a great small downtown, with a lovely little coffee shop, and art gallery, plus it’s very walkable to the rail trail.
What have you purchased for clients and yourself in the Hudson Valley?
For a project in Potomac, Maryland, we found great lighting, including an Italian six-arm lacquered metal pendant for the dining room and an 1960s Italian metal and Murano glass floor lamp for the living room.
We placed a &Tradition Shuffle Table in a project beside Washington, D.C.’s Rock Creek Park.
In a project we did in Hillsdale, New York, much of the indoor and outdoor furniture came from local vintage shops. You can read more about it here (and see photos).
In our Georgetown office, we have two very special vintage pieces from Hudson’s Ida’s Eye: an elephant desk and a “starburst” light pendant.
A vintage elephant desk Lanteri bought in Hudson, New York is set up in her Georgetown showroom.
Any favorite art galleries in the Hudson Valley?
Carrie Haddad Gallery (Hudson) is fairly established and has a wide selection of artists.
D’Arcy Simpson Art Works (Hudson) has more colorful, larger pieces.
Pamela Salisbury Gallery (Hudson) is an absolute favorite with a wide variety of artists. In the back is a historic carriage house, a raw space with lighting where she features the art. It all feels very special and unique!
A painting by Elizabeth Hazan at Pamela Salisbury Gallery in Hudson, New York. September Gallery (Kinderhook) In an old knitting factory with a crazy old elevator, find a juxtaposition of artists.
What about museums or historic homes?
The Frelinghuysen-Morris House and Studio (Lenox, Mass.) is the former home of two mid 20th-century married artists. It’s a wonderful example of modern architecture with interesting paintings and features like a twisting staircase.
MASS MoCA Museum of Contemporary Art (North Adams, Massachusetts) has contemporary art in a former textile mill
The Mount: Edith Warton’s house (Lenox) the home of the “Age of Innocence” author is fun to see. They have ghost tours around Halloween, too.
Olana State Historic Site, artist Frederic Church’s masterpiece, is so colorful and well-preserved on the inside. It was built in the late 19th century but feels very modern and contemporary.
The dining room at Olana, the hilltop Hudson Valley estate of painter Frederic Edwin Church. Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site (Albany), where Eliza and Alexander Hamilton got married, is a great example of Georgian architecture.
Vanderbilt Mansion (Hyde Park, New York) has stunning gardens—and FDR’s house is nearby.
Where do you recommend eating in and around Hudson?
Baba Louie’s pizza (Hudson) is a fun casual spot.
Feast and Floret (Hudson) excels at both ambiance and food. Everything is fresh, seasonal, and very creative. Plus they have a flower cart where you can grab a bouquet before heading out.
Kitty’s Market (Hudson) at the train station, is a great place to grab a bite before your trip to pick up little souvenirs. I’m always tempted by the tinned fish!
Burrata and summer tomatoes at Feast and Floret. MOTO Coffee (Hudson) There’s no shortage of cute and impressive coffee shops in Hudson, including this motorcycle-theme one, which also has great burritos.
Samuel’s Sweet Shop (Rhinebeck) is owned by actors Paul Rudd and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. In the summer, get a Frozen Cappy, an icy chocolate and coffee drink.
The Tavern at Rivertown Lodge (Hudson) is one of our go-tos. It’s easy and approachable—you can always just pop in.
What’s your ideal day in Hudson or the Hudson Valley?
Morning: I’d do early morning yoga at Lava Hot Yoga, where I’ve even made a few friends! Then maybe a short hike along the Harlem Valley Rail Trail in Hillsdale, the trails through Olana, or Staatsburgh’s path along the Hudson River. Then I’d pop into Twisted Sisters in Hillsdale for coffee and a breakfast sandwich.
Afternoon: I’d spend that in Hudson shopping, starting with a drive to the Antique Warehouse and a wander down Warren Street, where I’d definitely stop at Finch.
Evening: I’d head for an early dinner at Rivertown Lodge and sit at the bar. If there are any mushroom dishes on the menu, get them, and save room for deserts such as miso ice cream or rhubarb-tahini pot de crème.
Then we’d watch the sunset from the park along the river.
So where should I stay in the Hudson Valley?
In Hudson, the Maker Hotel (has a pool) or Rivertown Lodge (no pool, but does have a fantastic restaurant, maybe my favorite of all time).
INNESS New York is more of a “pastoral spa” experience. The pool is wonderful!
What other things should travelers check out?
Germantown is just really cute, and has a little strip with a great sandwich place and other shops.
Great Barrington, Massachusetts and Rhinebeck, New York are worth popping by. The Beekman Arms Antique Market in Rhinebeck has some gems.
Drive around Chatham, New York or up to Albany. There are so many towns and they’re all a little bit different.
BCMT (Kingston) is a wood, metal, and fiber crafts studio. We’ve used their tables in projects often.
The Antique Warehouse (Hudson) is an endless, easy to wander, 40,000-square-foot antiques mall. Explore and get lost among treasures, which come in varying degrees of quirk or fabulousness at many price points.
Love the Hudson Valley and hope to go back in the fall.
You and Ms. Nicole should take us a Hudson Valley field trip!