Upstate Home Goods and Housewares
Staff | February 1, 2021
Vintage meets modern at home goods emporium and design studio Hudson Home on Warren Street.
Furnishing a Dream
When I was little, I was obsessed with “I Dream of Jeannie.” I would run around scrunching up my nose and blinking at things, people, pets—sure that if I could just nail the technique… I eventually grew out of it (to my mother’s relief). But, in November I bought my first house, and, knee-deep in boxes, the urge to genie my way into *settled and comfortable* arose again. I had no window dressings and about a quarter of the furniture I needed to make the house feel like a home. Alas, I have no magic lamp to offer you, but there are a boatload of home goods stores in the Hudson Valley to get you on your way.
The region’s many Main Streets are home to countless small home goods boutiques like Minna in Hudson, Exit Nineteen in Kingston, or Kaaterskill Market in Catskill that are worth getting to know if you’re in the area. Pop in for a candle here, a bar cart there. But if you’re outfitting a home from scratch, there are some bigger players you need to know. Hammertown is heaven and specializes in that globetrotting old-meets-new Bohemian luxury that’s so in vogue right now. There are three locations—Rhinebeck, Pine Plains, and Great Barrington. Head there for decorator-caliber furniture (I’m saving up for down-filled sectional), rugs both vintage and new, linens, and lighting.
The city of Hudson’s design scene speaks for itself, and it’s worth spending a day just wandering around dozens of antique stores (maybe rent a U-Haul?). I’ll just call out one spot for now: Hudson Home. Set in an old printing plant, this shop brings together old and new under one soaring ceiling with a selection of furniture, artwork, textiles, tabletop, and lighting. The second-floor showroom offers a library of wall coverings, window treatments, fabrics, and rugs. (If you need help in your aesthetic wayfinding journey, they’re also a design studio.)
If the word Bohemian makes you want to tear your hair out, head to Marigold Home for more mainstream appeal, with locations in Kingston, Woodstock, and Rhinebeck. They sell everything from wall treatments to furniture from brands like Bernhardt and Riverside. But they really shine in the window treatment department, with a huge array of drapes, blinds, shades, and shutters. Can’t let go of that ratty old heirloom loveseat? They also offer upholstery and interior design services.
In the sleepy hamlet of High Falls, the Lounge showroom carries quality furniture and leather goods in both modern and traditional styles, plus rugs, decor, lightings, and some choice antiques in a historic cottage with exposed stone.
If you need to stock the kitchen, Utensil in Beacon has everything from blenders to cast iron cookware, plus stirring spoons and spatulas aplenty. Bluecashew in Kingston is another boutique kitchenware store with a curated selection of artisanal and top-of-the line chopping boards, utensils, bar equipment, knives, candles, and table linens. (To date, I’ve bought one chef’s knife and a copper jigger here, and I’m still making payments, but boy are they pretty.) If you not only need to stock the kitchen, but learn how to cook in it, Bluecashew offers classes with visiting guest chefs in their onsite test kitchen. If you’re not relaxing in your luxuriously appointed house by now, here are nine Hudson Valley homegoods stores.
Home is Where the Salvaged Hearth Is
As Ron Burgundy famously said, “I have many leather-bound books and my apartment smells of rich mahogany.” (#goals) Upstate is a scavenger’s paradise from off-grid auction houses to back-road barn sales and small-town emporiums. With patience, you too can furnish a house in vintage flair on the cheap. If you’re doing a more intensive reno and/or time is of the essence, however, there are a few bottomless treasure troves you gotta visit. If you are restoring an old home or simply chasing the gravitas of yore, look no further than Hudson Valley House Parts. The 2,000-square-foot warehouse in Newburgh is quite literally stuffed to the rafters with architectural elements from Victorian entrance doors to factory windows and Federal staircases, plus furniture and decor, hardware, lighting, and rugs. My personal happy place is Zaborski’s Emporium, a sprawling three-story industrial building in Midtown Kingston overflowing with salvaged gems, from antique kitchen scales and tea tins to cast iron clawfoot tubs, handmade tools, soaring entry doors, retro lighting, and more. The volume and variety is enough to set your heart aflutter, and it’s relatively well organized. Don’t expect to haggle much, though, they know what they’ve got and are vexingly unhurried to offload the inventory.
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If vintage ain’t your thang, The Door Jamb is the jam for modern doors and windows at steep discounts. Located outside Woodstock on Route 28 and staffed by an uber-friendly crew of young gents, Door Jamb offers new products straight from the distributor that either have slight cosmetic defects, are overstock, or botched/canceled/returned custom orders. Jot down your measurements and the crew can help you find what you need. For an extra fee, they also custom-cut doors to length, add knob holes, and attach hinges. So helpful! (But really, go for the windows, stay for the studs.) If a kitchen reno is in the cards, check out these five local cabinet sources.
If you’re on a budget, Habitat for Humanity’s ReStores are a freakin’ godsend. When I’m on the prowl for something specific, I swing by here once a week. (New inventory hits the shelves every Wednesday. Shameless, I know.) There are four ReStore locations throughout the Hudson Valley—Kingston, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, and Hudson. Each store sells donated furniture, kitchenware, vinyls, and building supplies including windows, doors, sinks, lighting, tiles, even paint. All the proceeds fund Habitat’s mission of local home building, so you can leave your misgivings in the Salvation Army cart. This is also a great place to donate stuff you don’t use anymore from barware to armchairs, and yes, crock pots.
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