What would it be like to live in the Hudson Valley?
We have pondered this question many times. Currently, we live in Coastal Connecticut and are planning a move to Manhattan in the next year. However, we have thought about buying a farmhouse in the Hudson Valley. My husband and I both follow two real estate companies that specialize in the area, and the listings are pretty dreamy. Even if that’s all it is, it’s fun to imagine living in an old farmhouse with wide plank floors, creaky staircases, and kitchens that have clearly seen generations of meals. It’s easy to imagine a different rhythm of life in the Hudson Valley.
Buying Upstate – The Lillie K. Team
The Town of Hudson, New York
The town of Hudson, in particular, has that quiet pull. It feels creative but grounded, historic but not precious. It’s the perfect day trip from Manhattan. About a two-hour drive from either Manhattan or where we live in Connecticut. There are beautiful shops, restaurants, and a handful of hotels for an overnight stay.
The Maker Hotel has a lovely restaurant that’s open all day and night. Perfect for just a coffee or a drink. And they have a pool in the summer!
The Hudson Valley Summer into Fall
What to Wear in the Hudson Valley
Left: Italian Leather Trapeze Tote from Quince // Market Check Cotton-Linen Shirt & Pleated Skirt from Toast // Pebbled-Leather Sling Bag // Slingback Sandals Right: Italian Leather Woven Tote from Quince // Socks // Skirt // Donegal Merino Cardigan // Markus Loafers from Sezane
The Hudson Valley feels a bit like Brooklyn, but in the country. People dress beautifully, but with an ease that never suggests they’re trying too hard—even though you’re surrounded by incredibly stylish people. One brand that always comes to mind is TOAST, which seems to capture that balance perfectly. I’ve put together two looks that feel very Hudson Valley to me—simple, thoughtful, and just a little bit rugged, as if they belong equally to a morning at the market or an afternoon in the garden.
Hudson Valley Interior Designers to Know
Christina Salway
Brooklyn-based designer Christina Salway has been featured in Country Living, The New York Times, and House Beautiful, and her work feels especially at home in the Hudson Valley. Alongside her projects upstate, she and her husband purchased a modest house in Burgundy, which they are in the process of renovating. She shares updates on Instagram (@christinasalway). Her approach blends restraint with warmth, creating spaces that feel both personal and quietly refined.
Amanda Pays
Actress-turned-designer Amanda Pays has become something of a quiet authority on Hudson Valley living, thanks to her beautifully restored farmhouses featured in Remodelista. Working alongside her husband, Corbin Bernsen, she reimagines historic homes with a light touch—embracing imperfection, reusing materials, and allowing each space to evolve naturally.
Together, their work captures much of what draws people to the Hudson Valley in the first place: a slower pace, a reverence for history, and an understated, collected sense of style.
Have you visited The Hudson Valley? I would love to know what you thought!
Annie, perfect timing on this Hudson Valley post because I am planning a getaway there this fall. Would love additional posts about your favorite spots to visit.
Hi Debra! I will give this some thought! I’m due for another visit! Fall is the perfect time to visit the Hudson Valley! It’s gorgeous!
xo
Such cute outfits! I need a trip to the Hudson Valley!
Hi Annie,
I love the beauty of Hudson Valley and it is always in the back of my mind as a place to move too. Love love love Heidi Wynne’s website, featuring true irish knits and cashmere scarves and summer dresses, and she often posts about living in Hudson Valley during the seasons. It looks and sounds so lovely I am very tempted to go and take a look. “Toast ” is very popular in England as well. Gorgeous outfits! Happy Sunday!
Hi Francesca, I think you have mentioned Heidi Wynne’s website, I need to see if I follow her! I do love fisherman knits! Is Toast popular in England? That makes sense! Very fitting!
Hope you have a lovely week Francesca!
xx
Hi Annie,
Hudson Bay looks peaceful, and quiet. Is retirement in your future? I bet the air is nice and clean. A farmhouse looks right up your alley. Change is sometimes good and welcoming.
I would like to go back to San Francisco, and Marin County across the bay where we moved from however it’s just not in the starts for us at our age. Real Estate has gone way up compared to when we moved down to Arizona is 1979. Sane everywhere, you can’t live in the past.
Hi Katherine-I cannot even imagine retiring even though I am almost 64! Real estate everywhere has just sky rocketed! mI understand that sentiment…you can’t live in the pasat, but some places never quite leave you. For me, it’s Dana Point. We livedd their twice, and I love it, but I doubt I will ever live in SoCal again, but oyu never know!
xo
Hudson Valley sounds and looks like you Annie. Never been but travel vicariously through your photos. I never cared for NYC. I’m a small town girl and too old for the atmosphere of the big city. Each of us has to choose what works for ourselves.
Hi Sydney-I think we currentlt have the best of both worlds, a small town in CT, but only an hour from the city! We’ll see…always up for adventure!
Thanks for this! On my list to visit after reading your very helpful post.
HI Jeannine, It’s such a lovely area in the spring, summer and fall! The colors are beauiful, and so mnay towns to discover with cute restaurants and shops!
Good evening from Mercer Island,
Your post introduced me to new brands and designers. They all share the laid back life style and updated country vibe I strive for.
The gorgeous Toast garments seem so suited to tall and “lovely” you. The Christina Salway and Amanda Pays designs intrigue with their unique country colors and spare interiors. They remind me of the homes my husband Tom and I were invited into when we lived in the Susquahanna Valley in upstate New York many years ago.
Thank you for the delightful discoveries,
Diney
Hello Diney! Hope your Monday is off to a good start! I do love the laid back lifestyle, in fact when I need to “dress up” I find I never have the right pieces. Maybe someday I’ll figure it out, but I just love casual clothing! Toast (on sale) is my new favorite brand!
You know, I nver even knew anything about the Susquahanna River until our daughter went to Bucknell in Lewisburg, PA and our son went to Syracuse. You see the river of signs all throughout those drives. I woould have loved the chance to go into some those big homes in that area!
Have a great week Diney!
xo
Annie I have always wanted to go back to the Hudson Valley. I was there when I was in my 20’s with a friend whose family took us along the river to some cute towns and even an historic home. I think it was called Boscobel and it was near the water. I love the outfits here – so cute and very Annie, Perfect for a day out there in springtime. I also love Amanda Pays and all her homes.
Thanks for this fun escape. Can’t wait ti see you next week. xo
Kim, maybe we should have our next meeting in the Hudson valley! There’s so much design in the area! And there are tons of great places to stay. There are a lot of retreats held in the area for designers and creatives!
xx
We spent a couple nights in Hudson last spring. We had driven from Kansas City to upstate New York to watch our son in a community theater play. We stayed at the Mariner; it was charming and perfect for us. We had breakfast at Banque in a beautifully restored bank building and visited a wonderful antique mall. What a lovely part of the country!