The latest stories from Remodelista

It’s natural to be influenced by your travels and to pepper your home with interior souvenirs. For instance, after vacationing in the Southwest one year, I became enamored with desert style and promptly picked up a few potted succulents, a Cosanti wind bell, and a couple throw pillows in that peach-coral hue so popular in that region of the country.

Few among us, though, can claim to return from a trip and build an entirely new house inspired by the local architecture spotted while on vacation. But such is the case with Vikki, the globe-trotting client of Australian architecture firm Curious Practice. “Vikki traveled extensively through Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands and was taken by the sense of connectedness and kindness of family in the more traditional regions,” says architect Warren Hasnoot, explaining the unconventional design of her Newcastle beach house.

Instead of bedrooms shunted into hallways, they are open to the main open kitchen and living area to encourage congregation and connection. Instead of doors that close people off from one another, there are blinds for temporary privacy. And instead of layers of plaster and molding and paint on the walls, the frame of the house was left exposed and unfinished, a choice that fit both the client’s budget and preference for honest materials. (All told, the project came in at just under $400,000.)

“The brief was always described as a flexible home that could accommodate different family arrangements, but mostly Vikki spoke about the grandchildren and an interesting place for them to explore and feel safe,” says Warren.

By these measures (and more), Curious Practice has succeeded. Let’s take a tour.

Photography by Katherine Lu, courtesy of Curious Practice.

Above: One of the challenges of the design for Vikki’s Place (the project name) is that it’s sited in a flood-prone zone, but that also “became the project’s greatest opportunity,” says Warren. “The [design] is non-conventional in comparison to its neighbors. However, this is something more houses are going to have to deal with in relation to increased extreme weather patterns and rising sea levels.”
Above: The living happens on the second level, above the carport and entry courtyard. A simple kitchen with plywood built-ins and stainless steel countertops greets visitors. From the architect’s statement: “An interior of craft and honesty is prioritized over style or glamour.”
Above: The kitchen bleeds into the living room.
Above: “The client said they wanted no plasterboard, they described it as a ‘dead’ material,” says Warren. “The fine—and at times playful— resolution of the ‘unfinished’ and raw materials allows the inhabitants flexibility and opportunity to express themselves.”
Above: Two bedrooms are lofted and open to the public spaces. The multiple levels encourage playfulness and exploration.
Above: Blinds for the two bedrooms and and a sliding door for the bathroom (center) provide a little privacy.
Above: “The materials used are only those which are required, and the maker’s mark is celebrated through exposed construction detailing with everything on show. This approach is reinforced through the design of open joinery, exaggerated plumbing, and custom light shades.”
Above: One of the bedrooms with ample light.
Above: The smaller bedroom fits just a bed.
Above: There are multiple opportunities via sliding glass doors for easy indoor-outdoor living.
Above: The only truly discrete room is the studio, which has a separate entry from the shared balcony.
Above: The studio bedroom has its own kitchenette and bathroom.
Above: One of Warren’s favorite features turns out to be the carport: “The idea of a carport instead of a garage is so much more appealing when you consider how the space can be used when unoccupied by a car. The way this space connects to the gardens and how it becomes an outdoor room protected from the sun and rain was a nice surprise.”
Above: The street-level view from the carport.

For more minimalist architecture, see:

• Raw Materials: A Minimalist Longhouse on Denmark’s Fanø Island, Starring Plywood and Clay
• Outside In: A Multi-Generational Retreat on Whidbey Island Welcomes Nature Inside
• Minimalist Perfection at LA’s Maru Coffee

N.B.: This post was first published May 2021.

By the end of my second trip to Hudson, NY, I had already bought a property, planted my dream garden, opened a small neighborhood bar, and settled into a simpler life upstate—in my head, that is. 

My first visit to Hudson was last November, two days after a massive windstorm had swept through the Hudson Valley and taken nearly every fall leaf with it. I loved the town anyway, but I knew I needed a redo. This summer, my husband and I finally made our return, trading bare trees and frigid walks for hydrangeas, afternoon swims, thunderstorms, and more antique shopping than our luggage could reasonably accommodate. 

We drove up from New York City and made our first detour before we even reached Hudson, stopping in Millerton, where I promptly bought a gorgeous vintage rug from a shop on the main street. By the time we reached our destination, I had fully mapped out our future life Upstate. Below, my highly opinionated guide to Hudson.

Photography by Adam Szafranski.

The Amelia 

Our home base for three nights was The Amelia, a charming B&B and historic old home just off Warren Street that quickly became part of our daily routine. After spending the mornings walking around town, eating, shopping, and then eating some more, we’d retreat to the backyard pool for the afternoon, surrounded by towering hydrangeas and grasses. 

One day, we struck up a poolside conversation with a woman who writes for The New York Times. Naturally, we ran into her again later that evening while drinking martinis at what had, within roughly 24 hours, become our favorite bar in Hudson. More on that in a few. 

Hudson Diner

After a long, winding drive up from New York, we wanted exactly three things on our first night: a burger, a cold martini, and somewhere we didn’t need a reservation. Hudson Diner delivered on all three. 

Circles Bagels 

I was not prepared for the sheer size of my bagel at Circles. It was enormous, delicious, and just what we needed before setting off for another full day of walking Warren Street and convincing ourselves that, yes, maybe we could get that chair back to Seattle somehow. 

Bartlett House 

About a 10-minute or so drive outside Hudson in Ghent, Bartlett House was one of the places I knew I wanted to revisit from my first trip. The café and bakery are housed in a gorgeous historic building. We sat outside on the front porch overlooking the garden below, coffee in hand. 

The Maker Hotel / Serre 

For one of our dinners, we decided to splurge a little and booked a table in the conservatory at The Maker Hotel, in their newer (refreshed) restaurant, Serre. Dinner was excellent, including one of the best roast chickens I’ve had, and our server was hilarious. But the real show arrived toward the end of the meal, when a thunderstorm rolled over Hudson. Within seconds, the entire restaurant went quiet. All you could hear were the clinks of forks and knives against plates while rain pounded against the glass ceiling overhead.  

Red Dot Restaurant & Bar 

And then there was Red Dot. 

A family friend who grew up in Albany told my husband and I that we had to stop in at least once while we were in Hudson. 

We went three times. 

Two of those visits were in the same night where we closed down the bar with our new favorite bartender (Lionel), whose phone number we somehow left with, alongside a handful of local regulars we’d met. The drinks were great, but what stuck with me most was the hospitality. Red Dot is one of those increasingly rare establishments where you walk in knowing no one and somehow leave feeling like you’ve been coming there for years. It’s something I wish more restaurants and bars, frankly anywhere, could recreate. 

We never actually made it past the bar, which gives me an excuse to return to try the restaurant. Next time we’ll be having dinner in the back garden. 

The Shopping 

We were so excited about all the shopping to be had in Hudson that we purposely packed light to leave room in our luggage for our return trip.  

Our final haul included the aforementioned vintage rug from Millerton, a canvas painting from The Modern Exchange, a metal basket from The Antique Warehouse, and an assortment of small tchotchkes collected from shops along Warren Street. And, of course, we stopped at FINCH, which manages to combine an exceptionally good home and furniture assortment with men’s clothing and accessories. 

The best discovery required no purchase at all: spotting our very own Gardenista book on display, looking quite at home and in good company. 

Until Next Time 

By the end of three nights, Hudson had officially carved out a special place in my heart. I can very easily imagine my husband and I living there one day, whether part-time or full-time, with a garden, an old house that probably needs far more work than I’m anticipating, and, apparently, a small bar where everyone knows each other. 

Besides, moving there may ultimately be the more practical choice. How else am I supposed to buy all the furniture that won’t fit in my checked bag back to Seattle?