Everything Needed To Maintain A Weekend Home In Hudson Valley
Photo by Empire City Wire
Location
The Hudson Valley is a New York State region that stretches along the Hudson River from Westchester County to Albany, the state capital.
Renowned for its historic landmarks, outdoor sculpture parks, and exclusive retreats, the region is also a leader in the farm-to-table movement.
It's known for its vineyards, orchards and farms, including sustainable-food champion Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture. Storm King Art Center sculpture park and Dia:Beacon, a museum in a former factory, show large-scale work by major 20th- and 21st-century artists. The Hudson Valley has a variety of mountains for skiing activities during the winter as well.
Hudson Valley real estate is highly sought after - it has it all just a stone's throw from Manhattan: historic estates, wineries, mountain views, river cruises, outdoor adventure, antiquing, classical music venues, sparkling streams, Shakespeare festivals, and mossy hiking trails. The question isn't, "What can you do in the Hudson Valley?" but, "What can't you do in the Hudson Valley?" Likewise, when it comes to real estate, the questions isn't, "What kind of home can I buy in the Hudson Valley?", but, "What can't I buy?"
Hudson Valley, has long attracted New Yorkers for what the Hamptons lack: affordability and a laidback vibe, The New York Times' Julie Satow reported in 2019. The Catskills, a nearby area, has also had an up-and-down history as a hotspot for wealthy New Yorkers.
There are also a variety of celebrities that have weekend homes in the Hudson Valley as well. To name a few are: Daniel Craig & Rachel Weisz, Robert DeNiro, and Liam Neeson. One thing the Hudson Valley has that many other wealthy neighborhoods in America lack is substantial privacy. The dense forests are able to provide sometimes enormous estates with a large amount of privacy that most other wealthy neighborhoods across America lack. This is an ideal environment that grants people with a lot of publicity an opportunity to escape the public eye.
Aerial view of the house using footage from a drone. Photo by Empire City Wire
Property & Infrastructure
The structure of the building is important. This example is made out of two A frames. An A-frame house is a type of home that is easily identified by its triangular, “A” shaped structure. It has a steep, pitched roof that stretches to the ground on either side of the home. A-frame houses are often found in mountain towns or more remote areas due to their cabin feel and durability in heavy snow.
A-frame homes are unique due to their distinctive triangular shape, which sets them apart from other traditional home designs. Their sloping walls that extend from the foundation to the roofline, often made of wood or glass, create a striking and modern look. A-frame homes are also known for their compact and efficient layout, making them a popular choice for small cabins and vacation homes. They can be customized to suit a variety of aesthetic preferences, from rustic and cozy to sleek and contemporary, and can often be built using eco-friendly and sustainable materials. Overall, A-frame homes offer a unique and stylish housing option that is both functional and visually appealing.
This house features 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, an office, 2 balconies, 2 fireplaces, a dining room, 2 living rooms, a kitchen, a basement, a jacuzzi, a half basketball court, a driveway and a parking lot, a heavily manicured garden, and almost 3 acres worth of property which includes a fire pit, various apple trees, blueberry bushes, and herb gardens.
The garden and plants that surround the pathways in the garden are watered and the property has a variety of sprinklers throughout to ensure that the manicured plants stay hydrated.
Photo by Empire City Wire
Photo by Empire City Wire
There is also a small creek that runs along the border of the property which can get quite choppy during tumultuous weather and can also freeze over during the winter.
With enough property, a garden is the ideal location to entertain guests during warmer months. Finding the ideal ratio of sunlight, rich soil, and water is key to growing healthy plants. Choose plants you adore because it's also about pursuing your passion. No matter your level of gardening expertise, using these resources as a starting point will allow one to quickly create a stunning garden.
Photo by Empire City Wire
During prime gardening season, plants are reaching their full size, flowering and maybe even producing fruit for you to enjoy. However, that doesn’t mean your time in the garden is finished. It’s also the time to follow through with touch-ups that can go a long way toward maintaining your garden and making your flowers look their best. Trimming large plants, weeding, and mulching all go a long way to ensure your garden is in good health and does not get overgrown.
Prudence is also highly recommended for a garden if it houses expensive plants or decorations. make sure you have a good deer fence installed to prevent deer or unwanted pests from destroying your perfectly manicured garden or plants.
The property also has a koi pond filled with a variety of fish ranging from young to new with some fish being as old as 20 years. Koi ponds can be a good center piece to entertain guests as they are beautiful to watch and provide can provide a great contrast to an otherwise boring landscape.
The dining room. Photo by Empire City Wire
Amenities
A dining room is an important space for hosting guests as it provides a dedicated area for formal meals and social gatherings. The dining room is typically designed to accommodate a larger group of people, with a dining table and chairs that can comfortably seat several guests. It also creates an atmosphere of warmth and hospitality, making guests feel welcome and comfortable in the host's home. Additionally, the dining room is often used for special occasions and celebrations, such as holiday dinners or birthday parties, making it an important part of the overall entertaining experience. Overall, a well-designed and inviting dining room can enhance the experience of hosting guests and create a memorable and enjoyable occasion for everyone involved.
The dining room in this Hudson Valley example can seat 10 diners pretty comfortably and also overlooks the property. It can be used for wedding receptions, business conferences, and can even be repurposed into a work station for group collaborations. It can be organized for banquets as well as plated dinners. The dining room also has floor to ceiling windows which allow for a lot of light to illuminate the space. It is a great room to host holiday meals and celebrations as well.
The second living room contains a large bar has a pretty diverse collection of liquors sourced from a variety of relatives, friends, and coworkers. It can also work as a screening room since it is near the back of the house and does not have too much exposure to light. It is a great multipurpose space for events or a variety of activities and houses one of the two fireplaces which allows for the room to develop a beautiful ambience when in use.
The master bedroom balcony. Photo by Empire City Wire
The master bedroom has a small jacuzzi which can fit about 2 people pretty comfortably. The jacuzzi also has jets and is connected to a balcony which is accessible through the master bedroom.
The balcony connected to the master bedroom receives ample sunlight which is a huge convenience and rare since the majority of the rest of the property is covered in a tree canopy that shades the grounds. While preventing sun from coming through, this does at least keep the property slightly cooler during warmer months.
The outdoor stone patio is very large and can accommodate happy hours or even dinners. It can double as a very nice event space. The Koi Pond is built into the stone patio along with a variety of stone furniture as well including chairs and benches for lounging outside. Sometimes dining outside can be overwhelmed with mosquitos to there are a variety of citronella Tiki torches surrounding the patio to ensure diners are comfortable when eating.
The outdoor patio is a very comfortable spot to read, do work, eat, or even just rest. Being surrounded by forest, you can really tune in to the amount of wildlife surrounding the area from birds to squirrels.
The stone patio leading into the entrance of the house. Photo by Empire City Wire
The house has multi-seasonal functionality and is a great location to visit in the summer or winter. Because the house features two fireplaces and a fire pit, this allows the property to be used during the colder months as well as the warmer months. It is however, important the fireplaces are used intermittently as to not dry out the air in the house. The smell of burning firewood is a common occurrence when driving through the neighborhood as well as most houses have fireplaces or use firewood for at least some form of heating.
Photo by Empire City Wire
The house also has a pretty extensive bar which is usually filled with the standard cocktail ingredients needed for a diverse menu of options. There is also a wine rack which is usually restocked a few times a year. The bar has a pretty large whiskey selection but also has a variety of flavored liqueurs for cocktails.
The key to ensuring that your liquor keeps its great taste is to store it in a dark cabinet or on a bar cart, away from direct sunlight. Once a bottle is open, oxidation sets in, which will impact the flavors of delicate spirits more so than high-proof liquors. And those bottles that are nearly drained? The oxygen may have already wreaked havoc with the flavors. Drink the rest if it's still going strong or just pour out the dregs. Additionally, it is important to use decanters for any really old whiskey bottles. When opening old or aged bottles of any type, the corks are usually heavily deteriorated so you’ll want to strain the whiskey into a decanter to prevent against any sediment or cork from getting into your glass while drinking your alcohol.
Simple and Versatile cocktail tins are also very important for a home bar. Boston shakers are arguably the best liquor shakers or alcohol shakers on the market. They can be used for shaking or mixing martinis, margaritas, mojitos, shot or any mixed drinks.
Photo by Empire City Wire
Koriko Weighted Shaking Tins are often regarded as the gold standard in cocktail shakers. You’ll find them behind the stick—as bartenders call the bar—at establishments across the U.S.
The Koriko is a type of Boston shaker, meaning it consists of two cups; the smaller vessel nests in the mouth of the larger, creating a vacuum seal so you can vigorously shake your ingredients. Dislodging one tin from the other when you’re ready to pour—“breaking” the shaker, in bar lingo—can require some muscle and can make a mess.
Boston shakers are classic cocktail shakers made with stainless steel. Every cocktail lover needs a set for their bar or bar cart. They typically come in silver or chrome color. They also have seamless welding on the weighted bottom of the shaker cup.
Good glassware is also important, It is important to have a variety of cocktail glasses, martini glasses, low-ballers, high-ballers, and other aperitif or digestif specific drinkware.
Guest Accomodations
You should always ensure there is at least one bedroom to accommodate a guest. Little conveniences go a long way in a guest room. An alarm clock or a clock/radio close to the bed is an important decoration to provide if variety of excursion are scheduled. To cover all bases, hosts should provide paper and pencils, fresh towels along with some snacks. Additionally if it is more than a one night visit be sure to tell your visitor where they can find your iron and ironing board if you don't have any extras to spare.
One of the bedrooms in this example, is a guest bedroom on the second floor. It has its own private balcony which is connected to the garden and the parking lot. Guests can enter and exit the house through this guest balcony providing very easy access.
The guest bedroom is also equipped with a TV and has good amount of privacy. This section of the house almost operates like a private apartment within the house.
Photo by Empire City Wire
Photo by Empire City Wire
Photo by Empire City Wire
Transportation
A good weekend house should have various areas to accommodate vehicles whether it be a driveway or garage. For a house that is expecting a large amount of guests or has a high occupancy rate and can fit a large family, it is important that space for vehicles is ample and can accommodate the amount of people visiting and staying at the property.
This example house features a driveway that connects directly to a large stone staircase leading into the home. The property also features a secondary parking lot that can fit about 3 cars comfortably. This parking lot also has a basketball hoop allowing for residents to play basketball recreationally when there are no cars parked in the lot.
The house has a variety of vehicles for shuttling residents and guests to and from NYC or to and from the Metro-North Train Station. Metro-North Railroad, is a suburban commuter rail service run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, a public authority of the U.S. state of New York and under contract with the Connecticut Department of Transportation.
Photo by Empire City Wire
Working arrangements
Having a work station at a vacation home is important for several reasons. Firstly, it allows you to stay connected with work and maintain productivity while away from your primary work location. This can be particularly important for individuals who are self-employed or who work remotely.
Having a dedicated workspace can help to create a sense of routine and structure, which can be beneficial for mental health and well-being. It can also help to reduce stress and anxiety associated with trying to find a suitable workspace or location to work while on vacation. Additionally, a work station at a vacation home can be useful for managing personal finances or planning activities, such as booking tours or making restaurant reservations. Overall, a work station at a vacation home can enhance the experience of being away from home by providing a sense of productivity, organization, and convenience.
Being a house that is pretty private and secluded in a wooded area, working here offers an opportunity to get work done free from the distractions of being in a busy city or metropolitan area.
There are a variety of outdoor locations throughout the property that are conducive to a peaceful work environment as well. From the many balconies to the outdoor stone patio, there are ample opportunities to zone in on a specific project and minimize distractions.
