It’s hard to imagine anything more authentically Hudson Valley than the wares at Hammertown. These home and lifestyle goods beckon but never shout. They’re cozy without being kitschy, soothing with pops of subtle color; things that feel good in your hand, soothing to your mind, and refreshing to your spirit. Hammertown’s products play well together, radiating peace and welcome like a house party with a perfectly curated guest list.
It only makes sense, then, that Hammertown is an organically grown family endeavor. Joan Osofsky, a teacher who’d moved with her family from the Jersey suburbs in the early ’80s, was living on Hammertown Road in Pine Plains and relishing the process of getting her home just the way she liked it with the good things she discovered while exploring the beautiful countryside—stoneware pottery, earth tones in richly textured fabrics, subtle vintage beauty.
Home design was a passion for Joan that became a whole new calling. It was only natural that, seeking a fresh professional path, she would open a country store in the unused barn behind her house, pouring her talent and soul into curating a collection that could be shared with the wider world, things sourced from everywhere from the estate sale in the next town to the French and English countrysides.
Home design was a passion for Joan that became a whole new calling.
She’d never gone to school for it, but Osofsky’s unerring eye for loveliness drew in loads of folks who snapped up the handcrafted items she’d discovered and began creating their own Hammertown homes. Old, new, bright, neutral, American, imported: all the wares were brilliantly curated to play nicely together in almost any space, yet varied enough that every shopper could incorporate them into an original vision.
The Barn hosted crafts classes taught by Joan and her favorite local makers. The Hammertown look—clean and fresh, with a nod to the past and artfully layered textures, nothing fake or fussy—was a hit. The barn magnetized nest-makers from across the neighborhood and region, setting a new standard for tasteful décor and becoming a beloved outing destination for solo explorers and groups of friends alike.
Fifteen years after opening the Barn, she opened Hammertown Rhinebeck in a vacant spot beside the then-new Oblong Books; a year later, she opened yet another Hammertown in Great Barrington. The stores were warmly embraced by both neighborhoods, helping the increasing numbers of people coming to create their homes in the Hudson Valley and Berkshires to build lives rich in comfort, charm, and the warmth of community.
The barn magnetized nest-makers from across the neighborhood and region, setting a new standard for tasteful décor and becoming a beloved outing destination for solo explorers
and groups of friends alike.
Osofsky’s design sense became so recognized that she authored two books on Hudson Valley style and entertainment, Love Where You Live: At Home in the Country and Entertaining in the Country. Her children grew up with the business; daughter Dana Simpson began going along on buying trips in high school, later developing Hammertown’s interior design services and stepping up to become Hammertown’s president when Joan retired a couple of years ago. Dana blends the gifts she’s inherited with her own discerning eye, upholding the Hammertown “high/low” signature blend with grace. “You should feel instantly relaxed and calm when you walk in the door to your home, regardless of its size or location. Ready to revive and recharge,” she said in an interview early this year.
There are fluffy Australian and Icelandic sheepskins, brass candlesticks, clever kitchen tools, hand-stitched coverlets, sumptuous towels, and soothing soaps—something to enhance every room.
At Hammertown, you’ll find both in-stock furniture and made-to-order choices, along with décor items to refresh any room. And whether you’re doing over a room, a whole house, or just looking for that one perfect item, you’ll likely find satisfaction and inspiration. New in the store are Hammertown’s own line of pillows and scented candles. Brands you’ll find include Cisco Home, Lee Industries, Rowe, Younger & Co., Ethnicraft, and Gus* Modern. There are fluffy Australian and Icelandic sheepskins, brass candlesticks, clever kitchen tools, hand-stitched coverlets, sumptuous towels, and soothing soaps—something to enhance every room.
Hammertown Interior Design Services are thoughtfully organized to make your project painless, successful, and thoroughly yours, offering personalized, down-to-earth guidance through in-person and virtual consultations, using mood boards and floor plans to help you discover what will bring you the most delight every time you’re in your space, and providing full-service logistics for removal and delivery. There’s a Hammertown Trade Program offering fellow design industry entrepreneurs even more choices: designer pricing and hundreds of customization options, including COM (Customer’s Own Material) opportunities.
Not sure what your discerning loved one would be most thrilled to find under the holiday tree? Stop in at any Hammertown location. There’s an unspoken message implied by a Hammertown gift: you know that they love the finer things in life—the truly finer things, practical and made to last, subtly chic without a trace of ostentation. So find them something from Hammertown or get them a gift card that will let them explore, do their own curation, and have the complete Hammertown experience, a gift that truly speaks for itself.
hammMMertown rhinebeck
6420 Montgomery St, Rhinebeck
845-876-1450
the barn at pine plains
3201 Route 199, Pine Plains
845-640-4453
hammMMertown great barrington
15 Bridge Street, Great Barrington
413-528-7766
shop.hammertown.com
