A New York City Weekend Guide for Design Lovers

Here’s where to find inspiration if you're a fan of art, architecture, and fashion.Neue Galerie/BridgesThe thing that makes visiting (or living in) New York worth every penny is that you don’t have to go out of your way looking for inspiration. You might be struck by a vintage sign advertising color TVs in the East Village; a grandpa on the Upper East Side pairing bright red socks with his loafers; or that never-gets-old view of the Brooklyn Bridge from an elevated subway track. Design is, indeed, everywhere in NYC, but sometimes you need a bit of a roadmap to plot your next moment of awe.Like many New Yorkers, I derive a lot of joy from looking at pretty things and existing in cool spaces. When I feel like I’m staring at a blank page—or I just want to spend a weekend more intentionally—the places below are the ones I turn to for a creative spark. These spots span boroughs and cover art, architecture, and fashion—from former artist residences and Japanese-inspired stationery stores to restaurants and spas with covetable interiors.For the aesthetes who have already seen the latest exhibition at MoMA, this weekend guide for design lovers is intended to point you in a few other directions (and no, this does not include that viral room full of dirt in SoHo).UptownDowntownBrooklynQueensWhere to stayThe Cooper Hewitt is the only museum in the United States devoted exclusively to both historical and contemporary design. GettyUptownFor many New Yorkers, to go uptown is to go to the museum. And while the Metropolitan Museum of Art holds down the fort, there are a few other players along Museum Mile that always seem to take me by surprise whenever I visit. The Cooper Hewitt, for instance, showcases “design objects” in the broadest sense that span across centuries—you might find an Egyptian ceramic from 1100 BCE in one room, and a Swedish midcentury-modern lamp in another. It’s also a lovely hangout spot; earlier this year, the museum hosted a Hi-Fi listening room, and when the weather’s nice, visitors can take advantage of the garden (tickets are not required and Wi-Fi is free), admiring the gorgeous architecture of Andrew Carnegie’s former mansion.The “Einspänner” at Sabarsky—double espresso with whipped cream. Jessica SulimaA short walk away, the Neue Galerie, which specializes in early 20th-century German and Austrian art, is where I go to gush over furniture designed by the likes of Josef Hoffmann and Adolf Loos. The museum is set to reopen on November 12 for its 20th anniversary, but in the meantime, you can visit the stunning Café Sabarsky—the Viennese restaurant located within the museum—and pretend you’re at the helm of the next great intellectual movement with your friends over fancy whipped-cream-topped coffees.Further downtown, in Midtown East, the Paul Rudolph Institute is a must for anyone who enjoyed The Brutalist. Join the monthly open house at the Rudolph-designed duplex within the iconic Modulightor building, once the headquarters of the lighting company the architect co-founded with his life partner, Ernst Wagner. Docents are on-site to answer any questions as you wind your way through the all-white apartment, with its disjointed staircases and built-in shelving units, though private tours are also available.When it comes to shopping, I believe one can gain a lot from staring into the windows along Madison Avenue, or even heading inside to get a feel for the luxe fabrics, sans purchase. But for second-hand designer clothing, Upper East Vintage (by appointment only) and Designer Revival (Gentleman’s Resale is also right next door), both on the Upper East Side, are your best bet. I’m also always delighted by what I find at Spellman Gallery, a small showroom owned by an art appraiser with fantastic taste—you can discover all kinds of treasures, from a rare vinyl record to a painting worth a few thousand.Browsing beautiful items will inevitably stir up an appetite, and for a restaurant that has tables equipped with landlines during live art auction sales, check out Marcel 945 Madison, housed inside the historic Breuer Building that is now the global headquarters of Sotheby’s. While the restaurant serves (very expensive) French bistro fare, it’s all about the rotating art on the walls—including works by Roy Lichtenstein and Willem de Kooning, to name a few past residents—which are also available for purchase.With its glass blocks, chrome light fixtures, and black leather booths, Bridges in Chinatown is a design-lover's dream. BridgesDowntownIf you prefer to walk amongst grittier cast-iron buildings or people-watch from plastic stools, then it’s best you head downtown. Start with a trip to the Judd Foundation, where you can book a slot to explore 37 of minimalist Donald Judd’s artworks, each permanently installed in the late artist’s former residence and studio on Spring Street, and get a glimpse of how an artist lived and breathed in SoHo before the luxury flagships arrived. Over in Greenwich Village, the Renee and Chaim Gross Foundation boasts over 12,000 of American artist Chaim Gross’s sculptures, drawings, and prints, as well as his personal collection of global art. The late artist’s personal home, which he shared with his wife Renee, is light-filled and lived-in—an intimate experience that cannot be replicated at a traditional museum.The Lower East Side, specifically Orchard Street, is where to go to shop independent designers. Browse Colbo—more of a multidisciplinary space than a retail store—for unisex neutrals as you sip an espresso. Though not technically adjacent, Colbo Next Door is just a two-minute walk away and a great spot to grab a glass of wine and listen to vinyl. Further along Orchard Street, you’ll find Lara Koleji for vintage Miu Miu, as well as Tumbao, a curation of the very best in Latin American fashion design. On East Broadway, also in the LES, Aeon Bookstore is one of my favorite bookstores in New York, a basement-level shop with a small-but-mighty selection of used titles, whether you’re looking for a coffee table book on the Bauhaus or a beautiful edition of Lolita.Gem Home on Mott Street saves the day whenever I’m in need of a unique, last-minute gift—say, a stainless steel ice cream bowl or spiral toothbrush holder—and the shop, which is also a café, has recently started hosting dinners in collaboration with French pop-up Mon Petit Canard. Continuing on with the theme of downtown cool, Bridges is a swoon-worthy restaurant space that’s bound to get your interior design wheels turning, and there’s a famous Comté cheese tart that’s a work of art in and of itself.If you've ever wondered what the subway looked like decades ago, the New York Transit Museum has your answer. Ron Holtz/Courtesy New York Transit MuseumBrooklynIf you’re spending a day in Brooklyn, make sure to pop over to the New York Transit Museum in Downtown Brooklyn—talk about a celebration of design. In addition to touring over 20 different vintage train cars, you’ll view an otherwise quotidian part of New York City life in a new light. Graphic design nerds in particular will geek out over the exhibits dedicated to Massimo Vignelli, who designed the 1972 subway map we love and use today. For a different kind of museum experience, Pioneer Works in Red Hook was born out of a former 1866 red-brick warehouse, and today it’s dedicated to all kinds of arts and science programming. On view right now, for instance, is a multimedia exhibition by Helsinki-based artist Tuomas A. Laitinen, drawing on more than a decade of research on octopus intelligence, sleep, and consciousness.Reading material at Spencer's Spa. Jessica SulimaNot all spa lounges are created equal. Jessica SulimaThere’s only one place I trust for buying jeans, and it’s Front General Store's Outpost, which boasts an entire wall of vintage Levi’s and then some—think worn-in Burberry trench coats, military deadstock, and new shoes from Japanese or British brands you might not have heard of. The vintage shopping in Brooklyn, of course, doesn’t stop there: 10 ft Single by Stella Dallas in Williamsburg is a reliable favorite for threadbare T-shirts and Ralph Lauren sweaters, and if you’re on the hunt for a conversation starter of a chair, Dream Fishing Tackle in Greenpoint is part fishing supply center, part midcentury-modern furniture store. If it wasn’t already clear, NYC loves a retail space that’s also something else: Chyelle in Bushwick and Apartment Ra’el in Bed-Stuy both serve up coffee and beautiful homeware. For those obsessed with paper and pens (guilty), Yoseka Stationery in Greenpoint stocks the very best in Japanese stationery design—from Hobonichi journals to Kaweco fountain pens.In a sea of white-marbled wellness spaces, Spencer’s Spa in Williamsburg proves good design is integral to relaxation. I’ve had excellent facials at both the Brooklyn and SoHo locations, lingering for as long as possible afterwards in the lounge areas, which seem to take inspiration from traditional Japanese, Art Deco, and Scandinavian design (I like to take pictures of all the unique lamps and objects so I can reverse image search them for my apartment later on). But if you’d rather find your zen within New York City’s nightlife scene, James Murphy–owned club Nightmoves in Williamsburg, music venue Public Records in Gowanus, and listening bar Eavesdrop in Greenpoint all boast incredibly impressive custom sound design.The Noguchi Museum is one of the most peaceful pockets of the city. Nicholas Knight/The Noguchi Museum/ARSAkari Light Sculptures abound at the Noguchi Museum, and you can even bring one home. Nicholas Knight. © The Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum / Artists Rights Society (ARS)QueensA trip to Queens would not be complete without a visit to the Noguchi Museum in Astoria, where you can feel a sense of serenity walking around Isamu Noguchi’s biomorphic sculptures, then buy one of his Akari light sculptures in what is perhaps the best museum gift shop in New York City. While the museum is home to its own sculpture garden, there’s also one practically across the street—make sure you allot some time to strolling Socrates Sculpture Park, where you’ll encounter a whole host of experimental installations (they’re always rotating), with the Manhattan skyline as the backdrop.In Long Island City, the industrial hub-turned-creative enclave in western Queens, MoMA PS1 is at once nostalgic and of-the-moment, showcasing contemporary art within former elementary school halls—it’s especially fun in the summer when it's running its Warm Up series, when everyone gathers outside for DJ sets and music performances. Also in the neighborhood, Somerset House is a staging and interior design gallery that sells collectible furniture and art—think Pierre Jeanneret armchairs and Poul Henningsen lamps—by appointment only. For something a bit more accessible, Lichen in Ridgewood sells a similar catalog of vintage furniture, plus its own in-house designs ranging from glass coffee tables to futuristic sconces.A few other ideas…Get crafty: Take part in an upholstery workshop with For Example and bring home your own stool.Head to a festival: See inside buildings usually closed to the public during the annual Open House New York festival.Catch a vintage show: Check the calendar to see when the traveling Manhattan Vintage Show is back in town next.Do a day trip: Take the Metro-North to New Canaan and see Philip Johnson’s Glass House, or to Cold Spring to visit Russel Wright’s Manitoga.Go on an art run: Follow Literary Sport for routes that take you around the city’s public sculptures.Where to stayNine OrchardThis bank-turned-hotel features original vaulted ceilings that rival those of Grand Central Station. Sip a martini at the Swan Room, the property's see-and-be-seen lobby bar.Read Full ReviewThe Fifth Avenue HotelSituated in NoMad, The Fifth Avenue Hotel gives you access to both Museum Mile and downtown shopping. The 19th-century, Renaissance-style mansion is dressed in maximalism.Read Full ReviewWythe HotelOnce a barrel factory in the early 1900s, this hip Williamsburg hotel is your gateway to industrial-chic rooms, a cinema with red velvet seats, and the acclaimed Le Crocodile restaurant.Read Full ReviewThe MercerThe Mercer is SoHo in a nutshell, with loft-like suites, a neutral color palette, and a buzzy restaurant. Minimalists, this one’s for you.Read Full ReviewJessica Sulima is a Commerce Writer at Condé Nast Traveler, where she covers hotel and booking content, as well as travel deals. Originally from New Jersey, she attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she holds a Bachelor’s degree in English with minors in Spanish and Art History. Previously at Thrillist, ... 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