Hudson Lodge Bar, winter home decor in NYC

Powered by NEW YORK DESIGN AGENDA

With the opening of Hudson Lodge, the city’s first outdoor ski resort-themed bar, midtown Manhattan just got cooler. The 1,500-square-foot bar located inside the Hudson Hotel’s private park transports guests to a winter oasis complete with lodge-inspired sips and bites. And there’s plenty to talk about. For starters, a massive deer head hangs over the DJ booth, centering a room that’s adorned with animal hide rugs and wooden skis and sleds.

Even if you’re not headed to a ski resort near New York City this winter, you can still imbue your home with chalet–inspired decor on a budget. Follow the lead of new NYC bar Hudson Lodge, which used faux-fur throws, knit pillows and animal heads to transform a preexisting outdoor terrace into a winter wonderland. Find similar items at home-decor stores such as Restoration Hardware, Crate & Barrel, West Elm and Room & Board.

Verena Haller, senior vice president of design for Morgans Hotel Group, had just five weeks to transform the lush garden space into a temporary chalet-chic lounge. With a quick turnaround and an even tighter budget of $20,000, Haller relied on her in-house design team to source ski-lodge-inspired accessories from various Soho decor stores, in order to dress up the preexisting furnishings.

Hudson Lodge’s Hot Chocolate Bar, which comes with toppings like crushed candy cane, chocolate pretzel dust, burnt marshmallow and gooey cookie dough, is another way to keep things toasty.

There’s also a beverage program created by Steve Olson that includes alcoholic drinks such as the hot buttered rum toddy (Bacardi, cinnamon clove and lemon) and Aztec hot chocolate (Vida Mezcal Kahlua Cream, chocolate mole bitters and chile de arbol). Winter brews are available as well as bottle service presented in frozen blocks of ice with an array of homemade simple syrups.

To keep stomachs happy, there’s resort-themed fare from a gourmet food stand. A s’more grilled cheese, made with Nutella, three types of cheeses and maple syrup, is the perfect balance of salty and sweet, while the chipotle brisket chili amps up a winter staple.

The creative menu and energy of the young crowd instantly remove any hint of the winter blues.

A magical place from the west placed in the heart of Manhattan, New York.