When society photographer and visual artist Jessica Craig-Martin added an eccentric 1875 Victorian house on Willard Place to her property tour itinerary, she had no intention of buying it. Drawn in by a combination of morbid curiosity and the online listing’s wild, confounding mix of colors and embellishments, she viewed the Hudson, New York, property as a purely voyeuristic side trip.
Accompanied by real estate agent Julia Crowley and artist Helen Marden—owner of the nearby Hotel Tivoli—Craig-Martin stepped out of the car to confront a building that looked entirely surreal. "What are we doing here?" Marden asked, surprised by the detour.
Yet, stepping inside shattered her expectations. Rather than the cramped, cluttered interior depicted in the online real estate listing—which turned out to be a bizarre and unsettling result of virtual staging and artificial intelligence—the rooms were breathtakingly empty. Shafts of winter sunlight poured through the windows, illuminating generous proportions, soaring spaces, and old wood floors. Sitting quietly on the vintage iron radiators, the visitors absorbed the unexpected calm and elegance of the structure.
While the home’s beauty was undeniable, its five bedrooms felt daunting and excessive for a single occupant. At the subsequent properties on their list, Marden took one look from the car and chose not even to get out, already convinced that Willard Place was the one.
A History Rooted in the Hudson Whaling Boom
Built in 1875, the classic Victorian residence dates back to the local whaling boom that once brought immense wealth to Hudson, New York. That era left the town dotted with distinctive, eccentric architecture featuring multiple bow windows, expansive terraces, and decorative turrets.
Despite having stood empty and neglected for years, a thorough structural assessment revealed no looming "old house" disasters waiting beneath the surface. Over the ensuing months, as Craig-Martin continued touring other properties in the region without finding a connection, Marden’s advice echoed persistently: "You should be thinking about Willard. It’s a good house."
Unable to shake the memory of the light-filled rooms and grand proportions, Craig-Martin eventually made an offer.
Moving day involved a rented van driving up from New York City, packed with Moroccan rugs and a pair of inflatable mattresses. With furniture still months away, she and a friend spent their first night eating pizza on the bare floor in front of a roaring fire. Two years later, the photographer says she cannot imagine living without the home’s expansive light and grand architectural details—noting in particular that life without a dramatic, Norma Desmond-style staircase now feels entirely unrealistic.
Curating a Life Among Art and Oddities
True to her background as an artist and photographer, Craig-Martin filled the historic residence with a lifetime of accumulated art, textiles, and artifacts. The interior showcases a deeply personal collection, featuring works by her parents—artist Michael Craig-Martin and painter Jan Hashey—alongside pieces gifted by friends and peers.
In the living room, a painting by Haitian artist Ramphis Magloire hangs above the mantel, flanked by an etching by Brice Marden gifted to Craig-Martin’s son at birth, and a Fernand Léger print given by her father. The broader interior integrates Indian, Moroccan, Italian, Chinese, and Indonesian art and furnishings, reflecting a well-traveled life far removed from minimalist design doctrines.
The kitchen pairs vintage red Formica countertops with a matching red refrigerator and stove, complemented by whimsical elements such as an ant sculpture from Deyrolle in Paris. Elsewhere, the home office and library feature an Alvar Aalto chair and stool, a low alligator table found discarded on a New York City street, and a totem from the Solomon Islands positioned beside the fireplace. A tower of Hermès boxes anchors a corner of the room, standing near an etching by Joel Shapiro and a playful King Kong figurine.
Upstairs, the bedrooms and hallways continue the dialogue between high art and eclectic personal mementos. Her son Finbar’s room includes a Paul McCobb desk, an Eames chair modified by artists Eric Wesley and Piero Golia, a Nate Lowman pizza painting, and a foam-core cutout of David Bowie.
Surrounded by a collection that embraces both the ridiculous and the sublime—ranging from sophisticated modern sculptures to cheap Japanese plush cushions shaped like peaches—Craig-Martin has found that the historic Hudson home absorbs her eccentricities with grace. Willard Place, much like its owner, harbors a distinct character that proves Helen Marden was right all along.
Jessica Craig-Martin’s memoir, I Regret I Am Able to Attend: A Life Among Artists, is scheduled for publication on November 10, 2026.
