From its hilly perch overlooking Hunter Mountain sits Scribner’s Catskill Lodge. Built during the countercultural revolution, the lodge is steeped in history. A mere twenty miles separates it from Woodstock where the famed music festival took place. Then, as now, Scribner’s serves as a retreat for urbanites, adventurers, and creatives.

In 2016, Scribner’s underwent a rebirth led by Brooklyn-based Studio Tack. That renovation saw a Scribner’s, worn and outdated, transform into modern space. Today, Scribner’s represents an eclectic mix of midcentury and minimal with design elements both modest and expressive.

The lodge’s centerpiece is a spacious 1,850 square foot library. In spite of its open floor plan, the furnishings are arranged in a way that creates both communal corners and alcoves for quiet reflection. My favorite spot is the curved sofa around the fireplace. It’s perfect for sprawling out with a book, hand alternating between flipping pages and reaching for hot chocolate.

Like the clean sheets of snow coating Hunter Mountain, white paint covers the walls and ceilings of the lodge’s 38 rooms. Frette bedding along with furniture from Fort Standard and Fern NYC create plush, inviting, nooks for unwinding after a long day’s adventuring.

On cooler nights, the cast iron stove takes center stage. But even when it’s off, it’s hard not to notice its presence, its black chimney rising tall past the high ceilings. The whole thing resembles something of an exclamation point printed on white paper. It’s both expressive and eye-catching, much like the vibrant Terracotta tiles that line the bathroom walls.

The saying, “it’s the simple things in life,” might be a platitude, but it perfectly describes the Scribner’s experience. There are small thoughtful touches throughout, from the welcome placard to the ready-made s’mores kits. Scribner’s is coming back to a warm home in the Catskills.

Photography by Nicole Franzen