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House Beautiful has highlighted five U.S. destinations that designers recommend for design-focused shopping and inspiration: Portland, Atlanta, Santa Fe, New Orleans and Nashville. The recommendations are based on designers’ accounts of local antiques, art, textiles, architecture and independent shops, not on a formal ranking or travel survey.
House Beautiful has spotlighted five U.S. design destinations that designers recommend for antiques, art, textiles and architecture: Portland, Maine; Atlanta; Santa Fe, New Mexico; New Orleans; and Nashville. The guide offers readers a set of expert-sourced ideas for design-focused trips, while its recommendations reflect individual designers’ experience rather than a measured ranking of the country’s best destinations.
In Portland, Maine, designer Jennifer Hunter points to the city’s maritime heritage and coastal character. She recommends it for early American maritime memorabilia, as well as folk art for visitors drawn to the area’s nature-minded culture. The source does not name specific Portland shops, so the recommendation is framed around the kinds of objects and traditions visitors may encounter.
Atlanta is a destination designer Laura Jenkins says can be overlooked for vintage and antiques, despite its profile as a design hub. Her suggested stops include Westside Modern for mid-century pieces, Scott Antique Market for browsing and Peachtree Battle Antiques, where shoppers can find items selected by Jenkins and her team. In Santa Fe, designer Jessica Alpert recommends looking for Native American pieces, textiles, pottery and art, describing the city’s offerings as handmade and distinctive. The source does not provide details about individual sellers or the provenance of particular objects.
Designer Sarah Stacey makes the case for seeing New Orleans beyond its restaurants and music, pointing to its architecture, boutique hotels and distinct neighborhoods. She names Consign Consign, Ferrara Showman Gallery and Fireside Antiques as stops; the last is in Baton Rouge, making it a separate day trip rather than a New Orleans shop. Jenkins recommends exploring the wider Nashville area, including Leiper’s Fork, Nashville proper and historic Franklin. Her suggestions include Copper Fox Gallery, Schumacher Design Shop, appointment-only Eneby Home, Gallery 2o2 and White’s Mercantile.
Where Design Travelers Can Look
The guide matters as a practical alternative to treating design travel as a search for famous showrooms or major design events. The designers describe different reasons to visit each place: maritime objects in Portland, antiques in Atlanta, handmade arts and crafts in Santa Fe, architectural character in New Orleans, and varied sourcing across Nashville-area communities. Those distinctions can help readers choose a destination based on what they want to see or shop for.
The recommendations also indicate that design experiences can be spread across neighborhoods and nearby towns. In the Nashville region, for example, Jenkins distinguishes between the city and nearby Franklin and Leiper’s Fork. Stacey’s New Orleans suggestions include a shop in Baton Rouge. Travelers following the list may need to plan for appointments, opening hours and additional travel; the article’s source material does not give current schedules or logistics.
mid-century modern furniture Atlanta
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How the Five Cities Were Chosen
The recommendations come from a House Beautiful report featuring designers’ perspectives, rather than a survey, ranking or official tourism assessment. The article names designers Jennifer Hunter, Laura Jenkins, Jessica Alpert and Sarah Stacey and connects their suggestions to their professional interests and experience. Jenkins is quoted on both Atlanta and the Nashville area, while the other three designers discuss Portland, Santa Fe and New Orleans.
The guide’s “under-the-radar” framing is a characterization of the designers and publication, not evidence that these places are generally unknown or receive little tourism. It identifies particular design-related reasons to visit and, in several cases, specific businesses. The source material does not supply visitor figures, comparative market data, shop inventories or a standardized method for choosing the five destinations.
““Atlanta may be known as a design hub (we have ADAC after all), but I think it is often underrated in terms of people traveling here for vintage and antiques.””
— Laura Jenkins, designer
What the Guide Does Not Establish
The source does not establish that these are the five most underrated destinations in the United States, nor does it compare them with other cities. “Under-the-radar” is the article’s framing, supported by the featured designers’ opinions rather than tourism data. The guide also does not confirm current shop hours, stock, prices, accessibility, appointment availability or whether listed businesses have changed since publication.
In Santa Fe, Alpert’s reference to Native American pieces does not identify specific makers, sellers or the provenance of objects. Readers interested in Indigenous art may need to seek additional information directly from businesses and artists. The source material also does not state when the report was published, which limits how confidently readers can treat its business details as current.
Check Shops Before You Travel
No follow-up announcement or new development is provided in the source material. For travelers considering the recommendations, the immediate next step is to confirm business details directly, especially Eneby Home’s appointment requirements and the locations of shops outside the main city itineraries. The named destinations can serve as starting points for planning, but the guide does not provide a complete itinerary or guarantee that specific items will be available.
Key Questions
Which five destinations does the report recommend?
It names Portland, Maine; Atlanta, Georgia; Santa Fe, New Mexico; New Orleans, Louisiana; and the Nashville area.
Where does the report suggest shopping for vintage and antiques?
For Atlanta, Laura Jenkins recommends Westside Modern, Scott Antique Market and Peachtree Battle Antiques. She also points to Nashville-area shops including Schumacher Design Shop and Eneby Home.
Does the guide rank the five destinations?
No. It presents designers’ recommendations but gives no ranking, scoring system or comparison data.
Are all the named New Orleans shopping stops in the city?
No. Sarah Stacey names Fireside Antiques, which the source says is in Baton Rouge and would require a separate day trip.
Should travelers confirm shop details before going?
Yes. The source does not provide current hours or availability, and it identifies Eneby Home as appointment-only. Contact businesses before making plans.
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