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House Beautiful has published a guide to five U.S. destinations that designers recommend for distinctive design shopping and inspiration: Portland, Atlanta, Santa Fe, New Orleans and Nashville. The recommendations come from designers’ personal experience; the report does not provide visitor figures or independent comparisons of the cities.
House Beautiful has published a guide to five U.S. design destinations that its contributors say merit attention from travelers seeking antiques, art, architecture and distinctive home furnishings: Portland, Maine; Atlanta; Santa Fe; New Orleans; and Nashville. The report draws on recommendations from interior designers, rather than visitor data or a formal ranking, and points readers toward places to shop and look around in each city.
The guide’s recommendations reflect different kinds of design interests. In Portland, Maine, designer Jennifer Hunter points to early American maritime memorabilia and folk art, linking the city’s coastal character with objects that can bring a classic Americana feel to a home. The report presents Portland as a source for both nautical history and work connected to the surrounding region’s culture.
Atlanta is framed as an antiques and vintage-shopping destination. Laura Jenkins of Laura W. Jenkins Interiors says the city is often overlooked by people traveling to shop for these categories, despite its established design scene. Her suggested stops include Westside Modern for mid-century pieces, Scott Antique Market for browsing, and Peachtree Battle Antiques, where the report says her team’s selected finds are available.
For Santa Fe, Jessica Alpert recommends vintage objects, textiles, pottery, art and Native American pieces. She describes the appeal as finding handmade, individual items that can make interiors feel collected. In New Orleans, Sarah Stacey urges visitors to look beyond food and music to the city’s architecture, boutique hotels, antiques and art. Her suggestions include Consign Consign and Ferrara Showman Gallery; she also recommends Fireside Antiques, which is in Baton Rouge rather than New Orleans. Jenkins’s Nashville-area recommendations span Leiper’s Fork, Nashville and Franklin, including Copper Fox Gallery, Schumacher Design Shop, Eneby Home, Gallery 2o2 and White’s Mercantile.
Where Design Travelers Can Look
The guide offers readers a practical way to plan a design-focused visit without treating shopping as the only attraction. Its five destinations pair specific stores and galleries with local character: Portland’s maritime heritage, Santa Fe’s art and craft traditions, and New Orleans’s architecture and layered interiors. That detail can help travelers decide which city best fits what they hope to see or bring home.
The recommendations also widen the usual image of a design trip. Atlanta is described not only as a design hub but as a place for vintage and antiques, while Nashville’s sourcing circuit stretches beyond the city into nearby communities. These are designers’ assessments, not claims that the cities are objectively the best in the country. Readers can use them as starting points, then check current hours, availability and appointment rules before visiting.
nautical maritime memorabilia decor
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Five Cities, Different Finds
The article is organized around designers’ firsthand preferences rather than a ranking, survey or travel-industry study. Each designer identifies a different reason to visit: Hunter favors Portland for maritime memorabilia and folk art; Jenkins names Atlanta for vintage and antiques; Alpert highlights Santa Fe’s distinctive mix of art, textiles and pottery; Stacey emphasizes New Orleans architecture and decor; and Jenkins points to a multi-stop sourcing route around Nashville.
Several recommendations require a little planning. Eneby Home is by appointment only, according to the source. Fireside Antiques is in Baton Rouge, making it a day trip from New Orleans rather than a city stop. Nashville’s picks are spread across several places, including Leiper’s Fork and Franklin, so visitors may need to arrange transport and allow time beyond downtown Nashville.
““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, Laura W. Jenkins Interiors, as quoted by House Beautiful
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What the Guide Does Not Measure
The source does not explain how designers were selected, whether the destinations were compared against other U.S. cities, or whether the recommendations were independently checked. The phrase “under-the-radar” is the framing of the guide; it is not backed by visitor statistics in the supplied material. The recommendations should be understood as professional opinions, not proof that these places are less visited or less widely known.
The report also does not give a publication date in the supplied text, and it does not confirm current store hours, inventory, prices or appointment availability. Antiques and one-of-a-kind pieces can change frequently. Travelers should contact businesses directly before building a trip around a particular item or location.
Native American pottery and textiles
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Plan Around Stops and Availability
No further announcement or update is described in the source. For readers using the guide, the next step is to confirm opening hours and access with each business, especially Eneby Home, which is appointment-only, and to account for the distance between New Orleans and Fireside Antiques in Baton Rouge. Visitors following Jenkins’s Nashville recommendations should also plan for stops outside the city proper.
The guide leaves travelers to shape their own itinerary around their interests, whether that means maritime memorabilia in Portland, antiques in Atlanta, art and textiles in Santa Fe, architecture in New Orleans or a broader sourcing loop around Nashville. The article does not promise that any specific piece will be available on arrival.
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Key Questions
Which five U.S. destinations does the guide recommend?
House Beautiful names Portland, Maine; Atlanta; Santa Fe; New Orleans; and Nashville, with some Nashville-area recommendations located in nearby communities.
What does the guide recommend shopping for in Atlanta?
Designer Laura Jenkins recommends Atlanta for vintage and antiques, including mid-century pieces at Westside Modern and browsing at Scott Antique Market. She also names Peachtree Battle Antiques.
Are all the New Orleans recommendations within the city?
No. The report lists Fireside Antiques in Baton Rouge as a day-trip option. Stacey also recommends New Orleans stops including Consign Consign and Ferrara Showman Gallery.
Do the recommendations establish that these are the least-known design destinations?
No. The article presents designers’ personal recommendations and does not include visitor figures, a comparison of cities or evidence establishing how widely known each destination is.
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