When Anthony D’Argenzio began visiting Hudson, N.Y., with its aged brick buildings, antiques shops and growing cultural scene, about a decade ago, it seemed like more than just a nice place to spend some time. It was somewhere, he thought, that he could realize his creative and entrepreneurial dreams.

“I was just really drawn to Hudson because of the architecture, the history and the photo-worthiness of it,” said Mr. D’Argenzio, 35, who previously lived in Manhattan, where he worked as a creative director and prop stylist for photo shoots. “I was coming up here a lot to source antiques and whatnot, and it seemed like a perfect next step to me.”

So in 2014, he and his wife, Hillary D’Argenzio, 37, a sommelier, bought a weekend home in Hudson, before moving there full time in 2018. Along the way, Mr. D’Argenzio parlayed his knack for composing interiors with patina into a multipronged business propelled by Instagram. Under the moniker Zio and Sons, Mr. D’Argenzio now works as an interior and product designer, stylist and photographer who prizes vintage charm and rooms with a tastefully timeworn look. With his company This Old Hudson, he buys and renovates old houses that he and Ms. D’Argenzio rent on Airbnb. He also works as a real estate agent with Houlihan Lawrence.