How Good Morning America's Lara Spencer Became a Flea Market Maven

Good Morning America co-host Lara Spencer credits her mother with influencing her penchant for unearthing decorating treasures. "I have been yard sale-ing and hunting for treasures since I was a very little girl," says the Garden City, N.Y., native. "My mom and I would go every weekend. She is my design mentor."

When she's in New York, Spencer calls a 490-square-foot pied-à-terre on Manhattan's Upper East Side home. "The L-shaped layout and natural light make it feel much bigger," she says. "I have coffee at my kitchen counter which doubles as a bar at night." The cozy studio is filled with objects from around the world—like an antique letter "L" she bought at the famous Paris flea market.

The 1940 book I Married Adventure by Osa Johnson—of which Spencer owns a copy with a zebra-print cover—has been a particular inspiration. "Every time I see a copy of it for sale, I buy it and give it to a friend as a housewarming gift," she says.

The apartment has large closets, and since there are several of them—a rarity in New York—she converted the smallest into a workspace. "I wrote a good portion of my second book [Flea Market Fabulous: Designing Gorgeous Rooms With Vintage Treasures] at that tiny desk!" she said. She added wallpaper, a lamp and shelving to complete a stylish yet utilitarian office.

Aside from her books on decorating, Spencer further established her "revamped and restored" cred with the HGTV programs I Brake for Yard Sales and Flea Market Flip.

The TV personality also has a 4,200-square-foot 1920s Connecticut farmhouse decked out with her collection of flea market finds, but her Manhattan home is her "oasis," she says. "After a long day, it is so lovely to come to a space that is light, bright and uncluttered. I tried to create an environment that matches my positive, energetic outlook on life and work," she says. 

 

This story first appeared in the Aug. 31 issue of Adweek magazine. Click here to subscribe.