Talk Shop: Laura Fenton
Photo by Weston Williams
ABOUT LAURA
Laura Fenton is the author of The Little Book of Living Small. A writer with more than fifteen years of experience, Laura is the former lifestyle director at Parents magazine, where she oversaw all the home content for the publication. Her work has also appeared in major publications including Better Homes & Gardens, Country Living, Good Housekeeping, and Real Simple.Through her writing she has explored the topic of living small for more than a decade. She lives with her husband, a photographer, and their son in Jackson Heights, Queens, in New York. We loved chatting with Laura and hearing her thoughtful answers!
Describe your style in three words or less:
Classic, clean, and collected.
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
Living in New York City for more than two decades, writing about homes for my entire career, and meeting and marrying my husband photographer Weston Wells, with whom I have made a home--and now a book!
How did you start your company, and/or what is your favorite thing about what you do:
I started my career in magazines as an intern while I was at NYU. I have been working in the publishing industry ever since. I decided to leave my long-time job at Parents magazine last year to go back to freelancing so that I could have more time to work on books and pursue other personal projects (someday a newsletter and a podcast!). This spring turned out to be a wild time to launch my first book and a new chapter of my career!
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
I’m lucky to have had many mentors over the years who have pushed my career in new directions. However, today I am particularly grateful for my professional peers: other women who are in the same space as me that I can talk to about growth and dreams and everything in between. I have an accountability partner for my next book, another editor and I used to have standing monthly meet-up to talk (mostly) about work, and before the pandemic I made it a goal to have coffee with one professional colleague each week.
What does your home say about you:
It says that I love the hunt: Almost everything in our home is secondhand and had a life before it came to our home.
Where do you find inspiration:
Art and design books--both new and old (I particularly love vintage decorating books from the 70s). Museums, historic houses, and public gardens, all of which I cannot wait to visit again soon!
Who are your style icons:
Terence Conran and Martha Stewart are two people whom I admire for their 360-approach to the world of design. They made beautiful homes of their own, wrote books by the dozen, designed products, and explored the world of retail and media--all with everyday people in mind (not just those with deep pockets).
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
Friends, of course: we miss having them in our home! To welcome them, I like to have candlelight, cloth napkins, and delicious, home-cooked food.
Do you collect anything:
Books about small spaces! If I see one in a bookshop, I can’t pass it up. I’ve also got a thing for blue and white dishes, but I don’t have room for any more, so I’ll have to edit before collecting more.
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
@beataheuman and @reathdesign are current favorites for their layered colorful spaces. I always go back to @readtealeaves and @whitneyleighmorris for small-space and sustainable living inspiration.
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
I once read that every room should have at least three sources of light, and I took that idea and ran with it: We’re big on table lamps and sconces in my home. I’m not big on matching sets of anything.
What are you working on right now:
I’m still promoting my recently release book The Little Book of Living Small, but I am also already writing my second book, The Bunk Bed Book, which will be published by Gibbs Smith in Spring 2022. I’ve got a few print and digital projects I’m working on this fall: It’s a busy time!
Wardrobe staples:
Striped tees, blue jeans, and linen dresses (I particularly love the ones from Pyne & Smith).
Best interior advice you ever received:
In an interview for a magazine, Celerie Kemble once recommended taking photos of the room you are designing: It really helps you see the space in a new way (and quickly spot clutter!).
Best career advice you ever received:
When I got a job I wasn’t quite qualified for as a young woman, my mom told me I should take the job and just figure it out. She was right!
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
High-quality appliances and upholstered furniture (like couches) are two things I invest in because I know they’ll last longer and (hopefully) stay out of the landfill. I save on almost everything else, as I am a big second-hand shopper.
Your greatest extravagance:
Corrective laser-eye surgery last year: It was life-altering and worth every penny.
Favorite places to shop for home:
Flea markets and secondhand shops, but most especially charity shops in resort communities like the thrift shops in Palm Beach, the Ladies Village Improvement Society in East Hampton, or the Hospital Thrift Shop in Nantucket--these places are always brimming with treasures.
Most prized possession and why:
The paintings by my grandfather and great-aunt that hang in my apartment: They are beautiful and make me think of my family, but also because they serve as a reminder that you can always find time for creative pursuits no matter how busy your day to day life is.
Your interiors motto:
Albert Hadley once said, “The essence of interior design will always be about people and how they live,” and I couldn’t agree more. I’m also a big believer in that old chestnut: Less is more.
Your life motto:
It’s a small world.
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
Devour design books and magazines—check them out from the library, buy them for your home, borrow them from friends. But ultimately, you do you!
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Tacos
Drink: Coffee
Film: All of Wes Anderson’s films
Hotel: Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn (I hope they can find a way to reopen!)
City: New York
Bedding: Crisp percale sheets
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Both!
Playlist: The ones by my husband (w_wells on Spotify)
Weekend Activity: Nature walks
Design Book: The House Book by Terence Conran