Actress Laura Harrier is the embodiment of Expressive Elegance - the emerging design style of 2024. She's also interiors obsessed. Global Brand Director Sarah Spiteri meets her and gets to the bottom of it all.
When you see people on the pages of Livingetc, they’re usually one of two things. Either a homeowner, posing nonchalantly in their kitchen as we tell the world about how fabulous their house is; or a designer we like and want to introduce you to. We’d now like to start occasionally using people in a third way. Because people can be a powerful tool to bring themes to life. So to celebrate our quarterly landmark issues (this one is themed Expressive Elegance), we plan to identify well-known, interesting and emerging people from the world of film, music and television to represent something, well, interesting and emerging. A tangible way to talk through an idea.
There is little doubt that Laura Harrier is one of the chicest celebrities in Hollywood. I’ve now met her twice, once in Los Angeles for this shoot, and once on Zoom for the interview. Both times she’s nailed her original take on understated glamour. Fascinated by exploring the intersection between fashion and interiors, we see Laura as the embodiment of what we’re naming as the biggest trend for 2024, Expressive Elegance. And it doesn’t end there. Not only does Laura manifest this look – which is in essence about the interplay between minimalism and simplicity and glamour, richness and detail – with her style, but she’s also incredibly passionate about aesthetics and interiors.
SARAH SPITERI Today’s conversation is all about your style, your aesthetic – what has shaped it and what you love right now. So I want to dive right in. Where did you grow up?
LAURA HARRIER I grew up outside of Chicago in a place called Evanston. I had a very normal, American, suburban upbringing. It was very far from this whole world that we’re in now. I didn’t
know anyone who was an actor or in the arts. I think my parents are creative and have an appreciation for the arts, but my mom was a speech therapist and my dad worked in insurance; they had normal jobs. We lived in a beautiful old house from around 1912. It was very classic, and my mom filled it with flowers and good art.
SS How do you think that backdrop influenced you being interested in style now?
LH Probably only subconsciously. It wasn’t ever at the forefront. We didn’t discuss design at home. My mom just said I’m gonna paint the dining room green and then it was green. And there were always beautiful objects and glassware, things like that, around, so I was definitely brought up with an appreciation of beautiful things even if it wasn’t discussed.
hen you see people on the pages of Livingetc, they’re usually one of two things. Either a homeowner, posing nonchalantly in their kitchen as we tell the world about how fabulous their house is; or a designer we like and want to introduce you to. We’d now like to start occasionally using people in a third way. Because people can be a powerful tool to bring themes to life. So to celebrate our quarterly landmark issues (this one is themed Expressive Elegance), we plan to identify well-known, interesting and emerging people from the world of film, music and television to represent something, well, interesting and emerging. A tangible way to talk through an idea.
There is little doubt that Laura Harrier is one of the chicest celebrities in Hollywood. I’ve now met her twice, once in Los Angeles for this shoot, and once on Zoom for the interview. Both times she’s nailed her original take on understated glamour. Fascinated by exploring the intersection between fashion and interiors, we see Laura as the embodiment of what we’re naming as the biggest trend for 2024, Expressive Elegance. And it doesn’t end there. Not only does Laura manifest this look – which is in essence about the interplay between minimalism and simplicity and glamour, richness and detail – with her style, but she’s also incredibly passionate about aesthetics and interiors.
SARAH SPITERI Today’s conversation is all about your style, your aesthetic – what has shaped it and what you love right now. So I want to dive right in. Where did you grow up?
LAURA HARRIER I grew up outside of Chicago in a place called Evanston. I had a very normal, American, suburban upbringing. It was very far from this whole world that we’re in now. I didn’t
know anyone who was an actor or in the arts. I think my parents are creative and have an appreciation for the arts, but my mom was a speech therapist and my dad worked in insurance; they had normal jobs. We lived in a beautiful old house from around 1912. It was very classic, and my mom filled it with flowers and good art.
SS How do you think that backdrop influenced you being interested in style now?
LH Probably only subconsciously. It wasn’t ever at the forefront. We didn’t discuss design at home. My mom just said I’m gonna paint the dining room green and then it was green. And there were always beautiful objects and glassware, things like that, around, so I was definitely brought up with an appreciation of beautiful things even if it wasn’t discussed.
SS I personally think space affects your outlook so much, and where you live reflects who you are and how you feel. Do you have an early memory of when you became conscious of space?
LH When we moved into our Evanston house, I had two bedrooms, which was a huge flex as a seven year old. It was an old house and there was a bedroom and then what would have been a dressing room. And it was the 90s, right. Remember the plastic inflatable furniture? I remember getting an inflatable chair. It was clear and sparkly. That was the coolest thing ever.
SS I love it – what a throwback! Nowadays you have such a clear and developed aesthetic.
When and how did you start to develop your sense of style?
LH It’s always been something that I’ve been obsessed with in a way that made no sense for my surroundings. I remember from a young age begging my mom to buy me Vogue and saving all of
them and cutting favourite pages out. In that childhood bedroom I covered the walls with these pages. It started for me with fashion and as I got older morphed into this love of interiors as I’ve become more aware of my space and my surroundings, and having my own homes and wanting to furnish those homes. I love clothes so much but that’s what I’m drawn to more I think now.
SS So would we say that it was having your first home that sparked that interest?
LH My first place on my own was in the East Village. I was 18. It was a fifth floor walk-up which is annoying but also really nice as you get the good light. I had a brick wall and this vintage couch.
I have no idea where I got it and it was so uncomfortable and nobody would sit on it. But I was like, oooh it’s design-y. Looking back, it is not how I would want a space to look today, but it represents a sense of adulthood and creating my little nest, which is something I still love. I’m ageing myself here but it’s so cool now having Pinterest and all of these sources for inspiration that are easily accessible. You can just go on your phone and see so much stuff and know what you’re drawn to as opposed to when I had my first apartment I didn’t really know what I liked and was just going for stuff.
SS I agree, design is now really democratised thanks to social media. I am sure you also get a load of inspiration from your work, right? You’re exposed to these incredible sets and you more or less live in this other world for the duration of filming. How do you think this has affected you?
LH That’s a good question. I have never thought about it. I guess they feed each other. When I’m researching a character, or figuring out how to get into who this person is, space is definitely part of that. As are clothing choices and hair and the whole look. I think, where do they live? What does their space look like? What is their aesthetic? Because that’s how I move through the world. I don’t know if every actor does that. For me, what I am wearing and how my hair looks informs who I am as a person. I do think my work has grown my appreciation for space and for my surroundings because I’m always in awe of set design and set designers and the people who create these entire worlds from the ground up. Every time it’s mind blowing to me.
hen you see people on the pages of Livingetc, they’re usually one of two things. Either a homeowner, posing nonchalantly in their kitchen as we tell the world about how fabulous their house is; or a designer we like and want to introduce you to. We’d now like to start occasionally using people in a third way. Because people can be a powerful tool to bring themes to life. So to celebrate our quarterly landmark issues (this one is themed Expressive Elegance), we plan to identify well-known, interesting and emerging people from the world of film, music and television to represent something, well, interesting and emerging. A tangible way to talk through an idea.
There is little doubt that Laura Harrier is one of the chicest celebrities in Hollywood. I’ve now met her twice, once in Los Angeles for this shoot, and once on Zoom for the interview. Both times she’s nailed her original take on understated glamour. Fascinated by exploring the intersection between fashion and interiors, we see Laura as the embodiment of what we’re naming as the biggest trend for 2024, Expressive Elegance. And it doesn’t end there. Not only does Laura manifest this look – which is in essence about the interplay between minimalism and simplicity and glamour, richness and detail – with her style, but she’s also incredibly passionate about aesthetics and interiors.
SARAH SPITERI Today’s conversation is all about your style, your aesthetic – what has shaped it and what you love right now. So I want to dive right in. Where did you grow up?
LAURA HARRIER I grew up outside of Chicago in a place called Evanston. I had a very normal, American, suburban upbringing. It was very far from this whole world that we’re in now. I didn’t
know anyone who was an actor or in the arts. I think my parents are creative and have an appreciation for the arts, but my mom was a speech therapist and my dad worked in insurance; they had normal jobs. We lived in a beautiful old house from around 1912. It was very classic, and my mom filled it with flowers and good art.
SS How do you think that backdrop influenced you being interested in style now?
LH Probably only subconsciously. It wasn’t ever at the forefront. We didn’t discuss design at home. My mom just said I’m gonna paint the dining room green and then it was green. And there were always beautiful objects and glassware, things like that, around, so I was definitely brought up with an appreciation of beautiful things even if it wasn’t discussed.
SS I personally think space affects your outlook so much, and where you live reflects who you are
and how you feel. Do you have an early memory of when you became conscious of space?
LH When we moved into our Evanston house, I had two bedrooms, which was a huge flex as a seven year old. It was an old house and there was a bedroom and then what would have been a dressing room. And it was the 90s, right. Remember the plastic inflatable furniture? I remember getting an inflatable chair. It was clear and sparkly. That was the coolest thing ever.
SS I love it – what a throwback! Nowadays you have such a clear and developed aesthetic.
When and how did you start to develop your sense of style?
LH It’s always been something that I’ve been obsessed with in a way that made no sense for my surroundings. I remember from a young age begging my mom to buy me Vogue and saving all of them and cutting favourite pages out. In that childhood bedroom I covered the walls with these pages. It started for me with fashion and as I got older morphed into this love of interiors as I’ve become more aware of my space and my surroundings, and having my own homes and wanting to furnish those homes. I love clothes so much but that’s what I’m drawn to more I think now.
SS So would we say that it was having your first home that sparked that interest?
LH My first place on my own was in the East Village. I was 18. It was a fifth floor walk-up which is annoying but also really nice as you get the good light. I had a brick wall and this vintage couch.
I have no idea where I got it and it was so uncomfortable and nobody would sit on it. But I was like, oooh it’s design-y. Looking back, it is not how I would want a space to look today, but it represents a sense of adulthood and creating my little nest, which is something I still love. I’m ageing myself here but it’s so cool now having Pinterest and all of these sources for inspiration that are easily accessible. You can just go on your phone and see so much stuff and know what you’re drawn to as opposed to when I had my first apartment I didn’t really know what I liked and was just going for stuff.
SS I agree, design is now really democratised thanks to social media. I am sure you also get a load of inspiration from your work, right? You’re exposed to these incredible sets and you more or less live in this other world for the duration of filming. How do you think this has affected you?
LH That’s a good question. I have never thought about it. I guess they feed each other. When I’m researching a character, or figuring out how to get into who this person is, space is definitely part of that. As are clothing choices and hair and the whole look. I think, where do they live? What does their space look like? What is their aesthetic? Because that’s how I move through the world. I don’t know if every actor does that. For me, what I am wearing and how my hair looks informs who I am as a person. I do think my work has grown my appreciation for space and for my surroundings because I’m always in awe of set design and set designers and the people who create these entire worlds from the ground up. Every time it’s mind blowing to me.
I want to feel something when I walk into a room – I want it to feel rich and interesting and surprising
SS Would you say you’ve been through style phases?
LH Definitely, in both fashion and interiors. I understand those phases, though, if that makes sense. It’s not what I would choose now but I think it was cool for the time. Like my first home that I did with Tiffany [Tiffany Howell, interior designer]. I love that house but I wouldn’t pick the same colour palette now. Like, I don’t think I want a pink couch any more. But I think that’s part of us as humans, right? We should always be growing and evolving and changing. I couldn’t imagine my house looking exactly the same as it did 10 years ago. I need to switch it up.
SS I can see from the room you’re sitting in that your current house has beautiful bones. Do you have a particular architectural style that you’re drawn to?
LH These days I am drawn to midcentury. In LA there are so many incredible midcentury homes. Really, the two big styles here are Spanish and midcentury. I briefly lived in a Spanish style house and I quickly realised it wasn’t for me as it felt a little closed with lots of rooms. I am claustrophobic so I just sort of need open space and I’m affected by light, as so many people are. I’m really drawn to clean lines. I think my aesthetic is a little more warm and more maximalist but not yet in a big way. So I like the juxtaposition of having a velvet sofa with a minimal backdrop.
SS That’s Expressive Elegance, Laura.
LH Thank you! As you created!
SS So let’s talk a bit about that. When we met in LA, you talked about your style being rich-lady-chic-meets-mid-70s-Italian. Can you elaborate a little bit more on that?
LH Maybe because of my job, but I think of these characters I want to play. Who do I want to feel like when I’m in this space and what’s my vibe when I’m here? So, I want to walk down in a major kimono and drink a martini. You know? I want to have a beautiful space and feel fucking fancy. Even if I am not that actually in my life – I’m a girl from Chicago – but I can create that world because I have a certain aesthetic. So it’s like playing a character in your life.
And with my current house it’s like I am living in the jungle in a tree house. I feel this sense of privacy and removal, which is so cool because you drive 10 minutes and you’re in the middle of Hollywood. I’ve never had that here before, this jungle Hills life.
When you see people on the pages of Livingetc, they’re usually one of two things. Either a homeowner, posing nonchalantly in their kitchen as we tell the world about how fabulous their house is; or a designer we like and want to introduce you to. We’d now like to start occasionally using people in a third way. Because people can be a powerful tool to bring themes to life. So to celebrate our quarterly landmark issues (this one is themed Expressive Elegance), we plan to identify well-known, interesting and emerging people from the world of film, music and television to represent something, well, interesting and emerging. A tangible way to talk through an idea.
There is little doubt that Laura Harrier is one of the chicest celebrities in Hollywood. I’ve now met her twice, once in Los Angeles for this shoot, and once on Zoom for the interview. Both times she’s nailed her original take on understated glamour. Fascinated by exploring the intersection between fashion and interiors, we see Laura as the embodiment of what we’re naming as the biggest trend for 2024, Expressive Elegance. And it doesn’t end there. Not only does Laura manifest this look – which is in essence about the interplay between minimalism and simplicity and glamour, richness and detail – with her style, but she’s also incredibly passionate about aesthetics and interiors.
SARAH SPITERI Today’s conversation is all about your style, your aesthetic – what has shaped it and what you love right now. So I want to dive right in. Where did you grow up?
LAURA HARRIER I grew up outside of Chicago in a place called Evanston. I had a very normal, American, suburban upbringing. It was very far from this whole world that we’re in now. I didn’t know anyone who was an actor or in the arts. I think my parents are creative and have an appreciation for the arts, but my mom was a speech therapist and my dad worked in insurance; they had normal jobs. We lived in a beautiful old house from around 1912. It was very classic, and my mom filled it with flowers and good art.
SS How do you think that backdrop influenced you being interested in style now?
LH Probably only subconsciously. It wasn’t ever at the forefront. We didn’t discuss design at home. My mom just said I’m gonna paint the dining room green and then it was green. And there were always beautiful objects and glassware, things like that, around, so I was definitely brought up with an appreciation of beautiful things even if it wasn’t discussed.
SS I personally think space affects your outlook so much, and where you live reflects who you are
and how you feel. Do you have an early memory of when you became conscious of space?
LH When we moved into our Evanston house, I had two bedrooms, which was a huge flex as a seven year old. It was an old house and there was a bedroom and then what would have been a dressing room. And it was the 90s, right. Remember the plastic inflatable furniture? I remember getting an inflatable chair. It was clear and sparkly. That was the coolest thing ever.
SS I love it – what a throwback! Nowadays you have such a clear and developed aesthetic.
When and how did you start to develop your sense of style?
LH It’s always been something that I’ve been obsessed with in a way that made no sense for my surroundings. I remember from a young age begging my mom to buy me Vogue and saving all of them and cutting favourite pages out. In that childhood bedroom I covered the walls with these pages. It started for me with fashion and as I got older morphed into this love of interiors as I’ve become more aware of my space and my surroundings, and having my own homes and wanting to furnish those homes. I love clothes so much but that’s what I’m drawn to more I think now.
SS So would we say that it was having your first home that sparked that interest?
LH My first place on my own was in the East Village. I was 18. It was a fifth floor walk-up which is annoying but also really nice as you get the good light. I had a brick wall and this vintage couch.
I have no idea where I got it and it was so uncomfortable and nobody would sit on it. But I was like, oooh it’s design-y. Looking back, it is not how I would want a space to look today, but it represents a sense of adulthood and creating my little nest, which is something I still love. I’m ageing myself here but it’s so cool now having Pinterest and all of these sources for inspiration that are easily accessible. You can just go on your phone and see so much stuff and know what you’re drawn to as opposed to when I had my first apartment I didn’t really know what I liked and was just going for stuff.
SS I agree, design is now really democratised thanks to social media. I am sure you also get a load of inspiration from your work, right? You’re exposed to these incredible sets and you more or less live in this other world for the duration of filming. How do you think this has affected you?
LH That’s a good question. I have never thought about it. I guess they feed each other. When I’m researching a character, or figuring out how to get into who this person is, space is definitely part of that. As are clothing choices and hair and the whole look. I think, where do they live? What does their space look like? What is their aesthetic? Because that’s how I move through the world. I don’t know if every actor does that. For me, what I am wearing and how my hair looks informs who I am as a person. I do think my work has grown my appreciation for space and for my surroundings because I’m always in awe of set design and set designers and the people who create these entire worlds from the ground up. Every time it’s mind blowing to me.
SS Would you say you’ve been through style phases?
LH Definitely, in both fashion and interiors. I understand those phases, though, if that makes sense. It’s not what I would choose now but I think it was cool for the time. Like my first home that I did with Tiffany [Tiffany Howell, interior designer]. I love that house but I wouldn’t pick the same colour palette now. Like, I don’t think I want a pink couch any more. But I think that’s part of us as humans, right? We should always be growing and evolving and changing. I couldn’t imagine my house looking exactly the same as it did 10 years ago. I need to switch it up.
SS I can see from the room you’re sitting in that your current house has beautiful bones. Do you have a particular architectural style that you’re drawn to?
LH These days I am drawn to midcentury. In LA there are so many incredible midcentury homes. Really, the two big styles here are Spanish and midcentury. I briefly lived in a Spanish style house and I quickly realised it wasn’t for me as it felt a little closed with lots of rooms. I am claustrophobic so I just sort of need open space and I’m affected by light, as so many people are. I’m really drawn to clean lines. I think my aesthetic is a little more warm and more maximalist but not yet in a big way. So I like the juxtaposition of having a velvet sofa with a minimal backdrop.
SS That’s Expressive Elegance, Laura.
LH Thank you! As you created!
SS So let’s talk a bit about that. When we met in LA, you talked about your style being rich-lady-chic-meets-mid-70s-Italian. Can you elaborate a little bit more on that?
LH Maybe because of my job, but I think of these characters I want to play. Who do I want to feel like when I’m in this space and what’s my vibe when I’m here? So, I want to walk down in a major kimono and drink a martini. You know? I want to have a beautiful space and feel fucking fancy. Even if I am not that actually in my life – I’m a girl from Chicago – but I can create that world because I have a certain aesthetic. So it’s like playing a character in your life.
And with my current house it’s like I am living in the jungle in a tree house. I feel this sense of privacy and removal, which is so cool because you drive 10 minutes and you’re in the middle of Hollywood. I’ve never had that here before, this jungle Hills life.
SS And inside it looks like exactly what we’ve discussed so far today: sleek lines with decadent details. I can see a beautiful lamp and a curvaceous velvet couch…
LH Exactly. We have these clean lines but lots of rich design. I reupholstered this couch with green velvet. It was so ugly before, it looked like it was from a 90s bowling alley. I have a fireplace that we always light in winter and a beautiful coffee table…
SS That’s your incredible Gae Aulenti coffee table. It’s so nice.
LH Thank you. I actually moved here at the very last minute and I got really lucky because I love it here. But I didn’t renovate so I’m just grateful that I already had this furniture and it worked. Trying to make what you have fit is also kind of a fun challenge.
SS Of course. And I also think you build from somewhere, say around a piece that you love. You know you can build that whole room around that coffee table.
LH Exactly. Which is kind of what I did!
SS So now let’s talk about your interior designer Tiffany Howell. How did your partnership start?
LH I slid into her DMs! She had a storefront in Silverlake where she was selling vintage furniture. I would always walk past and be obsessed with everything in there. So I started following her on Instagram and when I was looking to buy my first home I just messaged her. We met, instantly got along, became friends and have been collaborating ever since. She’s done two houses with me and we’re working on creating a line together, which I’m really excited about. I can’t say too much because it’s not done but it will be great. Tiffany taught me so much about design. I knew what I liked but I wasn’t educated in it and I didn’t know how to execute it.
SS Where do you find things that inspire you now, say if you and Tiffany are sharing ideas?
LH I mean... the internet?! I wish I had a cooler answer for you. I definitely find inspiration when I travel. I was in Morocco this year and loved all the little teacups and the linens and the mirror work. I have always been drawn to a more eclectic mix of design as opposed to one specific style. That was kind of the vibe of the house I grew up in. My grandmother grew up in India so we had so many Indian things, for example. Really, everything was from all over the world, which is something I love, and I think maybe that is not so obvious in my design choices now. But besides travelling, of course I’m on Pinterest and Instagram and buying all the coffee table books, just like everybody else. Just sourcing from wherever I can.
SS It’s time for the awful style references question. When we met in LA we discussed that while a piece of furniture by an iconic designer like Vladimir Kagan is an amazing thing to own, it’s not a reference. It doesn’t inspire you. You said that for you it’s a much broader thing to do with mood, encompassing music, for example.
LH For me, it’s really about what evokes a feeling more than a specific person who made a couch. It’s about what makes me feel how I want to feel in space, like listening to a Coltrane album and burning a beautiful candle.
SS Do you have a fragrance you’re obsessed with?
LH I love Diptyque. I always have the large Roses candle burning. I also love that brand from Paris, Officine Universelle Buly. It’s so chic. You walk into the store and it’s like you’re in a different time. I wear the perfume, too, I love it.
SS Speaking of brands, are there any other brands that you love?
LH I’m a YSL girl. They held this dinner last summer in Marrakech in his old house that’s now the museum. So we got to have this magical dinner and it was so beautiful and so special, just to be alone in his house. That’s something I love with the brand, too, because it’s not just the clothes; you feel like you’re drawn into this incredible world. And there’s such a specific history. And I think Anthony [Anthony Vaccarello, creative director of Yves Saint Laurent] has brought his own aesthetic in while still honouring the brand and paying homage to its heritage.
SS Doing what you do, you’re always surrounded by moments like that and beautiful things I’m sure. Do you have any particular possessions that are special to you?
LH I also have things that are more sentimental. Art is so important to me. My friend Cassi Namoda made me a painting which is so special. When you collect the right pieces of art, then they’re everything.
SS And I know you love entertaining. What does a party look like at your house?
LH I love parties. It’s all about the music, first of all. I always curate the playlist beforehand depending on what the vibe is, who is coming, the time of year, where the night’s going… My other secret to throwing a party has got to be don’t have the lights too bright. It always has to be pretty dark, with candles everywhere. I usually have a fire going so it feels cosy and I serve good natural wine. Sometimes I’ll make cocktails. I’ll do martinis or margaritas and have little bites. I like to cook, too, so I often have a few friends over for a dinner party. Whatever the evening, I feel like it usually turns into a big dance party by the end of the night.
SS Lastly, we’re going to drill down a little more into what we’re calling the Expressive Elegance trend. At Livingetc, we think that for 2024 the look is all about the juxtaposition between the poise and the simplicity of elegance – where spaces are curated and sleek and lines are fine and delicate – and originality and personality of expression, which is seen through darker colours and velvets and things that make the look rich. It’s all about juxtaposition and the references are 20s Deco and 70s Italian. Which is why we wanted to work with you!
hen you see people on the pages of Livingetc, they’re usually one of two things. Either a homeowner, posing nonchalantly in their kitchen as we tell the world about how fabulous their house is; or a designer we like and want to introduce you to. We’d now like to start occasionally using people in a third way. Because people can be a powerful tool to bring themes to life. So to celebrate our quarterly landmark issues (this one is themed Expressive Elegance), we plan to identify well-known, interesting and emerging people from the world of film, music and television to represent something, well, interesting and emerging. A tangible way to talk through an idea.
There is little doubt that Laura Harrier is one of the chicest celebrities in Hollywood. I’ve now met her twice, once in Los Angeles for this shoot, and once on Zoom for the interview. Both times she’s nailed her original take on understated glamour. Fascinated by exploring the intersection between fashion and interiors, we see Laura as the embodiment of what we’re naming as the biggest trend for 2024, Expressive Elegance. And it doesn’t end there. Not only does Laura manifest this look – which is in essence about the interplay between minimalism and simplicity and glamour, richness and detail – with her style, but she’s also incredibly passionate about aesthetics and interiors.
SARAH SPITERI Today’s conversation is all about your style, your aesthetic – what has shaped it and what you love right now. So I want to dive right in. Where did you grow up?
LAURA HARRIER I grew up outside of Chicago in a place called Evanston. I had a very normal, American, suburban upbringing. It was very far from this whole world that we’re in now. I didn’t
know anyone who was an actor or in the arts. I think my parents are creative and have an appreciation for the arts, but my mom was a speech therapist and my dad worked in insurance; they had normal jobs. We lived in a beautiful old house from around 1912. It was very classic, and my mom filled it with flowers and good art.
SS How do you think that backdrop influenced you being interested in style now?
LH Probably only subconsciously. It wasn’t ever at the forefront. We didn’t discuss design at home. My mom just said I’m gonna paint the dining room green and then it was green. And there were always beautiful objects and glassware, things like that, around, so I was definitely brought up with an appreciation of beautiful things even if it wasn’t discussed.
SS I personally think space affects your outlook so much, and where you live reflects who you are
and how you feel. Do you have an early memory of when you became conscious of space?
LH When we moved into our Evanston house, I had two bedrooms, which was a huge flex as a seven year old. It was an old house and there was a bedroom and then what would have been a dressing room. And it was the 90s, right. Remember the plastic inflatable furniture? I remember getting an inflatable chair. It was clear and sparkly. That was the coolest thing ever.
SS I love it – what a throwback! Nowadays you have such a clear and developed aesthetic. When
and how did you start to develop your sense of style?
LH It’s always been something that I’ve been obsessed with in a way that made no sense for my surroundings. I remember from a young age begging my mom to buy me Vogue and saving all of
them and cutting favorite pages out. In that childhood bedroom I covered the walls with these pages. It started for me with fashion and as I got older morphed into this love of interiors as I’ve become more aware of my space and my surroundings, and having my own homes and wanting to furnish those homes. I love clothes so much but that’s what I’m drawn to more I think now.
SS So would we say that it was having your first home that sparked that interest?
LH My first place on my own was in the East Village. I was 18. It was a fifth floor walk-up which is annoying but also really nice as you get the good light. I had a brick wall and this vintage couch.
I have no idea where I got it and it was so uncomfortable and nobody would sit on it. But I was like, oooh it’s design-y. Looking back, it is not how I would want a space to look today, but it represents a sense of adulthood and creating my little nest, which is something I still love. I’m ageing myself here but it’s so cool now having Pinterest and all of these sources for inspiration that are easily accessible. You can just go on your phone and see so much stuff and know what you’re drawn to as opposed to when I had my first apartment I didn’t really know what I liked and was just going for stuff.
SS I agree, design is now really democratised thanks to social media. I am sure you also get a load of inspiration from your work, right? You’re exposed to these incredible sets and you more or less live in this other world for the duration of filming. How do you think this has affected you?
LH That’s a good question. I have never thought about it. I guess they feed each other. When I’m researching a character, or figuring out how to get into who this person is, space is definitely part of that. As are clothing choices and hair and the whole look. I think, where do they live? What does their space look like? What is their aesthetic? Because that’s how I move through the world. I don’t know if every actor does that. For me, what I am wearing and how my hair looks informs who I am as a person. I do think my work has grown my appreciation for space and for my surroundings because I’m always in awe of set design and set designers and the people who create these entire worlds from the ground up. Every time it’s mind blowing to me.
SS Would you say you’ve been through style phases?
LH Definitely, in both fashion and interiors. I understand those phases, though, if that makes sense. It’s not what I would choose now but I think it was cool for the time. Like my first home that I did with Tiffany [Tiffany Howell, interior designer]. I love that house but I wouldn’t pick the same colour palette now. Like, I don’t think I want a pink couch any more. But I think that’s part of us as humans, right? We should always be growing and evolving and changing. I couldn’t imagine my house looking exactly the same as it did 10 years ago. I need to switch it up.
SS I can see from the room you’re sitting in that your current house has beautiful bones. Do you have a particular architectural style that you’re drawn to?
LH These days I am drawn to midcentury. In LA there are so many incredible midcentury homes. Really, the two big styles here are Spanish and midcentury. I briefly lived in a Spanish style house and I quickly realised it wasn’t for me as it felt a little closed with lots of rooms. I am claustrophobic so I just sort of need open space and I’m affected by light, as so many people are. I’m really drawn to clean lines. I think my aesthetic is a little more warm and more maximalist but not yet in a big way. So I like the juxtaposition of having a velvet sofa with a minimal backdrop.
SS That’s Expressive Elegance, Laura.
LH Thank you! As you created!
SS So let’s talk a bit about that. When we met in LA, you talked about your style being rich-lady-chic-meets-mid-70s-Italian. Can you elaborate a little bit more on that?
LH Maybe because of my job, but I think of these characters I want to play. Who do I want to feel like when I’m in this space and what’s my vibe when I’m here? So, I want to walk down in a major kimono and drink a martini. You know? I want to have a beautiful space and feel fucking fancy. Even if I am not that actually in my life – I’m a girl from Chicago – but I can create that world because I have a certain aesthetic. So it’s like playing a character in your life.
And with my current house it’s like I am living in the jungle in a tree house. I feel this sense of privacy and removal, which is so cool because you drive 10 minutes and you’re in the middle of Hollywood. I’ve never had that here before, this jungle Hills life.
SS And inside it looks like exactly what we’ve discussed so far today: sleek lines with decadent details. I can see a beautiful lamp and a curvaceous velvet couch…
LH Exactly. We have these clean lines but lots of rich design. I reupholstered this couch with green velvet. It was so ugly before, it looked like it was from a 90s bowling alley. I have a fireplace that we always light in winter and a beautiful coffee table…
SS That’s your incredible Gae Aulenti coffee table. It’s so nice.
LH Thank you. I actually moved here at the very last minute and I got really lucky because I love it here. But I didn’t renovate so I’m just grateful that I already had this furniture and it worked. Trying to make what you have fit is also kind of a fun challenge.
SS Of course. And I also think you build from somewhere, say around a piece that you love. You know you can build that whole room around that coffee table.
LH Exactly. Which is kind of what I did!
SS So now let’s talk about your interior designer Tiffany Howell. How did your partnership start?
LH I slid into her DMs! She had a storefront in Silverlake where she was selling vintage furniture. I would always walk past and be obsessed with everything in there. So I started following her on Instagram and when I was looking to buy my first home I just messaged her. We met, instantly got along, became friends and have been collaborating ever since. She’s done two houses with me and we’re working on creating a line together, which I’m really excited about. I can’t say too much because it’s not done but it will be great. Tiffany taught me so much about design. I knew what I liked but I wasn’t educated in it and I didn’t know how to execute it.
SS Where do you find things that inspire you now, say if you and Tiffany are sharing ideas?
LH I mean... the internet?! I wish I had a cooler answer for you. I definitely find inspiration when I travel. I was in Morocco this year and loved all the little teacups and the linens and the mirror work. I have always been drawn to a more eclectic mix of design as opposed to one specific style. That was kind of the vibe of the house I grew up in. My grandmother grew up in India so we had so many Indian things, for example. Really, everything was from all over the world, which is something I love, and I think maybe that is not so obvious in my design choices now. But besides travelling, of course I’m on Pinterest and Instagram and buying all the coffee table books, just like everybody else. Just sourcing from wherever I can.
SS It’s time for the awful style references question. When we met in LA we discussed that while a piece of furniture by an iconic designer like Vladimir Kagan is an amazing thing to own, it’s not a reference. It doesn’t inspire you. You said that for you it’s a much broader thing to do with mood, encompassing music, for example.
LH For me, it’s really about what evokes a feeling more than a specific person who made a couch. It’s about what makes me feel how I want to feel in space, like listening to a Coltrane album and burning a beautiful candle.
SS Do you have a fragrance you’re obsessed with?
LH I love Diptyque. I always have the large Roses candle burning. I also love that brand from Paris, Officine Universelle Buly. It’s so chic. You walk into the store and it’s like you’re in a different time. I wear the perfume, too, I love it.
SS Speaking of brands, are there any other brands that you love?
LH I’m a YSL girl. They held this dinner last summer in Marrakech in his old house that’s now the museum. So we got to have this magical dinner and it was so beautiful and so special, just to be alone in his house. That’s something I love with the brand, too, because it’s not just the clothes; you feel like you’re drawn into this incredible world. And there’s such a specific history. And I think Anthony [Anthony Vaccarello, creative director of Yves Saint Laurent] has brought his own aesthetic in while still honouring the brand and paying homage to its heritage.
SS Doing what you do, you’re always surrounded by moments like that and beautiful things I’m sure. Do you have any particular possessions that are special to you?
LH I also have things that are more sentimental. Art is so important to me. My friend Cassi Namoda made me a painting which is so special. When you collect the right pieces of art, then they’re everything.
SS And I know you love entertaining. What does a party look like at your house?
LH I love parties. It’s all about the music, first of all. I always curate the playlist beforehand depending on what the vibe is, who is coming, the time of year, where the night’s going… My other secret to throwing a party has got to be don’t have the lights too bright. It always has to be pretty dark, with candles everywhere. I usually have a fire going so it feels cosy and I serve good natural wine. Sometimes I’ll make cocktails. I’ll do martinis or margaritas and have little bites. I like to cook, too, so I often have a few friends over for a dinner party. Whatever the evening, I feel like it usually turns into a big dance party by the end of the night.
SS Lastly, we’re going to drill down a little more into what we’re calling the Expressive Elegance trend. At Livingetc, we think that for 2024 the look is all about the juxtaposition between the poise and the simplicity of elegance – where spaces are curated and sleek and lines are fine and delicate – and originality and personality of expression, which is seen through darker colours and velvets and things that make the look rich. It’s all about juxtaposition and the references are 20s Deco and 70s Italian. Which is why we wanted to work with you!
I think the whole Quiet Luxury thing is so boring
LH Yes! And I love hearing you say it because I’m like, oh, that is what I love. But it’s so hard when you have to put it into words yourself because it’s just what you are drawn to. So it’s really nice having this conversation and thank you for thinking of me for this. I like things to feel modern and timeless at the same time. Who knows how we’ll feel in 10 or 20 years but I hope what we’re doing now lives on and still feels cool and relevant. For me, 70s Italian furniture still feels super relevant even though it’s however old.
SS Do you see this as an evolution of Quiet Luxury, with everyone getting bored of being very simple and wanting to be more glam and fabulous?
LH Well, first of all, I think the whole Quiet Luxury thing is so boring. Sometimes I get referenced as Quiet Luxury and I’m flattered but I don’t agree at all because a very minimalist aesthetic doesn’t speak to me. It’s just like all of a sudden we’re wearing a white linen shirt and it’s Quiet Luxury. I don’t get it. I just appreciate when people have their own aesthetic and their own taste. And if that is minimalist, I think that can be very cool and chic. But the idea of let’s just live in an all-white box and wear a diamond bracelet and a white dress. Blurgh! Quiet Luxury drives me mad. It’s 100% an excuse to be beige. I like things that are understated but I also like things that are glam and that are fun. I want to feel something when I walk into a room. I want it to feel rich and interesting and surprising. I think you can be chic and luxury without being boring.
SS I have just one final question for you. What’s the piece of advice you’d give anyone setting out on a style journey?
LH Gather as many references as you can and see what speaks to you. Take your time. I’m someone who’s impatient and when I decorate something I want it to be done tomorrow, but if you do take the time to find the right pieces, these will be things that you have forever. Also, that little things can really make a space. Having flowers at home, having plants, art that you love, cool coffee table books… You don’t need expensive furniture to elevate a space. So much can be done with little details.
And lastly I think, just do what you like. The thing right now that’s so cool, but also a double-edged sword, is that we’re inundated all the time with images. We see so much stuff and things can start to look the same. So find references and know what your eye is drawn to, but also realise that you don’t have to recreate the exact room you saw on Pinterest. Everything should feel personal and like you.