Lara Spencer Shares How Late Mother Inspired ‘That Thrifting Show’
What To Know
- Lara Spencer opened up about the inspiration for her new series, That Thrifting Show, on Live With Kelly and Mark.
- That Thrifting Show will see home design duos compete to transform identical rooms using only thrifted and vintage items.
- Last month, Spencer announced via social media that her mother, Carolyn von Seelen, had died at the age of 85.
Lara Spencer is feeling a mix of emotions as she heads into the premiere of her new Freeform series.
That Thrifting Show with Lara Spencer will follow home design duos as they transform identical rooms into stylish, trendy spaces. The catch? They must do so using only items found at thrift shops and flea markets.
The Good Morning America host stopped by Live With Kelly and Mark on Thursday, March 19, to chat about the series, revealing that the inspiration for her latest TV project came from someone special.
“Mom. She’s the inspiration,” Spencer shared. “It’s a little bittersweet. She passed away recently, and so, this show is a tribute to her. She used to say she had more kids than money, but she had great taste. And so, I’m the youngest of five, and she would drag me to yard sales and thrift shops.”
Spencer said that “what started out as sort of necessity became this shared love and pastime,” adding, “Anytime we saw each other, we would go to whatever flea market or we’d create a map to go to yard sales and just find really cool ‘objet,’ as she would call it.”
Live cohost Kelly Ripa noted that her and Mark Consuelos‘ daughter, Lola Consuelos, has inherited their love for thrifting, as well. “I feel like it’s that whole generation. I really feel like it’s time,” Spencer replied. “I knew I was onto something when my kids discovered my old show, Flea Market Flip, and suddenly, I’m cool. Like, I’ve been on TV for 35 years. I just think that generation, Gen Z, is really into sustainable design. It’s something I’ve loved forever, so I’m hoping that a whole new generation finds it.”
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Spencer shares her two children, Duff and Katharine, with her ex-husband, David Haffenreffer. In addition to being a longtime host on GMA, Spencer notably hosted all 14 seasons of HGTV’s Flea Market Flip, which aired from 2012 to 2019.
Last month, Spencer announced via Instagram that her mother, Carolyn von Seelen, had died at the age of 85. “If you were lucky enough to meet my mom you know that smile that lit up every room she walked into,” she captioned photos of herself and her mother from over the years. “What you might not have seen at first glance was her courage, resilience, endless optimism, deep faith, and boundless love for her family.”
Spencer continued, “She was a woman who loved a saying — she had one for everything and used them often to help us get thru life’s challenges or painful moments. One of her favorite was ‘don’t be sad it’s over honey — be grateful it happened.’ Sorry mama but there’s no way to not feel the pain of overwhelming sadness at the thought of not having you to share life with each day, but we sure are grateful YOU happened and showered us with your loving warmth and humor.”
That Thrifting Show with Lara Spencer, Thursday, March 19, 9/8c, Freeform (First six episodes streaming next day on Hulu)
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