APT with LSD: Aerin Lauder
It has been said that to truly enjoy the city of New York, one needs to leave every once in a while and venture out into nature. Aerin Lauder, granddaughter of Estée Lauder, the co-founder of the international cosmetics company, lives out the mantra with regular jaunts to the country, which started when she inherited her grandmother’s home in Wainscott in East Hampton more than a dozen years ago. It’s the perfect getaway not only for the summer, but also for long weekends over the holiday season. While Lauder prepares for another Thanksgiving weekend with family and friends, we take the opportunity to look around her elegant, inviting home.
“I love incorporating velvets and animal prints,” says Lauder of her aesthetic. “But in the summer, I put a warm, brown ikat slipcover over the couch, which is the perfect transition between seasons. It makes the whole room feel more beachy.”
“I love cut flowers, branches, and plants, and I keep the rooms filled with regular visits to the Bridgehampton Florist,” Lauder says. “I also think that this time of year any room can be made cozy and inviting when you add candles, a roaring fire, and of course, good friends.
“I love to entertain in the country,” says Lauder, surveying her dining room table. “The recipes for the holidays have been passed down from my grandmother, like roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and a Bûche de Noël.”
“Our kitchen in the country is similar to our kitchen in New York. There are white cabinets, brass fixtures, elements of blue, and framed children’s art in both spaces,” Lauder says. “I have a formula for kitchens that always works for us.”
“I am thankful for so many things this year, but mostly family and friends,” says Lauder who keeps a personal, framed letter from her grandmother hanging over her nightstand in her bedroom.