Celebrity designer Nate Berkus is coming to Charlotte this spring for The Mint Museum Auxiliary’s Spring Symposium.
- I got a chance to ask him a few questions ahead of his visit! (A dream come true for little me who thought his early 2000s Target collab was the pinnacle of luxury.)
Here’s what we can learn from this design hero.
People are buying homes much later in life these days. What are your top tips
for renters?
One of the biggest misconceptions about renting is that it has to feel temporary. Your home should always feel like yours, whether you own it or not. Invest in the pieces that you love and can travel with you—great lighting, beautiful rugs, meaningful artwork, and furniture pieces that reflect you.
You’re married to a designer. Does that make designing your own home easier
or harder, given you’re both the expert!
We’ll argue about who gets the last piece of pizza but when it comes to design, we are pretty much in alignment. Jeremiah leans more modern, and I tend to be more traditional but I think we’ve figured out how to get the balance right. I really trust his instincts and we have a rule that, if it’s a hard no from one of us around a design decision, we respect that and move on.
On that note, any tips for couples on how to blend styles?
The key is remembering that your home should tell the story of both people who live there.
Instead of trying to find a perfect middle ground, focus on what each person loves and start layering those elements together. You want to create a home that feels collected, not perfectly matched. The most interesting homes are ones that authentically represent the people who live there.
Let’s talk social media. How do you think it influences design today? In the context of design, what challenges does it create, and what good has come from it?
Social media has made design more accessible than ever, which I think is a wonderful thing. People can discover designers, ideas, and inspiration from all over the world instantly, which has helped expand my brand in ways that simply weren’t possible twenty years ago. The challenge is that when everyone is looking at the same images, homes can start to feel interchangeable. The best way to use social media is as inspiration, not instruction. It’s a wonderful tool for discovering ideas, but your home should ultimately reflect your life and your story—not someone else’s feed.
What’s your philosophy on trends?
I’m anti-trend and always have been. Trends are designed to make people feel bad about what they don’t have, and buy things unnecessarily. Invest in timeless, classic pieces – things that feel meaningful to you, and that you’ll still love in 5 years, regardless of what is trending or not.
What’s are small things people can bring into their homes to make it feel instantly more stylish?
Lighting and rugs. Lighting is one of the most transformative elements in a space, and yet it’s often an afterthought. Swapping out a basic lamp for something sculptural or vintage can completely change how a room feels, and even something as simple as changing the bulb can dramatically shift the ambience.
Another quick upgrade is swapping in a new rug – it can completely change the feel of a room, whether adding texture or a new colorway into the space. I designed my collection for RugsUSA with exactly this in mind. If in doubt, always size up.
It seems like everyone is on the hunt for that hotel bed feel. Who makes the best linens? Duvet, duvet cover, pillows, sheets — where are we going for each?
That hotel bed feeling really comes down to simplicity and quality. I’ve always gravitated toward linens that feel classic and breathable. Crisp cotton sheets, a beautiful duvet, and pillows that feel supportive yet soft make all the difference It’s something I’m thinking about as I develop my upcoming soft home collection (with Beco Home)—where luxury meets everyday living.
How do we find personal style when it comes to home design? If we feel totally lost & disconnected, where do we start? Are there any sort of exercises that can shake ideas loose, or questions we can ask ourselves?
This was really one of the reasons I wrote my latest book, Foundations. I didn’t want to do a glossy retrospective, instead I want to give people the tools to figure out what they love and how to express
that through the design choices they make in their homes. The best place to start is by looking at what you already love. What objects have you held onto for years? Where does your eye instantly land when you walk in the door? Personal style isn’t something you invent—it’s something you uncover.
What do you do to get inspired? Any routines that nurture your creativity?
Travel has always been one of my greatest sources of inspiration. Seeing how people live in
different parts of the world reminds me that beauty exists in so many forms. I also love visiting flea markets, antique shops, and galleries—places where objects carry history and character. Inspiration often comes from slowing down and really looking at the world around you. That, and my family – Jeremiah and the kids are a constant source of inspiration.
