DESIGNER DIALOGUES - NATE BERKUS OF NATE BERKUS ASSOCIATES
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
One of the most wonderful things about being human is that each of us carries a story that is entirely our own.
We come from different places and different families. Over time, we gather different memories, experience different successes and failures, and learn different lessons that shape us in ways both subtle and profound.
When these elements come together, they form who we are. They shape our worldview, our personalities, our quirks, and our tastes.
For Nate Berkus, acclaimed interior designer and founder of Nate Berkus Associates, this understanding serves as the foundation of his design philosophy.
Using the stories of his clients as his guiding light, he curates one-of-a-kind antiques and incorporates classical design elements to create homes that feel honest, soulful, and reflective of the lives lived within them.
In today’s Designer Dialogue, I am pleased to share some of Nate’s insight with you. We have had the privilege of working with him and his team over the years, and his projects have always been a source of inspiration to me. I hope you find his words meaningful as you continue shaping a life, and home, of your own.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR DESIGN STYLE, AND HOW HAS IT EVOLVED?
I have always reached for things with history and patina and believed that the best interiors are ones that feel collected and evolve over time. What has shifted are my references – and of course, access to sourcing. I spend hours browsing international auction sites.Â
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IS THERE A DESIGN RULE YOU SECRETLY LOVE TO BREAK?
 I think there are rules of scale when it comes to design, but other than that, I don’t believe in rules. Your home should reflect what you love and care about. Some of the best interiors I have seen are ones where people broke all the so-called rules.
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WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO WRITE FOUNDATIONS?
My design firm celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, and it felt like the perfect moment to write Foundations. The book is a room-by-room guide where I share everything I’ve learnt in the last 30 years. I want readers to be empowered to make informed decisions in their homes and have permission to live with what they love and want to live with.
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CAN YOU SHARE A RECENT PROJECT THAT YOU LOVE?
I have a lot of new collaborations and collections coming out later this year – a kid and nursery collection (with Babyletto), a new drop with RugsUSA coming this summer, a tile collection (with The Tile Shop), and a wallpaper and paint line with Graham & Brown. We also have a number of really exciting design projects in the works at Nate Berkus Associates. Our Tribeca project just ran on AD.com, and we just shot our Portugal farm for Architectural Digest.
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ADVICE FOR SOMEONE FEELING STUCK ON A PROJECT?
This was really one of the reasons that I wrote Foundations. Getting started is really the hardest part, so in the book I break it down, step by step. Whether it’s where to start to find your style, or inspiration to where to begin when it comes to approaching a renovation. My whole goal with writing Foundations was to take the guess work out of design.
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FAVORITE ROOM TO DESIGN?
Believe it or not, for me, the laundry room. I am borderline crazy in terms of how precise I need it to be. My job at home is laundry; there isn’t a stain I can’t get out.
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WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WEREN’T A DESIGNER?
A jewelry designer, it’s another obsession.
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MOST VALUABLE DESIGN ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED?
Keep it personal. Honor history. Build character. And have a clear vision. Those ideas shape everything I do.
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BEST WAY TO STAY CONNECTED?
@NateBerkus is where I share most—or my website. And, of course, my book Foundations.
Thank you so much to Nate Berkus for taking the time to share his thoughts with us today.Â
I hope you enjoyed learning more about him and his design philosophy!
xx,
Brooke
