Nate Berkus’s Tips for Refreshing Your Home Decor
If you’re expecting to come away from this article with a shopping list of items to update your home, put down the pen. “I think it’s much more rewarding to rearrange what you already have,” says Nate Berkus. “This brings new energy into your space and lets you see things in a new way.” Here, the interior designer and author—who also has home collections sold at Target and Jo-Ann Fabrics, boasts a store on 1stdibs, and serves as artistic adviser for LG Studio—shares his best tips for giving your house a fresh look. Read on for Berkus’s advice on shopping your own home, why you might be better off without certain pieces, and which room is most likely in need of some updates.
Photo: Douglas Friedman1/6Don’t go overboard.
“I don’t recommend making big, rash changes at the beginning of the year—this is when everyone’s still stressed about losing weight and other resolutions. With Jeremiah [Brant, his husband] and I, we’re constantly moving things around our home throughout the year. It doesn’t have to be about a season or event, it should happen when inspiration strikes. Also, I don’t focus on trends because I don’t think you ever achieve what you’re looking to do—it always feels like a version of something you saw in a photograph.”
Courtesy of Target2/6Shop your home.
“When you lay out a room, it needs to be practical, first, then beautiful. So see if you can make a room function with things you already own. Is there a new energy and juxtaposition that can come from using a side table as a nightstand? Or is there a console that can be used to set up a bar? The best designed rooms are the ones that feel layered, assembled over time, and beautifully edited. To get there, you have to be prepared to experiment.”
Photo: Douglas Friedman3/6Play with accessories.
“Sometimes the smallest things can make a huge impact. Take the lamps off the nightstands in your bedroom and try them on the console in the living room. Or move your mirrors around the house—if one’s been hanging above your fireplace, try it in the entry and see how it affects the light. Moving artworks, pillows, and rugs is also an extremely effective way to change the feel of a room.”
Photo: Douglas Friedman4/6Edit, edit, edit.
“Look at every piece in your home and ask yourself, ‘Is this contributing to the story I want to tell in this space? Does it have sentimental value? Does it remind me of something that makes me smile?’ Or is the item just crammed onto a bookshelf or side table because you’ve been too lazy to take a hard look at things with a discerning eye? It’s important to donate or sell these items because you have to give the pieces you do love room to breathe.”
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Courtesy of Target5/6Incorporate texture and something green.
“Texture is a bullet train to a sophisticated neutral palette. Woven pieces, hand-knotted rugs, fringed accents—these invigorate and add dimension to any space. They pair nicely with crisp contemporary pieces, as well as with antique furniture and vintage items. And then plants and flowers make a space feel alive. They just make you breathe a little different. We keep fresh flowers in our home constantly—always similar species, white roses or hydrangea, packed tightly in a short vase.”
Photo: Pieter Estersohn6/6And don’t overlook the guest room.
“In 20 years of working with clients, I’ve found that when we get to the guest room, they tend to feel exhausted from making decisions and don’t really care about the space. But the truth is, if you care about somebody enough to invite them to stay in your home, you should have a beautifully appointed room for them. Think beautiful linens, flattering light, a great chest of drawers so people have somewhere to put their things away. And don’t stop there: Pull accessories from elsewhere in the house so that the room feels like an extension of your home.”
