Nate Berkus shares his three most important decorating tips:
Berkus' eclectic style
blends new with old,
including treasures found
at garage sales, flea
markets and roadside
stands.
Keep the expensive ideas neutral and classic.
am not into very trendy sofas and heavily patterned fabrics,' he says. 1 think they
can go out of style. its much smarter when you are investing in a sofa to go on the
classic side.
When building a house, always look to the past for inspiration.
'`Salvage materials where you can -- old door knobs, stone, antique hardware
all add depth."
Take some time to know yourself before starting a design project.
"Whether you are doing it alone or with the assistance of a professional. if you don't
•ake this step you will end up with a home that doesn't reflect who you are."
do a gut renovation of a small space in three days. The viewers loved it, Oprah loved it
and the rest is history.
Tragedy strengthens faith
A serendipitous path
Berkus' path to becoming a television design celebrity began after graduation from
Chicago's Lake Forest College when he landed a job at an auction house in Chicago. "I
ran a series of monthly auctions and did everything from auctioneering to marketing," he
recalls.
His boss, Leslie Hindman, hosted two shows on HGTV and hired Berkus to style
rooms featured on camera. "Sometimes there were 1,000 items, and I had to arrange
everything in a way that people would envision owning them in their house," he says. "I
was doing interior design, but I never had any control of anything I selected."
That motivated Berkus to go off on his own; and in 1995 at the age of 24, he opened
Nate Berkus Associates in Chicago. Starting off with client referrals from friends, Berkus
went on to develop an impressive portfolio.
About six years after opening his firm, Berkus
became one of Oprah's "chosen people," thanks to
a family friend.
"My grandparents had very good friends who
were at my bar mitzvah and I called aunt and
uncle," he says. "Their daughter, Ellen Rakieten,
lived in Chicago and was an executive producer
on Oprah; and when I moved, my grandparents
insisted I call her. And her grandparents kept say-
ing to her, 'You have to call Natie.' But neither of
0
us made contact."
0
Coincidentally, the two met at a design show
0
at Berkus' studio. "We started to talk that night
and hit it off but didn't realize our connection
until I wrote up her receipt. Since then we've
become best friends."
0
0
Knowing that he had hosted a special on
alLnt
HGTV, Rakieten asked Berkus if he would be
Nate Berkus celebrates his bar mitzvah
interested in doing a makeover on Oprah. Happy
in Minneapolis, where he grew up.
for the opportunity, Berkus traveled to Boston to
B 1 8 •
JANUARY 2009 •
TN platinum
While all of Berkus' appearances on Winfrey's show have been uplifting, one had the
audience in tears. Berkus and his partner, photographer Fernando Bengoechea, had been
vacationing in Sri Lanka in December 2004 when the tsunami struck and Fernando was
killed. Berkus appeared on the show and told of the catastrophic experience and the pro-
found impact it left on his life.
With the help of a grief counselor, family and friends, he eventually was able to go on.
He is very close with his siblings, including sister Marni Golden, a University of Michigan
alumna whom Berkus visited when she lived in Ann Arbor. His father, Michael Berkus,
with whom he also is close, lives in California.
As Berkus gets older, his religion is becoming more important, he says. "I go to temple
on the High Holidays and love the traditions, customs and food. My partner Brian
Atwood is Jewish, and his mom loves to make me kugels."
Berkus' latest endeavor, a new home collection with his signature chic style, debuted
in the fall on the Home Shopping Network. The line includes rich textiles, woven and
braided rugs, colorful and metallic decorative pillows, 600-thread-count bed sheets, por-
celain vases and classic furniture, from sofas to headboards.
When asked if there is one thing he wants people to know about him, he says: "I am
very much myself on TV and don't work with a script. I love what I do and will never rest
on my laurels."
For more on Nate Berkus, go to his Web site at nateberkus.com .
To see more of his designs for Home Shopping Network, go to HS1V.com.
Berkus believes a home's decor should tell something about the people who live there:
"I understand not being comfortable with your own sense of style, but I think it's worth
taking the time to develop one."