Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent Try a ‘Pinteresting’ Trend That Doesn’t Cost a Thing
HGTV
On “The Nate & Jeremiah Home Project,” Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent might live in New York City, but many of their clients have fled to the burbs, buying fixer-uppers that turned out to be too much to handle.
That’s definitely the case on the latest episode, “Family Comes First,” where clients Brad and Courtney moved out of New York City to buy a house in Westchester County. The house needed a lot of work, and the couple soon knew they needed professional help and called in Berkus and Brent.
They have a budget of $110,000 to fix up the primary suite, as well as the bedrooms for their 4-year-old son, Fin, and their newly adopted infant son, Anders.
As Berkus and Brent get to work, they pass along some sage advice on how to get a high-end look that doesn’t cost too much—and that will also grow with the kids. Check out what we learned this week.
Priorities should be people, pets, then belongings
Jeremiah Brent and Nate Berkus chat with clients about priorities.HGTV
As Berkus and Brent help Brad and Courtney sort through the things they absolutely want to keep and the things they’re OK with getting rid of, Berkus recites their golden rule of design.
“Our priority has always been people, then pets, then stuff,” he says.
In other words, what works best for the residents comes first, and if certain furniture or other items no longer fit their needs, the owners should feel free to let them go, Berkus explains.
This is especially helpful in small spaces. Brad and Courtney’s house is not huge, and every square foot is precious.
Repurpose treasured furniture
Vintage dresser converted into a vanityHGTV
The couple purge certain items, but they have an antique dresser that they’d definitely like to refinish and keep in some form or other.
“Instead of something that’s off-the-shelf standard, we’re going to create a custom double vanity using the vintage dresser,” says Brent. “It’s ‘Pinteresting’ and fun and kind of whimsical.”
Berkus is in total agreement: “We love the character, we love the shape, we love the vintage hardware,” he says. “Why not build it into their home in a cool way?”
Pick features that will grow with your kids
Wallpaper and wall coverings that will look good in a bedroom for any ageHGTV
Brad and Courtney’s son Fin is about four, and he’s going to need a room of his own.
“I like the idea of having Fin’s bedroom have a backdrop of a lot of texture that’s saturated in color. I feel that is a wall covering that will grow with him,” Berkus notes, gesturing toward a sophisticated yet fun woven wall covering with shades of blue and green.
“It’s a look that will work for Fin not only now, but well into the future,” he explains.
He uses that concept for baby Anders’ furniture as well, choosing sophisticated pieces that look good in a nursery, but will last.
“Our vision of kids’ bedroom design is a little bit different,” says Berkus. “We both like picking things that they would have conceivably in their first apartment.”
Choose fabrics that are attractive and practical
Fabrics that are both attractive and practicalHGTV
Berkus and Brent go shopping for window coverings and fabrics to use in Fin’s bedroom and the playroom/nursery, which will eventually become Anders’ bedroom.
“These are some of what we call our performance fabrics,” says a vendor as she shows them what’s available. “They’re stain- and fade-resistant and really great for rooms where the kids might be playing in.”
“The real luxury of great design is when you’re surrounded by things that aesthetically resonate with you, but you can live with them in a really casual, carefree, comfortable way,” says Berkus.
That’s exactly what the designers are looking for.
“We want to give Brad and Courtney a home with great design pieces, great fabrics, but also it needs to work for a young family,” says Brent. “It doesn’t feel precious, it doesn’t feel fancy, it just feels like a beautifully appointed, warm, family home, and that’s always been important to us.”
Make the primary bedroom a retreat—and skip the desk
Relaxing bedroom alcoveHGTV
Once the primary bedroom is painted, Berkus and Brent get a better idea of how it should be laid out.
“Now that we’re standing in here, I don’t want the desk to be in here,” says Brent, referring to an alcove he’d previously designated as an office. He’d rather it be a relaxing seating area.
“A little quiet moment, a little chair, a floor lamp, a sofa,” he suggests. “And we’ll move the office into the foyer. There’s so much space out there.”
That’s a good call. So many stairways, landings, and foyers are just wasted space anyway. Why not make the bedroom relaxing and stress-free?
“I really want this room to feel like an escape, the idea that they can come up here to disconnect to reconnect,” Brent continues.
In the end, he even finds a way to incorporate the vintage corbels the couple wanted to keep, topping them with marble and converting them into side tables.
In the end, the family is thrilled with the new home.
“It feels like you guys have done some miraculous things here in the last nine weeks,” says Brad. “It’s going to be really fun to be here with our family, and for the first time since we moved in over a year ago, to feel like this house is done. It feels finished. It feels safe.”
“It feels like home,” says Courtney.
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