Nate Berkus

Nathan Jay Berkus (born September 17, 1971)[1][2] is an American interior designer, author, and television personality. He runs the Chicago interior design firm Nate Berkus Associates and was a regularly featured guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show, offering design advice to viewers as well as coordinating surprise make-overs for people's homes. He has released numerous lines of products and authored several books.[3]

Nate Berkus
Berkus in CES 2014
Born
Nathan Jay Berkus

(1971-09-17) September 17, 1971
Orange County, California
Alma materLake Forest College
Occupation(s)Interior decorator, television host
Years active1995–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2014)​
Children2
WebsiteNateBerkus.com

His talk show, The Nate Berkus Show, debuted in broadcast syndication September 13, 2010, featuring make-overs, culture, design, and personal advice. It was co-produced by Harpo Productions and Sony Pictures Television, and was cancelled in 2012 after two seasons.[4][5] Since 2017, Berkus has co-hosted the TLC reality design series Nate & Jeremiah by Design, alongside his husband Jeremiah Brent.

Early life and education

Berkus was born on September 17, 1971, in Orange County, California. Designer Nancy Golden, from multiple series on HGTV and DIY Network, is his mother.[6] His father, Michael A. Berkus, co-founded the National Sports Collectors Convention. His parents divorced in 1973.[7] Berkus grew up in a Jewish family mainly in Hopkins, Minnesota. He attended Cushing Academy, a boarding school in Ashburnham, Massachusetts.

Berkus started working in design immediately after leaving high school and interned at Dominique Aurientis in Paris and Leslie Hindman in Chicago. Berkus graduated from Lake Forest College in 1994, with B.A. degrees in French and Sociology. He founded the company, Nate Berkus Associates, in Chicago in 1995. Berkus is related to the venture capitalist Dave Berkus, architect Barry Berkus, musician/artist Günther Berkus, Josh Berkus of Software in the Public Interest, casino manager/author Eric David Berkus, and lawyer Matt Berkus.

Career

In November 2005, Hyperion Books published Berkus's book Home Rules: Transform the Place You Live into a Place You'll Love (ISBN 1-4013-0137-1), a step-by-step guide to home design and decoration.

In 2005, Berkus began selling his merchandise at Linens 'n Things stores throughout North America.

Berkus was the host of the short-lived reality show Oprah's Big Give, which premiered March 2, 2008, but the series ended on April 20 that same year. On May 13, 2008, it was announced by ABC that it would not be renewed for a second season.[8]

On September 13, 2010, he debuted as the host of his own syndicated daily show, The Nate Berkus Show, which was co-produced by Harpo Productions and Sony Pictures Television.[9] It was recorded in Studio 42 at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York, but aired in the nation's largest markets on the ten NBC-owned-and-operated stations.[4] His guests included sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer, whose living room and dining room he redecorated, after 50 years.[10][11][12][13] In December 2011, Sony Pictures decided not to renew The Nate Berkus Show for a third season.[14] Berkus is also an executive producer of the 2011 film The Help.

He appeared as himself on the October 12, 2011 and October 13, 2011 episodes of Days of Our Lives, a United States daytime television soap opera, designing the offices of MadWorld Cosmetics for Madison James.

Berkus's book The Things That Matter was published October 16, 2012 by Spiegel & Grau.[15] It became a New York Times Best Seller[16] and was named "One of the Best Interior Design Books of the Year" by the Washington Post.[17]

Also in October 2012, Berkus collaborated with Target stores to launch his Target Home collection, a 150-piece line that includes bedding, bath, accessories, lighting, rugs, and window treatments.[18][19] Since then he has released many different collections for season changes as well as holidays.[20] He recently released a line of stationery and office essentials alongside his 2015 Cali-inspired spring collection.[21] [22]

In January 2013, Berkus introduced his own fabric collection at Calico Corners.[23]

In March 2013, television journalists noted Berkus began working on a primetime series with NBC, initially titled Renovation Nation.[24] By May 2013 the title was changed to American Dream Builders. Berkus was the host and one of the producers of the show in which, according to NBC, "American top designers, builders, architects and landscapers go head-to-head each week, putting their talents to the test on extreme home renovations."[25] The show was not renewed after its first season.

Alongside his husband, fellow interior designer Jeremiah Brent, he launched in 2017 the TV show Nate & Jeremiah by Design broadcast on TLC network. On August 30, 2017 it was announced that Nate & Jeremiah by Design had been picked up for a second season.

In 2020, Berkus helped rebuild Ellicott City, Maryland in Gordon Ramsay's untimed special.

Personal life

In December 2004, Berkus and his then-partner, photographer Fernando Bengoechea, were vacationing at a beach resort in Sri Lanka when the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami hit.[26] While Berkus survived, Bengoechea was missing and presumed dead.[27] Berkus appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show on January 17, 2005, to talk about the ordeal and the loss of his partner.[28][29]

In April 2013 Berkus became engaged to fellow interior designer Jeremiah Brent after nearly a year of dating.[30][31] They were married on May 4, 2014, in Manhattan.[32][33] They have two children born via surrogates: a daughter, Poppy Brent-Berkus, born on March 23, 2015,[34] and a son, Oskar Michael Brent-Berkus, born on March 26, 2018.[35][36] Berkus and his family currently live in Manhattan.

In early 2014, they were featured in clothier Banana Republic's "True Outfitters" ads in InStyle and Rolling Stone, among other magazines.[37] The New York Times noted they were the first same-sex couple to be featured in ads for the magazines.[38] Their Manhattan apartment was featured in the October 2015 issue of Architectural Digest magazine, where Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent appeared on the cover with their daughter Poppy.[39]

Further reading

See also
  • Interior designer

References
  1. "Nate Berkus Interior Designer Biography, Family, Life & More -". Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  2. "Nate Berkus". TVGuide.com. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  3. "Nate Berkus Instagram Favorite Collection of Nate Reads". July 5, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  4. Carter, Bill (January 30, 2010). "NBC Universal and Sony Television Reach Deal for 'Nate Berkus Show'". Media Decoder. The New York Times. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  5. Gorman, Bill (December 9, 2011). "'The Nate Berkus Show' Canceled, Will Finish Second And Final Season In May, 2012". TVbytheNumbers. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  6. Manetti, Michelle (May 10, 2013). "Nate Berkus' Mom, Nancy Golden, Is Really That Awesome". Huffpost. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  7. Brierley, Kate (May 2020). "Here's Everything We Know About Nate Berkus' Parents and Family Life". Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  8. "ABC Announces Their 2008–09 Schedule. Who's Been Cancelled?". TV Series Finale. May 13, 2008. Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  9. "Playing Favorites with Nate Berkus". Chairish Blog. January 4, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  10. Cation, Sara (April 30, 2013). "Inside design: Nate Berkus". Style at Home.
  11. Kaufman, Joanne (November 29, 2013). "Dr. Ruth Westheimer: Her Bedrooms Are Off Limits". The New York Times.
  12. Wadler, Joyce (February 23, 2011). "Dr. Ruth and Nate Berkus on Clearing Clutter". The New York Times.
  13. Tzeses, Jennifer. "Case Study: Dr. Ruth Westheimer and Nate Berkus". www.barrons.com.
  14. Breen, Matthew (September 2010). "Intelligent Design". The Advocate. Archived from the original on August 17, 2010.
  15. Berkus, Nate (2012). advertisement "The Things That Matter". ISBN 978-0679644316.
  16. "Hardcover NonFiction Best Sellers". NY Times. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  17. Koncius, Jura (November 6, 2012). "Design books of 2012". WashingtonPost.com. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  18. "A Sneak Peek at the Upcoming Nate Berkus for Target Collection". So Haute Style. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  19. "Nate Berkus talks to AD about his stylish new home Target collection, born from a passion for natural materials and his signature easy sophistication". Architectural Digest. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  20. "Target Corporate: Search Results". Target Corporate. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  21. "Get Organized With Nate Berkus' Stylish New Line of Stationery and Office Essentials". corporate.target.com. Archived from the original on April 15, 2015.
  22. "Nate Berkus' Cali-Inspired Spring Collection Transforms Your Home into a Beach Bungalow". Target Corporate. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  23. "Nate Berkus Fabric Collection". Calico Corners. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  24. "NBC and Nate Berkus Team for 'Renovation Nation'". Variety. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  25. "NBC New 2013–14 Shows: "American Dream Builders" The Most Exciting Home Challenge in America". NBC. Retrieved August 6, 2013.
  26. "Fernando Bengoechea Late Partner of Designer Nate Berkus". July 17, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  27. Ayers, Dennis (March 11, 2008). "Interview With Nate Berkus of "Oprah's Big Give"". After Elton. Archived from the original on July 22, 2009. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  28. "Tsunami 2004 Nate Berkus and Fernando Bengoechea Complete Story". August 10, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  29. Forman, Ross (October 8, 2008). "Nate Berkus talks life and love". Windy City Times.
  30. "Jeremiah Brent Bio, Age, Height, Tattoos, Net Worth, Family – Design". Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  31. Boehm, Kristin; Triggs, Charlotte (April 10, 2013). "Nate Berkus Is Engaged to Jeremiah Brent". People.
  32. "Nate and Jeremiah Wedding Ceremony Pictures – Nate Berkus Wedding". August 21, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  33. Webber, Stephanie (May 3, 2014). "Nate Berkus Marries Fiance Jeremiah Brent in NYC: New Details on Ceremony, Reception". Us Weekly. Retrieved May 5, 2014.
  34. "Poppy Brent Berkus Birthday, Father, Bio, Hair – Nate Berkus Daughter". Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  35. "Oskar Brent Berkus Birthday, Nickname, Bio, Story – Nate Jeremiah Son". Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  36. "Nate Berkus Surrogate Born Son Oskar and Daughter Poppy -". August 29, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  37. "TOO CUTE: Nate Berkus And His Fiancé Star In Banana Republic Campaign". HuffPost. February 26, 2014.
  38. Elliott, Stuart (February 20, 2014). "Banana Republic Ads With Real-Life Unions Include a Gay Couple". The New York Times. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  39. Merriam, Allie (June 15, 2016). "Inside Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent's New Home With Baby Poppy". POPSUGAR Home. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
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