Nate Berkus Reveals an Underrated Decor Essential He Loves: “They Instantly Elevate a Room”

It’s true that A-list designer Nate Berkus rarely thinks anything is truly “boring,” but he’s calling out a seriously underrated decor staple that helps him jazz up any room in a flash.

In a partnership with Pepperidge Farm (yes, really!), Berkus created a chessboard-inspired serving tray that totally captures the fun spirit of a game-night trend. That’s thanks in part to the surge of interest in table games, and Berkus thinks the trend is a refreshing sign that people want to connect on a more personal level.

“My husband and I have started playing games after dinner, and I have friends who are deep into mahjong right now,” he told Apartment Therapy. “There’s something great happening where people are choosing non-digital ways to spend time together and engage a little bit of competition in a fun way.”

If you’re all-in on the cozy game night trend, Berkus has an underrated decor find that he always uses to make spaces shine — it’s a must-have to elevate a room even more, and it’s something you can find pretty much anywhere.

“A beautiful pair of vintage or antique candlesticks is something I always come back to,” Berkus told us. “You’ll use them forever, and they instantly elevate a table or a room.”

By choosing vintage or antique pieces (candlesticks and beyond), you’re bucking trends (which Berkus feels are more of a tactic used to make people think they need to buy something). “Our homes should reflect who we are, what we’ve loved over time, and the things that are meaningful to us — not what someone else is telling us is ‘in,’” he added.

Sometimes, the things that aren’t the loudest in any given space can feel the most luxurious.

“The most beautiful spaces are the ones that feel personal and collected, not prescribed,” he said. “That’s what I love about my Pepperidge Farm collaboration; it marries nostalgia with modern design.”

Like a traditional checker pattern on a chessboard, stick to the classics if you want your home to feel timeless — and pick up a set of candlesticks from your local antique store. According to Berkus, you’ll find yourself grabbing them over and over again!