The Decades-Old Advice Nate Berkus Always Follows When He’s Decorating

Nate Berkus is renowned for his ability to mix and match pieces from various eras to create a space that feels fresh and modern. And that mixing and matching process thrives on risk-taking and being adventurous. But Berkus has one personal “rule” that he follows to keep his designs rooted in reality and looking timeless, and it’s an easy one to take with you into your own interior design projects.

“I think what makes me happiest about this entry in this historic home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is that we used sort of a modern travertine 1970s center table, and we positioned two French benches from 1950 with the original leather underneath,” Berkus said in a voice-over in a recent Instagram video. “The lantern is as classic as it comes and likely could have been hanging there when the house was built, but everything else feels decidedly modern.”

“If you’ll notice, this is really sort of a rule for me,” he continued. “If it’s built in, keep it timeless and if it’s furniture, be adventurous.”

And that makes so much sense — it’s much easier to change out movable decor if your style changes later on than ripping out built-in furniture, lighting, and plumbing.

This process becomes even easier if you have a historic home with era-defining architectural details already in place. If your home is mid-century modern, choose built-ins with clean lines and warm tones that reflect that time period. If your home is Victorian, allow your fixtures to be ornate and match the woodwork that’s already there.

Then, once install is complete, you can play around with the decades when sourcing furniture, artwork, and decor, and also when choosing paint colors and other wall furnishings. By following this one simple “rule,” you’ll have built a Berkus-approved space in no time.