It’s a title tossed around my family a lot since my younger brother is a “Nate”, but that’s not the one I’m referring to today. Nate Berkus has long been one of my favorite designers, he has that knack of turning every space he decorates into a beautiful room that’s always perfectly pulled together down to the last detail. I also bought his latest book and the stories throughout The Things That Matter  are examples of this truth:

So I was catching up on my O the other day and came across this video where Nate reveals his thoughts about why his television show didn’t work. I was sad to see the show end since I enjoyed it and had the privilege of actually meeting him and being on the show.

I’ve discussed the end of The Nate Show with other interior design loving friends and I always thought Nate was so great on camera, I just wondered if the daily talk show really was the right format – those 3 to 5 minute snippets of decorating tips squeezed in between commercials – it was good, but he’s so much greater at doing what he writes about in his book, letting a space evolve over time with layers of meaningful things collected over the course of many months and years.

View the video here.

Nate talks about how he lost sight of what was important during those years, how he felt unhealthy, and reveals that the format was not right for him. In hindsight, it would have been so much better to have a once a week show. Yes, I so agree!

I was inspired by his revelation so I wanted to share it with you in case you haven’t seen it. He’s “Nate the Great” to me not only because of his gifted sense of design but also because he has the strength to admit that yielding to the pressures and values of others took him to a place that wasn’t authentic and made him unrecognizable to himself.

Good design, the kind Nate makes look so effortless, really does take time – and how true is it that the best rooms are multilayered, filled with meaning, and unfold slowly as you collect the things that matter most over the course of your life. I hope to see Nate back on TV someday where we can watch him work his magic on camera and transform rooms in realistic time. If it ever happens, I’ll be watching!

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Hello everyone, I’m just so glad it’s Friday!  Announcing the winner of last week’s Shutterfly Giveaway, here are the four winners:  #6 Barbara Brooks;  #115 Laura Sharbaugh; #395 Rebecca Kavan; and #421 Sarah Davenport.  Congratulations!

This past Monday evening, I was honored to attend a very cool event in New York City sponsored by Lowe’s, showcasing their line of Hi-Def paints in Valspar’s signature colors. 

The evening’s event began in this very cool downtown modern all white loft space brightened with splashes of Valspar paint samples all over the walls.

We were invited to mix and mingle with the other 30 bloggers invited, and greeting us were new quarts of fresh paint and paintbrushes for the upcoming challenges.  To me, paint always represents new beginnings and the ability to reveal hidden potential in just about anything.

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Happy Friday all!  Yesterday was the airing of my design plan for Tamika and Jamaal on The Nate Berkus Show.  It’s surreal watching yourself on television, but what an honor to be given the task of designing a space for a wonderful family.  For those of you who missed it, here’s a bit of background.  Tamika and Jamaal are a happily married couple with two young children.  They were not feeling ‘House Proud’ so they submitted their family room dilemma to Nate.  The Nate Show called me and asked if I would put together a new design plan for Tamika and Jamaal to suit their lifestyle and personality.

Tamika and Jamaal were looking to add comfort and style to their bland family room space.  Tamika has been busy pursuing her masters degree so she hasn’t had the time or energy to create the colorful welcoming family room of her dreams.  If you saw the opening segment yesterday, what was clear was their room suffered from two design dilemmas: disproportionate furnishings and lack of color.

Before:

In the questionnaire submitted to the show, Tamika’s revealed her favorite colors were orange and pink, so that became the starting point for adding color to the new space.  As much as Jamaal loved his huge TV, Tamika envisioned a comfortable space that would serve more than just TV viewing.  She wanted a space where her family could gather for not only movie nights, but also a room where she could entertain.

We were in a time crunch because the segment and room design came together mere days before the show was filmed so I had to work with readily available décor, nothing custom or special order this time.  Big props to The Nate Show for their ability to grab these home furnishings in a quick turnaround!

Here’s a clip from the show talking about the new ‘After’ design:

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G’day friends!  Here’s some very cool news I’ve been meaning to share. There’s a little secret I’ve been keeping from you, but today seems the perfect day to mention it.   

Last week I snuck out of town on one of these . . .

to take me here . . .

where I woke up extra early (3 a.m. California time) to make a second appearance with this mega talented charming fellow . . .

who I greatly admire. 

It was so incredible to see Nate again and work with his amazing team.  A huge thank you to Emma for handling all of the details and arrangements, I loved every minute!  I was invited back to the show to design a new family room, or a “House Proud Blueprint”, for a couple with two kids who needed design help.  You’ll have to watch the show to see my room design and the big reveal!  

I was going to surprise you all when it aired in April, but since today I’m a guest over at Style Your Life and talking all about a great go to travel outfit plus travel tips to live by, it seemed a great day to spill the beans. 

The show will air on April 7th ! 

Exciting, isn’t it?  I’m still pinching myself!

So today, stop on by to visit with me and Jennifer over at Style Your Life?

Traveling in comfort and style is the topic of the day!   

And be sure to set your DVR’s on April 7th to see my room design and reveal! 

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