Gwen Moss: nate berkus

There’s nothing I like better than a good interview.

(Thank goodness for Oprah’s Soul Series and Charlie Rose).

I love discovering the real person behind a product or the brand and the other day while I was driving in the car, I suddenly found myself listening to Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Nate Berkus.

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Only at first, I didn’t know who I was listening to.

All I knew was that the words coming from my radio resonated with me like an old, familiar song. He’d say something about loss or healing or memories and I’d nod and think, “Yes!” and I even found myself turning up the volume, trying to figure out who Oprah was talking to.

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Turns out Nate Berkus was being interviewed by Oprah in two parts. You can see part two HERE. He was promoting his latest book, The Things that Matter. And while I haven’t opened it up yet, …

here are a few snippets I managed to jot down that day. In case you don’t know, the theme of his book is the importance of weaving our real life into our home decorating.

According to Nate, all of our objects are infused with memories. Sights and sounds and visceral feelings from another time. What we choose to keep around us, says something about who we are.

And we should feel free to edit and add as we go through our lives.

When we surround ourselves with objects that represent real-life moments in our lives we’ll create a soulful home. A home that speaks to us. When he looks around his house, he says there’s a story attached to most of his possessions. Memories he treasures.

He believes our homes should tell our story in a way that lifts our spirits.

But this kind of decorating is truly personal. And it requires patience and restraint.

Do you ever feel that blog-hopping (and looking at all these beautifully styled homes) creates a sense of dissatisfaction with your own home?

It’s something to be aware of. Everybody has their own journey and so do our homes.

Relax and enjoy it.

Look around your rooms. What are the things that have meaning to you?

Is it something from your childhood? A hand-me-down from a beloved grandparent? An object you brought back from vacation?

A quirky thing you love to collect?

Creating a home with soul means tolerating an empty space while you wait for that special piece.

Are you a decorator that can wait?

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Suzanne Slesin’s library dining room in NYC.

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Creating a home that tells your story is the opposite of rushing out to buy boxes of books to fill your newly built bookshelves. A soulful approach would mean choosing books with topics that you’re passionate about, subjects you’re drawn to, or books you or your family has actually read.

Do you want to create a home that is distinctly YOU?

These are two warnings from Nate Berkus:

1. Stop “decorating with an eye over your shoulder.”

This means not worrying what the neighbors are buying. Or what your mother loves. It means being comfortable with yourself. And embracing your own unique taste.

2 Don’t be a slave to trends.

Just as in real life, being a “follower” in design saps you of your authenticity. Instead, be aware of what what grabs your attention and makes you feel good. And find a way to incorporate the kind of objects and colors and styles you’re drawn to, rather than trying to achieve a certain “design” look.