Nate Berkus now does windows by design
Each year seems to hold something new for the energetic TV personality and designer Nate Berkus, and 2017, so far, has brought a new TLC show and the rollershade collection he has created for The Shade Store.
The first season of his new show, “Nate & Jeremiah By Design,” debuted earlier this year, showing Berkus and his partner, Jeremiah Brent, rescuing disastrous home renovation projects. Each episode shows progress made on a home, but also includes behindthe-scenes footage of the couple with their daughter, Poppy.
Having a child, and the sticky hands of a toddler, have made the designer rethink his love
of flowing fabric in his own home.
His shade collection, featuring three styles — Raffi, Avenue Stripe and Palmetto, each in several colors — amounts to 12 options for consumers. They’re in simple but playful prints and wavy stripes, crafted in neutral colors that work well with draperies and other window treatments.
And, of course, it’s possible to use them all by themselves.
Berkus took time recently to talk about his new collection.
Q: What was most important to you when designing the shades?
A: It was trifold: pattern, scale and inspiration. I jumped in with both feet, in that my team and I created every pattern from scratch. We even posted a video on Instagram experimenting with woodblock printing to test some of the designs.
Q: How would you like people to use them?
A: They’re done in a color palette that’s fairly subtle, so it’s not meant to be dictatorial. I like that the patterns I created are definitely noticeable, in that you can see there’s a design and intention to them. They can be layered with all kinds of draperies. People don’t stop to think about this category, but it helps create a more layered room and a place where people can express where they’re coming from.
Q: So they can be mixed up with other patterns and textures?
A: I’m not big on mixing lots of things in one room. I keep it clean, with two to three patterns, plus a rug. But there is no one right way to decorate a space. Some of the most inspiring places have been when people didn’t worry about what other people were going to say about it. Those were the interiors that were revolutionary, that people now want to emulate.
Q: Where do you get your design inspiration?
A: I’m a traveler; I’m on my third passport. I love exploring other cultures, and I’m always bringing back textiles. There’s a big archive in the Nate Berkus world and in our home personally.
Q: How did your new collection come about?
A: I worked with The Shade Store as a vendor with my Chicago-based design firm, and I was always taken with their level of professionalism, the service of their sales team and how clean, orderly and organized their store was. So I had some experience as a designer working with them when we used them for our “Nate & Jeremiah By Design” show. I’m a double Virgo and frenetic to begin with, so it was amazing to witness them make custom window treatments so quickly.
Q: And from there you got a deal?
A: I met the brothers — it’s a family business — at a design show and had conversations about how much I enjoy working with and how buttoned up their company is. We talked about product categories. I said I would love to work with them when the time is right.
In Houston, The Shade Store is in the Decorative Center of Houston, 5120 Woodway, and is open to the public.