THE RIGHT STUFF
With a new best-seller out, noted designer Nate Berkus stops in S.F. for a preview
Nate Berkus — the Oprah-endorsed interior designer, TV home makeover star and two-time author — is known for warm interiors that evoke the memories and personalities of their inhabitants. His second book, “The Things That Matter” (Spiegel & Grau; $35; 336 pages), became a New York Times best-seller after only a couple of weeks on the market, and pieces from his new Target line were already selling out in stores across the country after less than a week on store shelves.
While in San Francisco recently, he gave The Chronicle a tour of his new collection and took a few minutes to sit down at Sightglass Coffee before he left for a break in Mexico — one of his favorite places.
Q: You are known for collecting items that evoke memories. Was every piece in the Target collection inspired by a memory of yours?
A: Not everything, but the influences and references are all very clear in my head. I’m an avid traveler. I can’t go anywhere without going to antiques markets, flea markets or estate sale. Many of the decorative pieces in the collection have been reissues of things I’ve been living with for 10 or 15 years.
I know the reference point for every single piece. The metal vases — I love them. They’re heavy, they’re well made. There’s a real focus on natural materials — metal, linen, wood — that have that feeling that you have when you find something that feels really special and feels like it’s taken a long time to uncover.
Q: What’s your advice for identifying that right item?
A: I feel a visceral reaction when I see something. I know that I want it in my home. I may not know where it’s going to go, but I know it’s something that I don’t want to pass by. I think when you have that feeling and when you assemble your own interior and your own space with things that you have a connection to, your first intention of where it might look good may not be right, but good interiors are interiors that evolved over time.
Q: As you say in the book, “Be careful what you allow through your front door.”
A: Definitely. We all live with so much stuff, the last thing we need is more stuff, but what we need is the right stuff. When our eyes land on a side table or nightstand every morning, something that really makes us feel accomplished and proud of how we live. You can change the feeling of an entire room with a pillow or a new rug, or a well-designed grouping of vintage things mixed with new.
Q: Your book is called “The Things That Matter.” What matters most to you?
A: Relationships matter. Memories matter, but also moving on from memories is also important to me. Being able to live gracefully with memories. Laughter means a lot to me — travel, seeing things in a new way, seeing things for the first time, literature, music, nature, museums, contemporary painting, black-and-white photography. I’m fascinated by estate jewelry, fashion.
Q: How would you describe your personal style?
A: Exceedingly casual — not dissimilar from how I assemble rooms. Comfortable, with some really fine pieces of quality mixed with things you can buy en masse. I love things with holes in them, an old T-shirt, a pair of favorite jeans.
But I also really like beautiful shoes or Lanvin sneakers. It’s pretty classic — not very fashionable. And it’s assembled over time. I mix things I’ve had forever with new things. I’ll buy two pairs of shoes, and it feels like my J. Crew khakis all of a sudden look different.
Q: How does your personal style relate to your design style?
A: My clothing style changes all the time. My greatest influence isn’t architecture or fine art; it’s people. I love seeing how people put themselves together; I love seeing how they put their spaces together. My style changes with who I’m dating. I feel like now, I’m 41, my style is sort of what it is. But I think it’s nice to evolve all the time.
Q: Where are you the happiest?
A: I’m happiest with my nieces and nephews. I love being around kids. My family goes to Alison Guest Ranch in Solvang. We’ve gone there every July for 25 years. Other than that, any great beach that is far away.
Q: Do you enjoy the food when you travel?
The sort of weathered wood, reclaimed objects, tumbled linens, vegetable-dyed fabrics. I just got here last night, but I actually bought a classic car today, in Pleasanton. Which is really exciting. It’s a 1980s Mercedes. Old convertible — I’m driving it back to L.A. tomorrow — it’s silver. I took the BART to Pleasanton and drove the car back
Q: You have a pretty distinct point of view. Does your style ever change?
“We all live with so much stuff, the last thing we need is more stuff, but what we need is the right stuff.”
A: I’m not a foodie. I usually latch onto a single restaurant or a single dish. And I’ll eat it four times in the five days I’m there.
Q: I saw you tweeted a picture at Dairy Queen recently.
A: That’s one. Oh, my God, absolutely. Do they have Dairy Queen in San Francisco?
Q: I’m not sure. Do you come to San Francisco often?
A: I have very good friends who moved out here from New York several years ago. I’ve done the bay by boat, which is so amazing. I think the city is so brilliant; it’s really inspiring. I like the juxtaposition of super refined with the truly urban. I think where I notice the most significant signature style — and one that I am intrigued by — is Wine Country.
A: Yes, and that comes from exposure and from travel. There are many things that 10 years ago I wouldn’t have wanted in my home that now I really treasure. For instance, my mom is a decorator as well — and she decorated in French country style. I remember thinking to myself, “I’ll never want any of these things. I’ll never want 19th century French handpainted furniture, and I’ll never appreciate this sort of whitewashed wood.” And now I have a couple French wood pieces in my home, very traditional, mixed with modern things.
I think that our tastes evolve. Some of that comes from having our eyes open and letting things find us, and some of it comes from not having rules around what we like and what we don’t. I really believe that sometimes you can just be struck by an object or piece of furniture — or a song, or a meal — and surprise ourselves by incorporating that into what we love.
Q: Is there anything you haven’t done yet that you really want to do?
A: Have a baby.