You might be familiar with the interior designer Nate Berkus, but his spouse Jeremiah Brent also has a lot of clout in the world of design. He released a TikTok video explaining a list of five key things that he would never do as an interior designer in his own home. While you might not agree with all of them, let’s break it down so you can decide if any of these things apply to you.
Watch Jeremiah go through the list:
@jeremiahbrent Never say never. #5things #5thingschallenge #interiordesign ♬ Everyday Another – Lionmilk
The List of What NOT to Do
1. Fake Plants
The first thing Jeremiah says he would never, ever do in his own home is to use fake plants. He says that greenery is very important to him and that he loves the ceremony of actually finding branches and fresh plants to bring into his home. He mentions that you can place branches and flowers throughout your home and that it’s very important to have actual living things in any living space.
2. Covering up the Original Flooring
Next, Jeremiah says that he would never cover up any original flooring in the home. Now, this could depend on what type of flooring already exists, but his point is that beautifully made original floors should never be covered up when possible. He emphasized that original floors are hard to come by and that you can always change the finish or the color if you want to.
3. Buying Everything “Brand New”
For number three, this designer says he’d never buy everything for his home brand new. He mentions that yes, you can go into a store a curate a beautiful space, but there’s nothing quite like real vintage pieces to not only change your space but also how you look at the world and how you find beauty. I really like this comparison.
4. Buy Something Without Reading the Description
I can imagine that with the Internet, a lot of people are guilty of this one these days. But as Jeremiah says, he once found a gorgeous pair of vintage chairs from Portugal online and so he ordered them. When they arrived, he discovered that they were actually made for children! So always, always make sure that you read the description including the dimensions and more before you buy anything for your home online.
5. Never Say Never
Finally, Jeremiah says he doesn’t believe in rules, so therefore, he never says never. I agree with this one, as there are endless possibilities when it comes to designing a space as well as your entire home. As he says, design is supposed to evolve as we evolve, and I could not agree more!
Viewer Feedback
Viewer Marissa Panzarella shared her own experience about almost buying something online without checking the description first, saying, “I almost spent $60 on a vintage desk on Etsy thinking it was the deal of a lifetime, and then I realized it was for a doll house.”
I think this is also my favorite rule because it’s really common sense and could prevent a lot of headaches and wasted money, to be sure.
Another viewer commented, “Retired Interior Designer here…never say never yes!! Your advice is spot on. Vintage adds a mood! Great advice. Keep making the world beautiful!!!!”
I feel like every one of these rules is relevant, except maybe the original floors. For example, if your new home has some old shag carpet from the 70s, then I and Jeremiah would probably give you a pass. And not everyone can handle real plants, although I do agree that there’s nothing quite as beautiful as some fresh flowers or a gorgeous potted plant to breathe life into your space. Overall, these are smart and simple rules to live by when it comes to designing your home, so keep them in mind during your next transformation or your next shopping trip.
