Nate Berkus Wants His New Collection to Feel Like Your Favorite T-Shirt

Nate Berkus is going back to the basics with his newest collection, Nate Home. This collaboration with mDesign recently made its debut and features an essential range of bedding, bath, and organizational products.

After 27 years as a designer and previous collections at Linens 'n Things, Target, HSN, and more, it was important to Berkus that his new collection embraced the highest quality materials at the most accessible price.

"I've spent years in this business, years researching things, and years listening to people who have bought and used my sheets and my towels—it's not a responsibility that I ignore," he told The Spruce.

"I wanted everything in the line to be your favorite t-shirt, your favorite crewneck sweater, the pair of pants that you get really mad at yourself for not washing."

We spoke to Berkus and got the details about the inspiration behind the new collection, his decorating and spring cleaning tips, and what he's learned about organizing and decorating with kids.

Building on the Basics

For Berkus, building on a solid foundation of basics is essential to creating a home you love, so the Nate Home collection is designed to make that part easier for people.

"I don't think people are going to have an emotional connection to a towel," Berkus said. "But what I think that is going to happen—what I hope is going to happen—is that people are going to have that first layer of design taken care of, which will free them up mentally for everything else."

The Nate Home line is now available to shop online at mDesign, Amazon, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Belk. The bedding and bath pieces come in classic colors, patterns, and materials, like soft white sateen sheet sets, subtle striped quilts made of 100% cotton, and plush velvet accent pillows; while the organization line features stylish yet functional pieces like wood risers and perforated metal baskets.

Berkus said it's important to him to be involved in the process from beginning to end, and having his name on all of the products carries a certain weight for him.

"There's nothing in the collection that I don't stand behind," he said. "Every Nate Home product in the collection has been washed by me, used by me, and reviewed by me alongside the mDesign team and my team, who have worked with me on every collection for the last 20 years. What was left is only the best."

Berkus' Tips for a Spring Refresh

Berkus' line comes just in time for a spring refresh—and hopefully, the line will benefit those of us who are doing some much-needed spring cleaning. While he acknowledged that his opinion might be unpopular, he stressed the importance of cleaning up your house to keep it looking its best.

"We have to do a better job of editing our homes so that we can appreciate the time and the money and the energy that we've spent," he said. "Spring cleaning is no joke, it's around for a reason. But you have to maintain your house and you have to edit stuff, you can't just shift stuff around."

When it comes to refreshing a space on a budget, Berkus recommended shopping for secondhand or vintage furniture and accessories online, and that you can truly find anything you want online. And for Berkus, there's no substitute for what vintage furniture or antique lighting can add to your home.

"It changes the soul of the room."

On Organizing and Decorating With Kids

For Berkus, staying organized with kids is important—and not just for the parents, but for the kids as well. He says that, while some parents may think that keeping kids' clothes and toys neat and tidy may seem "rigid," it's worth it in the end.

"Where does their clothing go? Where do their books go? Where do their toys go?" Berkus said. "If you don't have a place to put anything back, the same place every time, then how do you teach your kids to care for their stuff?"

He explained how being organized impacts his own life with his kids.

"The fact that my son can find his underwear and find his socks and put his pajamas away in the right spot, you know, it may not matter as much on a Sunday at 3 p.m.," he said. "But at 8:20 in the morning, when the four of us are trying to get out of the house and walk to school, it does matter."

Berkus also gets his kids involved in decorating their own rooms—even if they disagree with his design opinions. After his daughter's room was featured in Architectural Digest, she told him one morning at breakfast that she didn't like the layout because it made her feel "squished." So, they went straight home and moved things around.

"It doesn't look like it does in the magazine anymore," Berkus said. "But she's happy. And you know what? That's the only thing that matters."