Designing Dreams with Nate Berkus & Jeremiah Brent

Hey everybody, welcome! I'm Molly Argu in the Young Hollywood Studio. Joined today by two guests who may start redesigning this space. Do you think we need to? Mate Marcus and Jeremiah Brent. Lovely to have you guys here. I heard you had a crazy week. I heard you've been dancing your way through it. I read that.

Sort of. We had a ton of press to promote the show in New York City and then we thought after doing eight renovations complete on behalf of homeowners on the show that it would be smart for us to be doing that for ourselves. So we're in the process of moving right now. Yeah, it's really good. With a two-year-old and a show premiere.

When Jeremiah's not home and I get our daughter Poppy, who's two, dressed and she's on the show as well. So we invited all of the viewers into our home. She's 100% the star. But without fail, Jeremiah will come home from wherever he is and he's like, that's what you put the baby in? He'll never understand. He's like, why would you dress her like that? She looks terrible. I'm like she's two. She can't look terrible. I didn't buy her those pants. Where did that even come from?

No, and it's all there and you did buy her that dress.

So how are your styles different? Like what would you dress Poppy in as opposed to Nate, what would you dress Poppy in?

He thinks I dress Poppy like a boy.

You do. Like she doesn't have enough to deal with. But she has such pretty hair.

No, she's the best. I mean, the truth is, you know, when they're little, you dress them however you want to dress a little girl. She's always been, you know,

Specifically, however, you want.

Exactly. But now that she's two, she's getting opinions. I mean, she'll literally go in the closet, you'll be like, not that one. Or I'll pick out something she goes, I like this. I'm like, really? Yeah. Daddy knows. The daddy knows is really popular these days. Yesterday she told me that she wanted to wear shorts. And I was like, okay, well, um, we're not wearing shorts but we could wear these jeans and she's like, daddy, shorts. I was like, okay. So, we're going to figure it out.

Well, for people who might not know your whole stories, I know Nate, you've worked with Oprah. You've worked with Rachel Zoe. Yeah. Can you just give a few highlights, each of you, about your career and how it's led you to the TV show, Nate and Jeremiah By Design, and to get you where you are?

I started actually as a designer in Chicago 21 years ago. And, um, met Oprah and ended up um being a part of the Oprah Winfrey Show for 10 years.

And starting with Oprah, no big deal.

Yeah, no. I mean, it was fine. Yeah. Yeah. You have to start somewhere. Right. If you really, you know.

Good for you.

I was on the floor of a stylist closet.

Yes, he was.

And yeah, and you were in fashion.

Yeah, I started off in fashion working for Rachel Zoe, uh, which was amazing. I learned a lot. I also learned that I didn't want to be a stylist and that design is really my passion. So I left and started my design firm. Um, I've been hosting Home Made Simple on OWN for the last couple seasons and then this show with Nate having our family kind of in the front of the camera, showing people how we move through their renovations with some grace. Um, it's been a blast.

Well, we have to talk about the show. I can't imagine as a homeowner buying a house that I think is my dream home. Yeah. And then it's really a disastrous nightmare that makes me cry every day. And then you two walk in to save the day. What have been some of the biggest challenges that you've faced during this filming process?

I think I would say trust has been the biggest issue and the biggest hurdle.

Oh, that's interesting.

You know, I think we obviously know and believe fundamental

Not in each other, but with the homeowner trusting us.

With their money.

Exactly. And spending their budget.

Yeah. It's a lot. And people are emotionally connected to their home and I think a big part of our job is to really come in and say, hey, let's hold up a mirror. We need you to see what you've got yourself into and let's have a smart, honest conversation about how to get you out of it. It's funny though, when you're standing in front of somebody and you're a stranger, it doesn't matter if you've been on Oprah or on TV or anything like that, you're asking them to give you their dream. And our goal with Nate and Jeremiah by Design is to dream a bigger dream for them than they can dream for themselves.