Nate Berkus: The Things that Matter

Nate Berkus’s The Things That Matter is one of my favorite design books, not only because of the beautiful inspirational images he includes of his own West Village apartment and others’ spaces, but because of the point that he makes. His theme is that the things we have in our homes tell the story of our lives, what we care about, where we’ve been…in short, who we are.

Obviously, caring about material things can feel shallow at times. But maybe it shouldn’t. Nate’s point is, things DO matter. You are in your home, day in and day out – so shouldn’t it make you utterly happy and relaxed every time you walk in the door? It’s your one sanctuary in the world, and you should surround yourself with things that you love. And that doesn’t have to mean expensive things. It means things that you picked out on a shopping trip with someone you love, or a piece that you found on a wonderful trip, so when you look at it, you’re reminded of that great vacation. Or a piece of art that makes you feel something. Or a family heirloom that makes you feel connected to where you came from. It’s different for everyone, but the point is, things matter.

So, inspired by Nate’s wonderful, thoughtful book, I decided to ask a few of my favorite bloggers to reveal the stories behind their favorite pieces. Check back tomorrow for the first great guest post!

photographs of The Things That Matter by Nate Berkus, taken by me

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  1. Holly Kvinge wrote:

    This is such a great perspective 🙂

    Published 12.16.13 · Reply
  2. lwyat1oz wrote:

    What a fun series! I can't wait. 🙂

    Published 12.16.13 · Reply
  3. Alli wrote:

    Great points! I can't wait for the series!

    Published 12.16.13 · Reply
  4. Short and Sweet Blog wrote:

    Love this idea + series!

    Published 12.16.13 · Reply