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The Things That Matter
by
Nate Berkus
Does your home tell the story of who you are?
In The Things That Matter, Nate Berkus shares intimate stories from his life, introduces us to people who influenced him and helped him forge his sense of style, and opens up about the remarkable experiences that have left him forever changed, all of which find expression in how he lives today. From his most cherished flea mar...more
In The Things That Matter, Nate Berkus shares intimate stories from his life, introduces us to people who influenced him and helped him forge his sense of style, and opens up about the remarkable experiences that have left him forever changed, all of which find expression in how he lives today. From his most cherished flea mar...more
ebook, 336 pages
Published
October 16th 2012
by Spiegel & Grau
(first published September 11th 2012)
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"The Things That Matter convincingly lays out Nate Berkus’s philosophy that things do matter. Our homes tell our stories, they reflect the places we’ve been and the people we’ve loved along the way—and there can be no more beautiful design for living than that."
I forget how this ended up on my radar, but I started glancing through the intro (the book is far more text than photos), and whoa, I had no idea Nate Berkus survived the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and lost his partner there. That part was...more
I forget how this ended up on my radar, but I started glancing through the intro (the book is far more text than photos), and whoa, I had no idea Nate Berkus survived the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and lost his partner there. That part was...more
"The Things That Matter" are important because they are pieces of our life, physical reminders of hopes, dreams, and memories. Author and design expert Nate Berkus offers a baker's dozen of very different lives and lifestyles, but the most fascinating story remains his own. Influenced at a young age by his interior designer mother and image-conscious entrepreneur father, Nate marched through his childhood to the beat of his own unique drum, and he continues to follow his own inner compass to thi...more
I was really excited about this book because I thought it would be different from the decorating magazines which I look through and think 'My house will never look like that'. But it made me feel the same way.
I like the idea of taking your time to decorate and accumulating things over time. I like the idea of mixing old and new but everytime I buy something at a flea market I don't know what to do with it and it ends up in my basement. I would have appreciated more tips about how to display thi...more
I like the idea of taking your time to decorate and accumulating things over time. I like the idea of mixing old and new but everytime I buy something at a flea market I don't know what to do with it and it ends up in my basement. I would have appreciated more tips about how to display thi...more
Clearly the market can handle coffee table books I don't want on my coffee table.
Coffee table books are supposed to be big on pictures and small on words. This? Notsomuch.
I guess this is his way of telling the story of how to decorate. But honestly, I don't want to read, "If your bathroom lacked the space for a full-length mirror, what would you do? Kelly has positioned hers on the hallway wall outside the bathroom. Then, in order to deflect attention from the fact that she has positioned one th...more
Coffee table books are supposed to be big on pictures and small on words. This? Notsomuch.
I guess this is his way of telling the story of how to decorate. But honestly, I don't want to read, "If your bathroom lacked the space for a full-length mirror, what would you do? Kelly has positioned hers on the hallway wall outside the bathroom. Then, in order to deflect attention from the fact that she has positioned one th...more
One of my favorite things is turning the pages of a decorating/design book and enjoying the photos of wonderfully created and recreated rooms.
Nate Berkus's "The Things That Matter" had lovely photos...but all in black and white in this Advanced Reader Copy, which made it challenging to imagine the rooms in color, as they will be in the final version.
However, after the initial disappointment about the photos, I was immediately captivated by the text and the author's story. For his mission in desi...more
Nate Berkus's "The Things That Matter" had lovely photos...but all in black and white in this Advanced Reader Copy, which made it challenging to imagine the rooms in color, as they will be in the final version.
However, after the initial disappointment about the photos, I was immediately captivated by the text and the author's story. For his mission in desi...more
view all 6 comments
From thepickygirl.com:
The rule in my home when it comes to decorating is this: If I don’t love it, I don’t buy it. That may mean that I live without the right piece of furniture for a while. It might even mean a wall remains black for four years (ahem). But I’m not a Kirkland’s fan. I’m not going to buy something just to buy. The result is a very “me” home. It’s certainly not to everyone’s taste, I’m sure, but I love it. The downside of all those meaningful objects? Well, all that meaning. Makes...more
Oh Nate Berkus you confound me. I would love to sit next to you on a long flight across the country and pick your brain. If you came to my house, you would be astonished at the sheer number of toys that litter the floors, counters, closets and shelves of my home. In another life (read: before marriage and kids), I was a neat-as-a-pin, a-place-for-everything-and-everything-in-its-place, freak-about-making-the-bed-just-right kind of girl, and you and I might have been friends. (Growing up, my sist...more
I love Nate Berkus so I picked this up thinking it would be a typical coffee table decorating book. The book turned out to be not at all what I expected - it was so much better!! In actuality, this book is a condensed biography of Nate Berkus's life, and chapters containing not just beautiful homes, but how people's personal "things" that have meaning to them, make a home. The message of the book is that a home can be beautifully decorated, but if you don't walk in and feel a sense of who that p...more
I didn't really know anything but the basics about Nate Berkus when I came across this book: he went from a regular on Oprah to having his own show and he lost his partner in the tsunami several years ago. I was just expecting a book of pretty pictures that might give me a thing or 2 to borrow for my own home someday. I wasn't even sure I would finish it.
I was maybe a third of the way through before I started moving my furniture around, and now I finally understand how people actually find usefu...more
I was maybe a third of the way through before I started moving my furniture around, and now I finally understand how people actually find usefu...more
I was lucky enough to win an advance uncorrected proof thru Goodreads’ First Reads.
Here’s what I found.
If you’re looking for a book that tells you step-by-step instructions on how to decorate your living room, this is not the book for you.
If you’re looking to be inspired by a heart-warming story and interesting people, then you can’t miss this book.
I’ve been a fan of Nate Berkus ever since he first started appearing on Oprah, and I always thought he seemed a nice and charming guy. What this b...more
Here’s what I found.
If you’re looking for a book that tells you step-by-step instructions on how to decorate your living room, this is not the book for you.
If you’re looking to be inspired by a heart-warming story and interesting people, then you can’t miss this book.
I’ve been a fan of Nate Berkus ever since he first started appearing on Oprah, and I always thought he seemed a nice and charming guy. What this b...more
I love Nate Berkus, but I was disappointed in his book. Ironically, I felt the book was poorly designed for such a great concept. There were too many lengthy blocks of text without enough pictures to complement the stories. Also, I wish he'd chosen a more eclectic group of people to feature and profile. Plus, where was Oprah?! Featuring her home would have made the book ten times more interesting. The most meaningful story in this book was not about design, but about Nate's heart-wrenching trage...more
So much more than a decorating book. It's the how and why of what makes a personal space personal. And Nate doesn't spare himself - he reveals some very personal details about his life to show you why and how his own rooms are special. The book gives you a chapter each on various individuals, their lives, their likes and loves, with lots of clarity on how a space will be used. Photos accompany each chapter, and I found it helpful to read the chapter first, then analyze the photos for what I'd ju...more
I've never watched Nate Berkus' show and I really don't know much about him, but I tend to get on these short-lived decorating/HGTV kicks so I found myself drawn to this huge, stylish, and surprisingly long book about filling your home with things that truly matter or speak to you for any variety of reasons. I like his design philosophies and enjoyed this book quite a bit -- but my favorite part about it was discovering that Berkus is a fellow "egg decanter." He takes his eggs out of the carton...more
I've long admired Nate Berkus' sense of style. And he's easy on the eyes. Wish he played for my team. But I digress.
I knew little about his personal life beyond what I caught in snippets, as I didn't watch Oprah. I did know that he was in Sri Lanka when the tsunami hit in 2004 and that he lost his partner, Fernando Bengoechea, in that tragedy.
The first chapter in this book details out Berkus' early years and the effect his parents (and their divorce) had on him and his style. He was always into...more
I knew little about his personal life beyond what I caught in snippets, as I didn't watch Oprah. I did know that he was in Sri Lanka when the tsunami hit in 2004 and that he lost his partner, Fernando Bengoechea, in that tragedy.
The first chapter in this book details out Berkus' early years and the effect his parents (and their divorce) had on him and his style. He was always into...more
So much more than a book about design. Nate Berkus writes about his life the people, places & things that affected him. Just finished chapter about the Sri Lankan tsunami where he literally has the love of his life, his partner Fernando, pulled away from him.
After surviving such a devastating loss, he came away with a clarity and a focus that surviving was all he could focus on not fame, celebrity or those other things that at one time seemed so important. Getting through this experience al...more
After surviving such a devastating loss, he came away with a clarity and a focus that surviving was all he could focus on not fame, celebrity or those other things that at one time seemed so important. Getting through this experience al...more
I have never seen Nate Berkus on television, didn't know a thing about him except that he maybe had been on Oprah once or twice. I don't watch Oprah so didn't know for sure.
I LOVED this book. What a great introduction to Nate's philosophy. I learned a lot about trusting my own taste and not apologizing for my style. Why not surround myself with things that remind me of my life's best moments. Nate and his client's homes actually resemble mine - an experience I rarely have with decor books. I th...more
I LOVED this book. What a great introduction to Nate's philosophy. I learned a lot about trusting my own taste and not apologizing for my style. Why not surround myself with things that remind me of my life's best moments. Nate and his client's homes actually resemble mine - an experience I rarely have with decor books. I th...more
While I didn't read every word for word in this beautiful book, certain sections really captured my attention and left me in awe of Nate Berkus' work as a designer even more than I did before seeing his book. Several quoteable passages. Amazing photography. Diverse representation of his overarching theme of really having a home that reflects you as a person. A beautiful coffee table type of book but a bit cumbersome to devour just casually.
"The Things That Matter convincingly lays out Nate Berkus’s philosophy that things do matter. Our homes tell our stories, they reflect the places we’ve been and the people we’ve loved along the way—and there can be no more beautiful design for living than that." Perfect for retired diplomats who get flak for their mudcloth covering on an old chair from Provence and so much more.
"That's what I love about building a home for myself and what I love about building a home for other people. The recipe isn't all that complicated: you just have to add your life, your travels, your memories, the people you've loved, the people who've loved you back, all the stuff that's crossed your path along the way- and then mix" - Nate Berkus.
I borrowed this book from the library, but will soon be purchasing it to add to my own.
I borrowed this book from the library, but will soon be purchasing it to add to my own.
Feb 13, 2013
Amanda
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
house-books,
favorites
Let me just plunge in here: I LOVE this book. Every dripping word. I could hear Nate's voice carry through in each description and every little joke. His enormous passion for creating a space you love is contagious. And his adoration for every friend featured in the book was inspiring. If we are a reflection of those we attract, Nate has collected a gorgeous and mercurial tribe. His love for story is marvelous as he unquestionably values the resonance a memory carries. Nate infuses every space w...more
Wonderful coffee table book that is well worth reading. Beautiful photos. Clearly his signature color scheme is variations of Black and White with earth tone accents. Not much of water and forest in his style, but he loves to collect those "things that matter". Great writing about hwo he evolved into being a decorator. He's candid and clearly descriptive.
This isn't the book to learn basics of decorating interiors, but it is the book to learn how to build your life story in a space through the things you choose to fill it. His ease of telling a story kept me reading. I hope I came away with a better sense of style, an eye for detail, and an appreciation of the objects with which I choose to surround myself.
Expect the unexpected. I thought a lot of good design info. Instead I found a lot of warmth and intimate details of his and others homes. For someone who is into living lightly and recycling much I found myself rethinking what I might share of myself in my home and what really matters being used as "design elements". I think you'd enjoy getting to know these people, their history and the things that matter.
I hadn't heard of Nate Berkus before I got an early review copy of this book. I really enjoyed reading his story and seeing the objects and homes of the people he was featuring, but I couldn't get past the awful, grainy, black and white pictures. I knew that I needed to see the real edition of the book, and--boy-what a difference! I loved Nate's style, the stories he shared about the subjects and the things that make home for them. I'm feeling motivated to weed out stuff so that I can really enj...more
I'm not exactly sure why I picked up this book at the library. I'm not really someone who worries about where to put a chair or piece of artwork. I guess I mostly wanted to read about how Nate Berkus survived the tsunami in Sri Lanka. As a bonus, I also learned about Dr. Ruth Westheimer's life. It was interesting to hear about how people's experiences were reflected in their homes.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. This book was really not what I had expected, nor was it something I would normally read, but I enjoyed it. I expected this book to be a "how-to" in home decoration. While the book did offer insight to make your home reflect who you are and what is important to you, it was more about looking inside yourself and finding as the title would suggest, "The Things That Matter". There were some very interesting chapters from some of his favorite clients/friends...more
See! Everything does matter! I just knew it! Would love to win this book to read the authors thoughts of what I always knew!
UPDATE 9/5/2012: I am so excited, received notification that I won this book. Will patiently await the books' arrival on my doorstep!
UPDATE 9/5/2012: I am so excited, received notification that I won this book. Will patiently await the books' arrival on my doorstep!
Interesting to read Nate's thoughts about home decor. Also includes comments about his experience in the tsunami wherein he lost his partner. Also great photos of friends homes and their philosophies about how to live and furnish their lives.
Nate Berkus is so much more than a designer, someone I know from years of watching Oprah and oh, so handsome. He has depth, he has an understanding of who is he and how he got here. This book is that and so much more. It was pure enjoyment.
Loved this book & Berkus's philosophy behind it. He is such an interesting person, I've always been a big fan of his style, wit & generous sharing with us of his life & experiences. This is the book if you like him.
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