Nate Berkus Says This Budget-Friendly Table Decor Item Will Instantly Elevate Your Home

Nate Berkus, the iconic interior designer who had his own talk show and was frequently featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, has some home décor advice for everyone this spring. Instead of going on a shopping spree and buying a bunch of trendy new items to revamp your space, you should invest in a few small pieces that will last for years to come.

"I actually think that the world of high-end tabletop has been ignored!" Berkus said in an interview with E! News.

The number one item that home owners should buy, according to Berkus? "A beautiful pair of vintage antique candlesticks," he said. "Sterling, bronze, stone, brass, it doesn't matter. Both for formal entertaining, and more importantly for informal entertaining, because you can use your white dishes with something like that, and it automatically feels elevated."

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Berkus stated that, when you are hosting guests, the décor is as important as everything else that goes into planning the evening. "Entertaining is obviously about food and setting the environment and all those things, music and lighting, but it's also about the ability to set a beautiful table," he said. "You can start collecting those things now."

Another piece of décor that he recommended was a mirror. He said a "beautiful gilded mirror or an iron mirror is something that you'll always find a place for no matter where you move."

When it comes to the living room, he also suggested purchasing "a well-made sofa. It doesn't have to be expensive, but it does need to be well made and in a solid fabric."

At the end of the day, what matters most is that you're selecting pieces that fit your individual style instead of trying to lean into popular trends. "I would say that if that's something that feels like it's the right look for you, and you're not doing it just because a lot of people are doing it, then I would definitely buy and collect things that you know you're going to love 10 years from now," the designer said.

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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 10:12 AM.