Between 2010 and 2020, Jeremiah Brent and his husband, Nate Berkus, moved 10 times in 10 years. The thing isâBrent couldnât tell you why. âNate and I looked at each other and weâre like, âWhat is happening? Weâre broken,ââ Brent says. Suddenly, the acclaimed interior decorator found himself fascinated with people who have happily lived in their homes for several decades, despite the financial means to move if they wished. What kept them there?
So, he asked some of his clients and friendsâand quickly found out that design was just a small part of it. âDesign doesnât keep youâdonât get me wrong, as a decorator, I have nothing but respect for design,â he says. More often than not, however, it was tied to memories. They spoke of sofas that people piled on, bookcases stacked with their favorite novels, or tables that they danced around with their children. âMost of the beautiful homes that Iâve ever been in had nothing to do with how much money people have spent, but how their homes are really bolstering the moments that matter,â says Brent.
In 2021, it occurred to him that he should turn these storiesâand these homesâinto some kind of project. Now, two and a half years later, Brent is publishing The Space That Keeps You, an interiors book that explores the deeper meaning of home.