Sprucing up rooms with sophisticated window treatments is a non-negotiable for AD100 designer Nate Berkus. “A space rarely feels complete without them,” he tells AD PRO, likening the layers to jewelry—a finishing touch to design schemes that can tie together the entire aesthetic. And as with any good wardrobe, options are essential. This month, Berkus gives window shoppers just that with his expanded collection of drapery, Roman shades, cornices, and pillows for The Shade Store.
Berkus, who runs his eponymous practice with partner Lauren Buxbaum Gordon from offices in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles, was guided by wanderlust—particularly the allure of Portugal and France—when dreaming up the textiles. “As a student in France, I learned the lesson of buying well-made, classic things so that they never go out of style and last forever,” he says. “I still have clothing and shoes I purchased there when I was 22-years-old.”
By fusing his reverence for travel and exceptional menswear, Berkus conceived the Lowell Tweed, a wool blend that calls to mind sharp, tailored suits. There’s also a trifecta of luxe linen mélanges, including the understated bouclé Claude Stripe, the elegant, neutral-toned Surrey Stripe, and the warm Lisbon Woven, flaunting a gently washed, rugged appearance. They’re styles meant to last. Take it from Berkus: “I’ve always reached for the same textures in clothing; I still wear a 20-year-old camel-hair coat,” he says.
The offering is easy to use, with its enduring neutral palette (think: blackened olive, forest, alabaster, bronze) and indulgent textures. It’s “handsome, timeless, and so easy to work with for any project,” says Berkus. “We all have such different points of view, but these options feel universal to me.”
Of course, before the official launch, he had to try the styles on for himself. In his airy Montauk abode, which he shares with his husband, AD100 designer Jeremiah Brent, and kiddos Poppy and Oskar, guests are welcomed by the Claude Stripe, elegantly hung in a ripple fold drapery, in the home’s entry. The soft, Fossil-hued layer offsets timeworn wood antiques and a natural fiber rug.