Nate Berkus Shares The Secret To Finding Beautiful Home Decor Without Going Broke

You may think that filling your home with beautiful decor requires a large budget, but that's simply not the case. As HGTV star Nate Berkus shared on Instagram, the ever-popular belief that good pieces have to be expensive is a straight-up myth. "That is not true," he adamantly told fans, adding, "You can find some of the most beautiful things for almost no money — I do it every day." According to Berkus, the secret to finding beautiful home decor without going broke is to get online and search for vintage or second-hand items on eBay and Facebook Marketplace, as well as his personal go-tos: Live Auctioneers, Cherish, and 1st Dibs. It's by using these sites that the design guru has been able to decorate his own home, as well as his clients', with one-of-a-kind finds for every budget.

A great place to start is to search for some of the treasured antique items dominating 2025 thrifting trends, like brass wall sconces, oil paintings in gilded frames, and Victorian accessories. Berkus also recommends honing in on small desk accessories, which make up some of his current favorite finds. Showing off a vintage leather Gucci writer's set, as well as an Italian pink marble decorative box found at an online auction, he gushed on Facebook, "I think vintage accessories make our projects feel even that more special." As for the types of keywords he uses to track down interesting items, Berkus keeps it short and simple, like typing in "vintage stone box."

Nate Berkus really loves a vintage desk accessory, but he's not just hunting for small trinkets. Indeed, he's filled entire homes, both his and his clients', with second-hand furnishings, including the fun piece that Berkus loves to see in any space: great accent chairs. While reminiscing about some of his all-time favorite finds, the design guru showed fans you really can find everything you need on the secondary market, like his beloved 19th century French oak chest of drawers, which he picked up at a consignment shop in Beverly Hills.

Berkus also noted he loves to search flea markets, antique fairs, and estate sales while traveling, but shopping online remains his go-to for budget-friendly home decor. And while he never worries about where he'll place the things he orders, he does recommend doing some additional research before every purchase. "I usually ask for more photos of something before I buy it, and I always ask the seller to confirm the dimensions," he wrote on Instagram. He also uses Google and some basic keywords, like "Italian Sterling Silver Candlestick 19th Century for Sale," to gauge whether an item's price is fair or not. Not only is this process fun, but it can yield unique, well-crafted pieces at affordable prices. What's more, the patina that's inherent in vintage decor can add depth and interest to any home and, perhaps best of all, upcycling is also great for the planet.