The Budget-Friendly Centerpiece Nate Berkus Always Puts On His Dining Table (It's Unusual)

For Nate Berkus, having a home that reflects those who inhabit it is the ultimate design choice. This maxim extends to every detail in every room, including something as minor as the dining table centerpiece. The HGTV star has been decorating his tablescapes the same way for years, using a simple, budget-friendly, and unexpected design trick to bring identity, history, and complexity to the set-up. 

In a video for Elle Decor, Berkus shared how, instead of just going for your typical flower vase and candle mix, he does a quick inventory of the house to look for items that will add character and layers to the dining table. "I'll go through the bookshelves and tabletops and stuff like that in our home before we entertain," he revealed, explaining how he will then mix different objects with greenery, fresh flowers, and "of course, candles lit." This way, not only will you be left with beautiful dining table centerpieces that will look good all year long, but you'll have a story to tell, too. Those keepsakes will turn into conversation starters and tie the dining room to the rest of the house, seamlessly. 

It's not an exaggeration to say that Nate Berkus has been using this formula for years to create stunning centerpieces that will instantly elevate your space. A Facebook post from 2019 shows him pairing an understated flower arrangement, a bowl of fresh, seasonal fruit, some foliage, and a couple of taper candles on vintage candle holders, with crystals and what appear to be a bangle and a beaded necklace. The latter three elements wouldn't normally find a spot at the center of a table, but Berkus makes it look both cohesive and eclectic.

Travelling even further back in time, you'll find another Elle Decor collaboration, where Berkus illustrated his process in even more detail. The first step is to know what you're working with. Study your table and define the space available for décor. "Room for wine. Salt and pepper within easy reach. Once you have that, you can start on the design details of the table," he explained. To create the centerpiece, don't spend money on fancy new additions. "Just reach for things that you already have, like pretty bowls or elegant vases," he said, noting that no item should be tall enough to block guests' vision from across the table. For flowers, he likes to keep it simple, spreading just one type of flower in a few vases.

Finally, layer these common items with unexpected accents, like the ones from the above example, always embracing imperfection and the unexpected. "Let go of the worry of everything matching and embrace the idea of everything coordinating," Berkus encouraged. This trick is lived-in and authentic, just like most of his designs.