14 Features Of The Traditional Kitchen Style Nate Berkus Loves, And How To Get The Look

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Renovating your kitchen is no small feat, which is why it's worth considering advice from the pros. When it comes to kitchen upgrades, Nate Berkus is a pro — to say the least. Berkus has been a renowned designer since his appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show in 2002, and he stars in a hit HGTV show called the "Nate and Jeremiah Home Project" with his husband, Jeremiah Brent. With decades of experience in luxury design, he knows how to make a kitchen look totally timeless.

Berkus has a particular interest in traditional, European-style decor. Although his spaces always look sleek and contemporary, they are filled with Old World-style, vintage pieces. This genius blend of old and new is a great way to ensure your home will never go out of style. If your kitchen needs a touch of something special, consider adding a splash of traditional decor. There's a reason why certain decor has stood the test of time.

When it comes to trends, Berkus tends to be wary of anything that could quickly go out of style. He was recently asked on Instagram about which trends he thinks will endure, and he mentioned the following European-inspired, vintage concept: "This is for sure a favorite of mine. I don't even think this is a trend, I don't think it's fair to call it a trend. But I love, what I think of as a disassembled kitchen. Furniture for storage, I love a plate rack, I love a huge table as an island."

A disassembled kitchen isn't just stylish, it's also budget-friendly. Amidst the craze of integrated appliances, this approach bucks the sleek and understated trend with a more lived-in feel. Embrace the look of leaving a toaster oven on top of the counter and learn to love open shelving even if it's not picture-perfect. As Berkus mentioned, a large, wooden table can work just as well for prep space as a formal kitchen island. This is an ideal solution for small spaces, as it can double as a dining area. Finish the look by hanging copper pots and fruit baskets.

Berkus has showcased several countertops adorned with vintage bowls, trays, and jars. He recommends using these small elements to personalize your cooking space. On his Instagram, he elaborated: "Countertops and shelving are some of the hardest-working areas in a kitchen. Personal touches, trays, labels, and quality storage are essential simple systems that will make even high-traffic areas beautiful." He has said multiple times that countertops are the perfect opportunity to display decor, rather than sit cold and empty.

This cozy kitchen design trend embraces vintage charm without any over-the-top, ornate energy. Adding functional knick-knacks to your countertop complements the unfitted kitchen trend mentioned above. There are several ways to repurpose thrift store items into stylish kitchen storage. For example, vintage marmalade jars and bread boxes can help give your countertop an ultra-cozy look. Other elements to display include wooden spoons and vintage tea kettles.

In an interview with NewsChannel 5, Nate Berkus told viewers how he creates a "forever kitchen." The intention is to design a kitchen that won't go out of style, and his advice is to consider finishes that have already stood the test of time. He said: "The mistake that everyone makes when renovating a kitchen and decorating in general, is that they're drawn by trends. ... My rule has always been: stick [to] the side of classic building materials. You want to use things that have been around since the 1920s: painted cabinets, marble countertops, subway tile, aged brass, and chrome pulls."

You don't have to go full Art Deco to borrow design techniques from the 1920s. Color trends included a neutral base with pops of rich, saturated shades. Think about the power of a taupe backdrop with peacock blue or rust red. In addition to the subway tile mentioned by Berkus, hexagonal and geometric tiles are eye-catching options that are having a huge comeback. Don't forget about the power of light fixtures. A milk glass ceiling light is the perfect timeless touch, like this Huawiya Gold Ceiling Light.

Speaking of traditional lighting that will warm up your cooking space, consider adding vintage lamps to your countertop. This unexpected accessory is one of Berkus' favorite affordable additions to make your kitchen feel welcoming. On his YouTube channel, he explained why: "There's always a lot of plugs, I really like having a secondary source of light. Something that's charming, something that stays on when you first wake up in the morning. ... I love the fact that a kitchen doesn't need just overhead lighting, but something really cool and concentrated on the countertop, as a source of light and a little architecture. Like these vintage pyramid stone lamps."

If you're currently battling a builder-grade kitchen, a lamp is a simple way to personalize your space. It's also an ideal accessory if you are a renter and don't have the ability to change up your cabinets or countertops. To capture Berkus's look, try the Jonathan Y Alabaster LED Table Lamp or a more budget-friendly (but still naturalistic) Himalayan salt lamp. If you don't have additional countertop space to spare, you can still apply this theory with wall-mounted lights like sconces. Another option is to add a standing lamp next to your kitchen area for a soft glow.

For this renovation, Berkus used historic French design as the primary source of inspiration. He built a custom bar with gilded cabinets and glass front doors, intended to display a curated collection of dishware. He wrote on Instagram: "This custom bar in our #NBAHistoricFrench project makes a handsome statement. I love the glass front cabinets that allow the thoughtfully collected glassware to be seen and easily accessible."

A bar is a stylish way to give your kitchen additional storage while still adding a functional features. Although Berkus often builds custom bar additions, you can easily apply his advice with a pre-made bar feature. To experiment with the look for a fraction of the price, consider a product like this Wine Bar Cabinet with Glass Doors. The key is to display vintage pieces or heirlooms to add visible character to your space. Even if you don't think you have enough space for a separate bar area, a floating bar is an elegant way to organize and display beverages in a small space.

Vintage oven ranges were typically much more ornate than modern appliances and acted as centerpieces of a cooking space. Berkus applies this traditional concept to his own kitchen, deeming a high-end oven range splurge-worthy. When asked what homeowners should spend their money on, Berkus recommended prioritizing appliances. He wrote on Instagram: "Where to splurge? Where to [save]? I may not know how to use the stove, but I do know how to design a kitchen that is beautiful and functional. Invest in the things that are built-in and that you won't tire of in 5 or 10 years."

More and more appliance manufacturers are embracing a classic look. You don't have to source an actual vintage range to capture the traditional appearance of an antique oven or stove. For example, this Akicon 36" Professional Custom Style Gas Range has stunning gold knobs and door framing. If you just want to try out the vintage-inspired look without replacing your entire range, try smaller appliances like this Haden Heritage 4 Slice Wide Slot Stainless Steel Toaster or this Francois et Mimi Vintage-Style Stainless Steel French Coffee Press.

If your goal is to curate a classic cooking space, Berkus recommends focusing on floors first. He wrote on Instagram: "Floors set the tone for a room before anything else. From classic checkered stone to intricate tilework to timeless wood, the foundation underfoot has the power to transform how a space feels instantly." The images showcase two interiors with black and white stone tile floors, an ideal choice for your kitchen.

You can DIY the checkered floor tile trend for a luxurious look on a budget with laminate or peel-and-stick tiles. Although Berkus's examples utilize real stone, porcelain lies somewhere in between the expense of DIY options vs. authentic stone tiles. Not only are they more affordable, but porcelain tiles are lower maintenance and tend to have better longevity than real stone — especially if they are in a high-trafficked area like the kitchen. The benefit of the black and white trend is that you can achieve this look with a variety of materials, depending on your budget and design goals.

There has been debate about whether subway tiles are still trending, but Berkus believes that this retro material and layout is totally timeless. He posted an image on Instagram of a sleek kitchen with a white subway tile backsplash with the caption: "Classic Subway Tile Appreciation Post – a timeless material, plus (and maybe most importantly) is really easy to keep clean."

Although it's classic, subway tile isn't synonymous with boring. There are tons of ways to take subway backsplash tiling and make it your own. Berkus recommends the simple, clean look of light tile with light grout. If you like the subway tile look, but you're worried about your kitchen looking dated, try a vertical layout for a modern twist. Adding other shapes into the mix can also keep your subway tile backsplash modern and fresh.

Berkus recommends repurposing traditional pieces by turning vintage dressers, armoires, or drawers into kitchen storage. He said on Instagram: "So, I always talk about finding extra kitchen storage in the kitchen, especially if you don't have enough cabinetry, which, truthfully, most people don't. So, adding a piece of furniture in the kitchen is an amazing way of keeping the things that you need really close by and also having something really beautiful that isn't cabinetry." He showed off his vintage Axel Einar Hjorth chest that he keeps next to the dining area.

This is another example that proves you don't need everything to be integrated and built-in to look stylish. Repurposing furniture can give you the storage and surface space you need without remodeling your space. In addition to sourcing vintage pieces, consider using a dresser or armoire from another room. Before getting rid of any furniture, determine whether it can be beneficial somewhere else. If you don't have access to vintage pieces, try an antique-inspired sideboard like this RoyalCraft Large Buffet Cabinet.

Berkus has sung the praises of Shaker-style cabinets in multiple interviews. In his own carriage house kitchen, he chose to keep the original Shaker-style cabinetry as an homage to its 1920s roots. In another interview with Studio 5 KSL about achieving Berkus's concept of a "forever kitchen," he spoke about traditional, tried-and-true materials that will never look dated. For example, he lists: "Shaker-style painted cabinets, flat panel cabinets, wood cabinetry."

If you're wondering what exactly Shaker cabinets look like, there are a few simple features to look out for. They typically have a flat center panel and square edges, without ornate carvings. The inner panel is recessed, sitting back slightly from the border. Although sometimes used in bathroom, they are most common in kitchens – which makes them a great way to solidify the coziness of your cooking space. Their minimalist design still works in modern spaces, but the recessed quality creates more visual interest than a contemporary flat panel alternative.

On the podcast All On the Table with Katie Lee Biegel, Nate Berkus gave homeowners some important countertop advice: "A novice decorator or designer is going to help you pick out your marble and then be like, let's just do a straight edge, or what's called an eased edge, which is slightly softer. But as you're in this business for years, you realize that to create moments of beautiful character and personality in a space, the edge of a countertop actually matters." An alternative to simple edge countertop, and Berkus's personal preference, is an ogee edge. This is one out-of-the-ordinary countertop edge profile you may not have heard of. It is a traditional shape that looks like an S, with a concave that moves into a soft curve.

Traditional kitchens excel with subtle, elegant details. Ogee edges are one way to make your kitchen stand out with a small, refined touch. There are also several practical benefits to an ogee edge. For example, the curved edge is less rigid and more ergonomic. Although Berkus claims that ogee edges shouldn't cost any extra money, other designers like Emily Henderson warn that not every manufacturer is capable of an intricate cut.

Berkus hosted a Q&A on his Instagram where he pointed out a single element that can't be missed in the kitchen. He wrote on one of the slides: "If you have the opportunity, hand-glazed tiles on the backsplash or the hood and quality cabinetry." The tradition of hand-glazed tiles is longstanding, with ceramic tile dating back to around 4000 BC. This is a testament to their longevity in both style and durability. Plus, they are a great way to add personality to your cooking space.

There are countless kinds of hand-glazed tiles to choose from. Terra cotta tiles are currently trending, and are ideal if you want to curate a warm and earthy space. Alternatively, patterned ceramic tiles are a great choice if your goal is to add visual interest. If you want to stray away from bold shades or patterned, textured surfaces of glazed clay tiles can still create a stunning sense of depth without adding color.

In a recent kitchen renovation, Berkus revealed his use of custom roman shades in the kitchen space and beyond. He wrote on Facebook: "The textures, tones, and fabrics were all chosen to complement the building's timeless character and history." As far as what kind of Roman shades to choose, Berkus recommends choosing an inside mount for aesthetics and functionality. He also suggests a flat fold for a more tailored look, and a relaxed fold for something more romantic.

There are both pros and cons to Roman shades to consider before committing. The draped fabric effect will create a warm look that can blend with any interior style. You can also choose Roman shades with blackout lining if you want to enhance their ability to insulate or block light. Keep in mind that they do not provide as much thermal resistance as honeycomb alternatives and they can also be more complex to install, which means you may need to hire a professional. However, it is possible to make your own Roman shades in two different ways.

Although Berkus isn't known for farmhouse style, he does often incorporate pieces inspired by Old World country interiors. One rustic element he loves is an apron-front sink. Although similar to a farmhouse sink, there are a few key differences. Primarily, the farmhouse sink sits flush among the surrounding cabinetry and countertop, whereas the apron sink intentionally protrudes. In his own home, Berkus has chosen a white fireclay apron-front sink that balances the dramatic marble. He recommends a bold faucet in a shade like matte black or brass.

If you're wondering whether a farmhouse or apron sink is right for you, there are a few contrasting qualities. While farmhouse sinks are typically available in fireclay or cast iron, you can find apron sinks in stainless steel options as well. Farmhouse sinks are suitable for under-mount or top-mount installations, whereas apron sinks can only be installed as an under-mount or flush-mount style. Last but not least, farmhouse sinks provide more space for dishes, but apron sinks can be lower-maintenance when it comes to cleaning — if they are installed as a flush-mount.