Quote Of The Day By Jeremiah Brent: 'If It's Not Absolutely Beautiful Or Absolutely Functional, You Don't Need It...'

Jeremiah Brent has been making waves in the design world for over 15 years. In 2011, he founded his own interior design firm with locations on both coasts, Jeremiah Brent Design. This wasn't just your run of the mill service, though — Brent's sophisticated styling and focus on creating spaces that are meant to facilitate daily living rather than simply look beautiful set him apart from the competition. Within a few years, he quickly joined the ranks of the top designers in the country, earning recognition on Elle Decor's A-List and Architectural Digest's AD100 list.

While his client-focused design portfolio is certainly impressive, it's not the only way he's gained notoriety in the interior design space. His appearances on "Queer Eye" beginning in 2024 showed him transforming the homes of everyday people and providing grounded tips that viewers could incorporate into their own spaces. He also hosted multiple shows on HGTV with his husband, Nate Berkus, including "Nate and Jeremiah Save My House" and "Nate and Jeremiah by Design." Seeing his on-screen personality and his ability to make the most of existing structures led many fans to seek out more content from this star, and his design-focused Instagram has amassed an impressive 1.4 million followers.

Brent's secret to home decor is less about trends and more about function, which has led thousands to implement his advice in their own homes. That's why Jeremiah Brent is House Digest's quote of the day.

According to Brent, "If it's not absolutely beautiful or absolutely functional, you don't need it. That sounds really simple, but in execution, it's really complicated. Your home should be the physical representation of not only your past but your present, and you have to leave room for your future. Otherwise, you're left in a house 10 years later that looks nothing like you, and you've got fake flowers collecting dust, and you're like, 'What happened?'"

He shared this sage advice in an interview with House Digest, wherein both Brent and his husband, Nate Berkus, reflected on the success of their recent show, "The Nate and Jeremiah Home Project," and dished out additional tips for viewers. In this show, the couple works with clients moving into new homes, helping them to let go of the items that no longer serve them in order to build more functional spaces for the future.

Brent's design philosophy encompasses more than just aesthetics, and this quote is the perfect example of that. By getting rid of pieces that don't have an important function, beauty included, there's more opportunity to create a space that truly speaks to your personality and provides opportunity for your future.

Decluttering immediately makes your home look more expensive, but that isn't its only benefit. Getting rid of excess visual stimuli helps to reduce anxiety, and as Brent highlights, gives you the space to let the pieces that truly speak to your style shine. If the item you're considering is not something you need and you're not completely enamored with its look, it's a safe bet to assume it's ready to be decluttered. Then, when your needs or style start to change over time, you'll have the room to bring in new objects that represent your routine, interests, and personality.

A core tenant of Brent's design philosophy, shared on his website, is as follows: "It's got nothing to do with opulence and everything to do with creating spaces strong enough to bolster emotional moments that keep us tethered to the home." Clutter is a direct hindrance to this — its negative mental impacts can make a space feel unwelcoming, and holding onto items that no longer serve you can weaken the overall feel of your space over time. It might seem contradictory, but getting rid of some of your items can make your home feel more like it's your own.

Implementing this advice in reality is both simple and challenging. Deciding what stays and what goes can be overwhelming, but Brent's recommendation can act as a North Star regardless of the strategy you choose for decluttering your home. Eliminate what you're sure you're ready to part with, then take a long, hard look at what remains. Is it a true necessity? Does it feel aligned with your current style? If not, let it go.

• "I think that's the great thing about interiors is that they can be treated like a great wardrobe. Choose a sofa and chairs that are staples in clean shapes that will keep for the next couple of years or decade. Then an easy way to bump up your entire room or your interiors is accessories." — from a 2011 Bravo interview
• "[T]hat's my life mission with design. It's become super-prescriptive design. The most memorable rooms and homes I've ever been in had nothing to do with how much money they spent or if it was from Architectural Digest, it just looked like them. My biggest piece of advice would be: Really think about the moments in your day that matter most to you." — from a 2025 Brit + Co. interview
• "As a designer, every project I've ever worked on has begun with asking the client a series of questions. Questions like: 'What's your favorite time of day?' or 'Do you have any family heirlooms? If so, can you tell me their story?' That's where inspiration for the design comes from." — from a 2024 Interior Design interview
• "I have a philosophy that you've always got to honor the past, acknowledge the present and leave room in your space for the future." — from a 2016 Oprah interview
• "Designers on television think the design industry is uptight; the design industry thinks designers on television are not real designers. I've always lived in between." — from a 2024 House Beautiful interview