Nate Berkus Says “No” to This Common Decorating Trick

It only takes 45 seconds to get Nate Berkus to reveal his unwavering opinions on life and, of course, design. In a rapid-fire Q&A that the designer recently posted to his Instagram feed, we learned that vanilla is his favorite ice cream flavor (soft serve, preferably), he’d choose coffee over tea any morning, and he’s all for mixing metal finishes in a space. But there is one decorating move we were surprised to discover he doesn’t approve of. When prompted whether one should ever lay a rug on top of carpeting, Berkus responded with a confident “no.” 

We can see where he is coming from. More often than not, carpeting is one of the first things renovators are keen to rip out (if it’s been in the house for decades, odds are it’s not in great condition and looking pretty blah). We’re guessing Berkus’s logic is that if you do end up putting down fresh carpeting in its place, be it a trendy sisal or plush nylon, why would you immediately hide it with an area rug. Layering rugs on top of rugs, however, is an idea he’s more open to. 

But because more than one-third of the U.S. population rents their home, not everyone has the option to choose (or change) their flooring. Sometimes you just have to work around sad polyester, but if you’re clever like London-based journalist Katherine Ormerod, you’ll cover it up with cozy Moroccan textiles or dynamic flat-weaves. Not only is it an easy fix for living with an aesthetic that you wouldn’t necessarily pick yourself, it’s a budget-friendly way to give any room a quick facelift. That’s enough reason to choose “yes” if you ask us.