The bedroom 'rule' Nate Berkus always breaks – and how he still gets a good night's sleep

Rules are made to be broken – but what about those that may influence our well-being? The answer, according to Nate Berkus, is personal. 

'Wellness is personal. It's even more personal than design' – he says in an exclusive interview with H&G. Nate, who is known for starring alongside his husband Jeremiah Brent in HGTV's Nate & Jeremiah by Design – recently launched a new collection with mDesign – including some of the best bed sheets on the market. It's no coincidence, therefore, that sleep is very much on the designer's mind – but his response to a famous bedroom 'rule' is slightly more surprising.

'I used to have a no TV rule in the bedroom (which Oprah supported) that's gone out of the window because I've traded that rule for Sunday morning cartoons with my children in bed, which I love, and which I would never give up,' he says. 

When looking for ways to sleep better, you've likely heard the 'no TV' rule repeated time and time again – however – as Nate suggests, the best way to create a therapeutic space is to ensure it works for you – regardless of conventions. And this is different for every single person. 

Nate Berkus

Since Nate’s first appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2002, he has become one of the world’s most recognizable interior designers. He has authored two New York Times bestselling books and stars alongside his husband, Jeremiah Brent, in HGTV's Nate & Jeremiah Home Project.

'My instinct for my own personal sanity and relaxation in a bedroom is to keep it largely neutral – which I have done in creating and crafting these five different collections – and not using a tremendous of patterns and jarring colors. That works for me. It's what I like to wake up to and how I ease myself into the morning,' he says.

In the same way that neutrals bring Nate peace, having a TV in his bedroom works for him. It makes his children (and consequently him) happy, and therefore, it has its place. 'Other people, including my own mother, live in an explosion of color. Her bedroom is layered with Mexican textiles and all these amazing things that I would never want to open my eyes and see. But it makes her smile every morning. Wellness is more personal than design.'

Ensuring your bedroom works for you is among the most impactful ways to promote a peaceful (and sleep-inducing space), but of course, there's a lot to be said about choosing the best bedding. 

Investment in well-made bedding – that's really comfortable – that washes well, and that feels like it's yours,' Nate says. 

'I travel a great deal, and I'm back and forth in all kinds of hotels – but I know what my own sheets feel like. That, to me, is as sensory as the smell of my home – or the potpourri we keep in our homes.' 

Inevitably, Nate's collection with mDesign is a failsafe place to look when looking for the best places to buy bedding. We've listed our three favorite picks below.