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How the new 'Queer Eye' star, designer Jeremiah Brent, does holiday decorating
Ever wonder how the pros deck out their own homes for Christmas? The stylish celeb reveals his must-buys and top tips.
For interior designer Jeremiah Brent, Christmas decor goes up the moment Thanksgiving ends — no matter what anyone (including his husband, fellow designer Nate Berkus) has to say about it. "The day after Thanksgiving, I'm decorating. Nate always thinks I've lost my mind, but I love the energy of Christmas ... the smell of the tree, the sound of the kids, the practice of turning the lights on every night," he says. "It's a good time for us to reflect on a year that's been a lot of things for a lot of people."
Since launching his design firm in 2012, Jeremiah — the newest cast member on Queer Eye, which premiers today, Dec. 11! — has become known for his comfortable-yet-modern spaces. He always tries to incorporate elements that mean something to his clients, whether that's creating bookshelves for showing off family photos or making a beloved heirloom the star of a room. And he does the same thing in his own home, which he and Nate share with their kids, Poppy and Oskar.
"I have ornaments from the first year Nate and I were together, and we still use them," Jeremiah says. "Along with handmade ornaments from the kids, they're the things that we cherish most." That sentimental connection also comes through in a new gift guide he created for Klarna, the global payment network and online shopping assistant. "The intention is to share my story through items I love," he says. "Listen, the holidays are hands-down one of my favorite times of the year, but they can be really overwhelming! For me, Klarna has made shopping stress-free."
Keep scrolling for some of Jeremiah's favorite finds, plus his tricks for making your holiday decor extra special. And if you're curious how other celebs deck out their homes, check out fun picks from HGTV star Egypt Sherrod and Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian.
Go-to holiday color scheme
"I don't like a lot of color," Jeremiah admits. "We don't do traditional red and green." Instead, he and Nate focus on a color scheme that's "rooted in nature — lots of greenery with olive branches in the tree and eucalyptus woven in." They like to add a lot of metallics too. "For me, they stand the test of the time."
Crate & Barrel
"Crate & Barrel has such great holiday decor," Jeremiah says. This wreath combines two of his favorite types of greenery: olive and eucalyptus. Display it somewhere cool and dry, and it can last up to a year!
Ballard Designs
Tinsel is fun, sure, but it's not the only way to get some shine into your holiday decor. LED lights make these pretty glass trees look like they're glowing from within. Magical!
Transform your mantel into a winter wonderland by nestling these tiny faux pines into a garland. They come in a set of four and range in height from 4 to 10 inches. Their real wood bases lend a more convincing forest feel.
Secret ornament source
Those cherished Christmas tree ornaments Jeremiah still uses from the year he and Nate first got together? Some are from a New York City flea market, but as for the others, "I think they came from Anthropologie of all places!" he says. No wonder: The boho store is probably one of the best places to get ornaments with a vintage feel.
Anthropologie
Silver and gold ornaments are Jeremiah's go-to, and we could easily imagine this delicate faceted glass star on his tree. FYI: There's also a coordinating topper if you want to complete the celestial scene.
"We also have a lot of animals in our decor — stuffed llamas and hummingbirds because they're a big totem in our house and family," says Jeremiah. How sweet would this pair of tiny chicks look hanging from a tree?
Anthropologie
Gold glitter and tiny painted birds take this lovely glass ornament to new heights. It's handmade so each one looks slightly different, adding to the charm.
Top Christmas tree tip
When it comes to real versus fake trees, Jeremiah's an equal opportunist. The family picks out a live pine or fir, but they'll mix in plenty of faux greenery too. As for the kids, "They always want multicolored everything, all stuff that's highly flammable," Jeremiah jokes. "So years ago, we bought them their own little 2-foot-tall faux trees." Oskar's is bright orange and Poppy's is pink — and here's Jeremiah's trick: "We put the trees in their rooms so they can decorate them however they want, and I still get my beautiful metallic tree in the living room."
Orange you glad we found this wild tree? The dip-dyed design is the perfect home for nestling in colorful ornaments. Kids (and kids at heart) would get a kick out of it!
If you'd rather think pink, this tabletop stunner comes with everything you need to deck it out, including ornaments, silver bows and garland. Nearly 1,000 shoppers have given it a five-star review.
Favorite decor that looks pricey — but isn't
"Weaving faux plants into your decor, like garland on the steps, can go a long way," Jeremiah says. The key is to look for greenery that's multidimensional and not just a single species. "You may splurge a bit one year, but then you can use it for the next 10." To complete the look, add branches of red berries.
Silk willow leaves mingle with faux silver dollar eucalyptus in this pretty garland. It gets nearly 800 five-star reviews for its lushness.
Brown stems give these berry picks a more natural look. You can bend and twist them to tuck them into a garland — or create an instant centerpiece by grouping them in a jar or vase.
Want all the work done for you? Jeremiah scored his most recent garland on Klarna, and this one is a festive blend of berries, pinecones and lights.
Beloved holiday fragrance
"Candles are a gift I consider to be a universal crowd-pleaser," writes Jeremiah in his gift guide, which has finds that relate to each of the five senses (can you guess which one this is for?). "It's the kind of gift I hope promotes connection."
Created by famed designer Tom Dixon, these incense cones release a woodsy fragrance with notes of black pepper, vetiver and patchouli. "It's the perfect unexpected stocking stuffer for the friend who has everything," Jeremiah says.
No. 1 host gift
It doesn't have to be complicated or expensive, says Jeremiah, who likes to print a photo of friends and then place it in a silver frame. "I just did this the other night. We were going to a dear friend's house for dinner, and so I spent 20 minutes finding and printing a photo of one of the most important moments we had together," he says. "Then I wrote on the back what it meant to me. When I gave it to her, she started sobbing. Now is the time of year to remind people how important they are to you."
Bloomingdale's
One of Jeremiah's go-to picks, this elegant frame is basically an heirloom in the making. The design was inspired by the Art Deco movement, which he loves, and the high-shine stainless steel will last forever.
"A silver picture frame always looks beautiful, whether it's $5 or $5,000," Jeremiah says. You could go simple, but why not branch out with this nature-inspired design? It gets a near-perfect 4.8 stars on Amazon from almost 2,000 shoppers.
Best budget-decorating trick
And what if you don't have the funds to splash out on holiday decor? "First of all, for me, decor has noting to do with opulence. Holiday decor, home decor — you don't have to spend a lot of money to live beautifully, you certainly shouldn't have to in order to decorate beautifully," says Jeremiah. This philosophy extends even to items like his Christmas tree skirt, which is a gray throw blanket the family has had for years. "It's a pretty color and matches the house. It's a way to use what we have and make it beautiful."
