Making over homes comes naturally to designers like Nate Berkus, although on NBC's American Dream Builders it's a whole new ball game. The reality-competition show has 12 contestants fighting for the chance to win best designer after an elimination each week. In the final episode the last two designers will battle it out with two Southern California homes to see who wins. Executive producer and host Nate Berkus serves as judge, along with former NFL player/ architect Eddie George and interior designer Monica Pederson. Back in 2002 Berkus began on The Oprah Winfrey Show, rocketing to worldwide success with a line of home products, two best-selling books and his own talk show. His Chicagobased design firm, Nate Berkus Associates, was founded in 1995. He is quickly gaining a background in executive producing with this project and past ones like the movie The Help. In addition, his fabric collection, Calico Corners, launched this past January. We called the out, loud and proud Nate Berkus, as well as Pederson, to deconstruct the builders.
Windy City Times: Hi, Nate. How do you manage juggling judging, hosting and executive- producing American Dream Builders?
Nate Berkus: Well, what you do is you make sure that you're working with people you think are the best in the business because no one can possibly do all of those things. So for me, as the executive producer I was involved in the concept of this show long before any cameras were turned on. That involved the casting and the location scouting; reviewing people's portfolios; [and] talking about the different design challenges and the architectural styles that we moved through. Also, [there was] using my relationships to make sure that the designers had fantastic vendors that would give them access to vintage, antiques, salvaged and fine contemporary art and all the things that they need or that they're used to working with. A host is a host, and I hope I did okay.
WCT: I thought you did great with that job especially.
Nate Berkus: As judge I got to work with Eddie and Monica. All three of us have very different sort of perspectives and opinions. I think that that was something that became very interesting through the course of the show.
WCT: There are some twists, with the Neighborhood Council being added into the mix.
Nate Berkus: We built that into the show where each week they got to pick which of the two homes they preferred. Eddie, Monica and I had to send someone home from the losing team. So that actually made judging sometimes more difficult, sometimes it made it easier.
WCT: What did you think of the Neighborhood Council overall?
Nate Berkus: We didn't always agree with what the Neighborhood Council had to say, but it was a balancing act for me, but one that I was really happy to be involved with because it's design. It's what I love. It wasn't my talk show. I wasn't trying to make a chicken.
WCT: [Laughs] Well, I think you have done a great job. How did the designers get a spot on the show?
Nate Berkus: The designers and home builders [who] comprise the 12 contestants were absolutely, unequivocally booked on their design talent alone. The fact that we got very lucky and have some really varied, extremely competitive people competing on this show was really a by-product. First, they had to be able to design within an inch of their life because we wanted week after week the audience to be able to see absolute cover of a magazine worthy makeovers and the highest possible level of inspiration. So you can't cast for character if you really have to be focused on the results and what the design will be week after week when we complete these two full renovations.
WCT: Do we get into the personal lives to know which ones are LGBT designers?
Nate Berkus: Eddie. No, I'm just kidding. There really isn't a tremendous amount of time to dive into their personal lives. Obviously, when you take 12 people who are consummate professionals, who are very established in their fields, and you put them in a competition setting with not a lot of time, and they're divided into teams which are not necessarily their choosing, you get a lot of the interpersonal dynamic between the designers and competitors on the show. In terms of personal life, each hour of this show is so packed. It's the most ambitious design show that's ever been done with two full-scale renovations per hour. So you do definitely get to know the characters, and we certainly want people to know them, be rooting for them, and connect with them if they have something in common or they just connect with their taste. But this show is really not about delving into their personal lives.
WCT: How do you put aside your feelings and judge them on what they have done?
Nate Berkus: We don't. We fought the three of us the whole time.
WCT: Really?
Nate Berkus: Yeah, of course. I mean design is very subjective. There's not one way to do anything, but I think all three of us brought a different perspective to the show. There are many times that Eddie and I didn't agree, many times that Monica and I went sort of head to head. I think it's about our authentic opinion and wanting them to succeed because they were picked to be a part of this competition and because they're all fantastic designers. I wasn't looking to be mean or to be demeaning or negative. To be a judge, you're inherently judgmental. And that's fair, right Monica? We were laughing sometimes, like, "How do you like that?" And Monica's like, "How do you not? What's wrong with you?" We really, I think, were very just straightforward about how we truly felt about everything that they did.
Monica Pederson: We wanted everybody to do their best. As designers, we know that they were working outside of their comfort zone. It's not the way they normally work in the real world of design. They're really good, and they're able to deliver. So I think we were very fair. I walked away feeling really good about it. If I was in their shoes, I would have been appreciative of the constructive criticism.
Nate Berkus: Me, too.
WCT: How do you know when you are being too harsh?
Nate Berkus: You know, it's not personal. MP: Yes.
Nate Berkus: You're judging what they were able to do and what they were able to accomplish. I think Eddie was very focused on how they were functioning as a team in the beginning of the competition. I was very focused on what design ideas I had seen before anywhere. From the very first week of the show, my advice to them was if I've seen it before or if it's some trick or tip that means the audience has seen it. So what I'm looking for is die hard creativity. If you cop out and do something just because it's the easy way out and it's something that everyone is familiar with, you're not going to win, from my perspective. You have come in every week and show me stuff that I've never seen before.
Monica Pederson: There are things that I personally may love because it's my taste or Nate or Eddie may love, but there also some just really good design principles. We looked at that furniture layout, where are your draperies mounted, what's the color scale? These are all basic things that when you hire a designer, you know that they're going to deliver. These are some of the big challenges that do-it-yourselfers have. So we also looked at it really from okay are they bringing those high end design principles to the table? If they're not, then that's a problem. Nate Berkus: Some of them tried to fight, but we didn't let them get through. MP: It's not a food show, so it's not like Nate, Eddie, and I can sit there and go, "This is delicious, America." They're going to see it, so we have to reflect what other people are thinking.
WCT: When are you coming back to visit us in Chicago, Nate?
Nate Berkus: I'm back and forth all the time. My design firm's still based there. I came in, like, a week ago and had the worst weather in the history of the world, cancelled my office meetings, sat in my hotel and then flew back to New York.
WCT: I don't blame you. This winter was the worst.
Nate Berkus: It was awful. I'll be back this summer for sure.
WCT: You should be our grand marshal for Gay Pride.
Nate Berkus: We can talk about that. Maybe if Monica agrees to be on the float... MP: I will be there cheering you on.
Nate Berkus: I get to pick your outfit. MP: Please do. I look like a drag queen. I'd be good! American Dream Builders tears down walls on NBC beginning March 23. Keep up with Nate's dream at www.nateberkus.com .
