Designer Nate Berkus!
Yes — it’s true. I spent an evening this week with interior designer Nate Berkus. I know, it sounds surreal. We painted furniture side by side in a loft in SoHo, laughed at the same jokes, and traded tips about paint and design. I was equal parts giddy and starstruck.
How did this happen? It’s one of those amazing blog-world moments. I was invited by Lowe’s and Valspar Paint to fly to New York, stay in Tribeca, and spend an evening experimenting with paint and design with Nate in SoHo. Of course I said yes!
Centsational Girl & The Inspired Room
I was thrilled to learn that my friend Kate from Centsational Girl was one of the 30 bloggers invited. Meeting a blogging friend in real life made the evening even better. We met in our hotel lobby and walked in our heels to an unmarked loft overlooking SoHo on a beautiful day.
Soon we found ourselves sitting on the floor in our white dresses next to Nate, competing in a paint challenge. We dove into the contest so completely that it barely registered Nate was right there. I admit I flirted with the idea of borrowing his brush, but mostly we were intent on winning.
It felt like a dream come true for DIY and design bloggers.
We had just 30 minutes to complete our project, so it was a little frantic. Kate handled most of the design and painting, including taping the chevron pattern. I helped by holding paint cans, fetching brushes, snapping photos of Nate, and doing my best to keep paint off my white dress. Since I generally dislike painting, I was grateful to have Kate on my team.
Nate gave us the “creativity award” for our project and we won two $250 Lowe’s gift cards. When Nate suggested painting the hinges and knobs, Kate immediately followed his advice — and the final result looked even better.
During Nate’s presentation about paint, I recorded a short video. In it he shares his favorite neutral paint approach: gray walls, white trim, and black doors, complemented with pops of color. That combination felt right at home with my own decorating choices.
At the event we used Valspar Signature Colors paint — the same line I used on my blue table last summer. The coverage and colors impressed me: the paint covered dark stripes in a single coat and produced a smooth, even finish. It’s a product I genuinely like and have used myself.
We also learned about the Allen & Roth home decor line available at Lowe’s. After the event we celebrated with margaritas and Mexican food, chatting about how much we appreciate our readers. It was a fun night and a great reminder of how the blogging community brings people together.
Because we wanted to share the experience, we decided to give away our winning Lowe’s gift cards: one $250 card on The Inspired Room and another on Centsational Girl. The contest details were simple: like the Facebook page, leave a comment on the blog to enter, and optionally share the giveaway on Facebook or Twitter for a second entry. The contest has since closed, and we were grateful for all the entries and support.
Overall, the night was an unforgettable mix of design inspiration, good company, and hands-on creative fun. Meeting Nate Berkus and working with Valspar and Lowe’s was an inspiring reminder that color and thoughtful details can transform a space.