Research shows the myriad mood, energy and productivity benefits of having a morning routine. But for Los Angeles– and New York–based interior designer Jeremiah Brent, it’s more than just a routine: It’s a ceremony. He wakes up at four in the morning (by choice), brews a pot of coffee and sits in silence for the first 30 minutes of his day—a mindfulness practice that applies to Brent’s design work, in which he aims to bring an intimate and customized approach to every client.
“I want to have a vast Rolodex of different projects, because every single client is so different, and personalization is the ultimate luxury—that’s what I think the future of design is going to be about,” he tells host Dennis Scully on the latest episode of The Business of Home Podcast. “I hope that it takes a much deeper turn, and is less about opulence, and more about personalization.”
A California native, Brent found his way to design via a winding road—he dropped out of college, worked odd jobs in Los Angeles and eventually started making his own furniture on a whim. This entrée into the design world led him to work for fashion designer Rachel Zoe, who encouraged him to pursue his passion in interior design and start his own firm in 2011. After marrying Nate Berkus in 2014 and starring in the HGTV show The Nate & Jeremiah Home Project, Brent’s profile certainly got bigger, but he’s been intentional about fostering a separate business, one focused on storytelling and personalization, not opulence for its own sake.
“Part of what I’m trying to do with our industry—and with our business—is make it less about how much you spend, and more about how much you can create,” says Brent. “I want people to trust us because there is so much power to what we do. To walk into a home that feels like the physical manifestation of your past and your present and your future—it changes everything. It changes the way you move through the world, it changes the way you see yourself, and it changes the way other people see you. It is fantastic when those powers are used for good.”
Elsewhere on the podcast, Brent discusses the surprising upside to the supply chain crisis, the value of internship programs and his complicated relationship with being on TV.
Listen to the show below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This episode was sponsored by Loloi Rugs and Four Hands.
The Thursday Show
Meanwhile, on the latest episode of The Thursday Show, Scully and BOH executive editor Fred Nicolaus break down the latest news in the design industry, from MillerKnoll’s PR crisis to some good signs from the stock market. Later, journalist and podcaster Dan Rubinstein joins the show live from Milan to share an update from Salone del Mobile.
Listen below. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. This episode was sponsored by Crypton.
Homepage image: Jeremiah Brent | Courtesy of the designer
