Family spotlight — Nate Berkus’ mom quietly blazed the HGTV trail before him, turning his design fame into a surprising full-circle legacy Before Nate Berkus became one of America’s most recognizable design voices, his mother had already stepped into the HGTV spotlight. That twist gives his story a deeper glow — not just a son building a brand, but a family thread stitched through television, taste, and transformation. Long before viewers watched Nate reshape rooms with warmth and polish, his mom was already proving that style could run in the bloodline, making his rise feel less like a surprise and more like destiny revealed.

One thing fans may not know about Nate Berkus…he’s technically an HGTV nepo baby.

The “Nate & Jeremiah Home Project” star‘s mom, Nancy Golden, was a staple of the network’s early days.

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Meet Nate Berkus’ Mom Nancy

 

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A post shared by Nancy Golden (@nancygoldenwear)

Nancy Golden, likely the inspiration before Berkus’ love of design, was a respected interior designer long before her son rose to fame.

Following her divorce from Nate’s father in 1973, Nancy returned to school to study design. She began by helping friends with their home projects, but things gradually grew.

“That’s when it started to get nerve-wracking. I knew that this was legit now, but I didn’t even know how to read a blueprint, so I went back to night school [to study design],” she told Lake Minnetonka Magazine in 2011.

She would go on to appear in shows such as “Room for Change”, “Decorating Cents”, and “Weekend Decorating.”

After a clip from the late 1990s of Nancy on “Decorating Cents” — which was known for its outlandish design tactics — resurfaced online, fans began to connect the dots.

@know_au Nancy (barely) walked so @Nate Berkus could run #designingcents #design #designing #homedecor #homedesign #nateberkus #interiordesign #90sdecor #ThriftedFinds #RoomMakeover ♬ Carmen Habanera, classical opera(1283412) – perfectpanda

“OMG, I didn’t know she was the mother of Nate Berkus! Her home makeovers might have been hideous, but Nate is a GENIUS,” one follower joked. “I’d hire him to renovate my home any day! 😍”

Naturally, Nancy would go on to appear on her son’s popular design show. However, she has since pivoted to a career in jewelry making.

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Nate Berkus’ Close Bond With Mom Nancy

Nate — who got his start opposite Oprah Winfrey in the early 2000s — opened up about his close bond with his mother during a recent appearance on “The Tamron Hall Show.”

“Well, my mom was an interior designer,” he shared during the November 2025 episode. “So mom taught us how to shop, and actually mom used to say — and you know designers shop a certain way. We don’t just like go and buy… the misconception is that we go and spend top dollar on everything, but the good designers, they know how to get a deal. That is 30 years in my favorite part of my job.”

He added, “Mom used to take me to those antiques malls in every town. My job was going all the way from the back to the front to ask the grumpy old person for the key so my mom could unlock the thing and find out what was in there. But she really taught me how to source, and she taught me to love things that have character, and our house didn’t look like everybody else’s house.”

Berkus never misses an opportunity to thank his mother for inspiring him in his career path.

“Happy birthday to the woman who has inspired my love of design since day one,” he shared for her birthday in September 2017. “Nancy Golden you are fearless, amazing and one-of-a-kind. I love you!”

After a three year hiatus from the network, Berkus returned to HGTV earlier this year as a guest judge for the limited series, “Bachelor Nation Takeover.” He also previously starred alongside his husband, Jeremiah Brent, on “Nate and Jeremiah: Save My House.”