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Nate Berkus Opens up About His Emotional Decision To Buy a House Near the Water

From House Beautiful

Since March, designer Nate Berkus, his husband Jeremiah Brent, and their two kids, Poppy, and Oskar, have been self-isolating in their Montauk, NY, beach home. Last year, in between moving from Los Angeles to New York, the couple snatched up this property by the water and gave it a facelift. In the October issue of Elle Decor, the couple give fans a look into this gorgeous vacation home. Berkus also opens up about why purchasing this property wasn't easiest decision.

As you may remember, long before meeting Brent, Berkus was in a relationship with photographer Fernando Bengoechea. In 2004, the couple was vacationing in Sri Lanka, when a tsunami hit. While Berkus survived, Bengoechea was not as lucky.

For years, Berkus stayed clear of the water as it reminded him of this devastating loss. However, when Brent suggested last year that they take a look at this house by the beach, Berkus decided it might just be time to let go. Prior to the incident, he had always loved the water. Plus "I didn’t want my experience in the tsunami to deprive our family of summers like that," he said.

The home, previously owned by photographer Raphael Mazzucco, was love at first sight for the couple. The idyllic nature retreat boasts wrapped walls built from pieces of a dock and a fireplace built entirely from stones. To make it more their own, Berkus and Brent added a few gorgeous touches. They painted the exterior black and added 40 percent more vegetation to the grounds. Inside, they incorporated a medley of wicker, jute, and other natural materials, as well as design elements influenced by their trips to Portugal, Mexico, and Peru.

With these changes, the couple turned the house into their dream vacation home. "Now we both love it," says Brent. "It is so relaxing.”

You can see more of Berkus and Brent's Montauk home in the latest issue of Elle Decor.

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