Interior designer and TV presenter Jeremiah Brent is set to take over from Bobby Berk as the interior design expert in season nine of Netflix’s hit show Queer Eye. As soon as the announcement was made last week, we took a deep dive into Jeremiah’s Instagram feed and his home tour and we can’t get over the designer’s magnificent kitchen – which Jeremiah says he treats like any other room in the house.
In recent times, there has been a growing shift in the way we utilise and perceive the kitchen – from a space that’s purely functional to prepare food in, turning into a room we like to spend time in and therefore decorate it in the same way we would any other corner of our homes. This kitchen trend is now further solidified by Jeremiah Brent’s statement, which he shared with Architectural Digest touring his New York home which he shares with husband and fellow interior designer, Nate Berkus.
While we’re sad that Bobby’s leaving Queer Eye, we can’t wait to see what Jeremiah’s going to come up with. If it’s anything like his viral designs and his own stylish home, then we’re in for a treat.
Jeremiah Brent’s kitchen philosophy
This is not the first time a Queer Eye cast member has inspired our kitchen ideas - just recently, Tan France shared his preference for quartzite kitchen worktops over traditional marble. But Jeremiah Brent is, in fact, sticking to his marble.
‘The thing that's always made this house a home is the kitchen,’ Jeremiah Brent said. ‘Everything in here you would think is really precious, but it's not. We like stains on the marble. People always ask why we accessorise the kitchen the way we do and it's because we live here. We like lamps, we like art hung. This space always makes me happy when I walk in in the morning and when I leave at night with a cup of tea.’
We’ve been seeing this gradual shift towards making the kitchen a less utilitarian space and more of a lived-in room. Including rugs and various lighting features, as Jeremiah has done, is one of the easiest and most popular ways as we’ve seen the viral Amazon wireless lamp pop up in people’s kitchens all over social media.
Lighting
‘Multi-functional kitchens are becoming more popular as we look to expand the hub of home from being simply dedicated to food preparation to a space where we can gather,’ says Dawn Filkins, head of creative at Smile Kitchens. ‘We are increasingly using these spaces all throughout the day, seven days a week.’
Richard Davonport, managing director at Davonport, continues, ‘Adding in task, ambient and accent lighting enriches the space, adding shadows and warmth.’ Which can be seen in the way Anthony Hopkins utilised picture lighting in his own kitchen.
Open shelving
Opting for open shelving is another way to express your personality in the kitchen by displaying your favourite crockery and decorative pieces.
‘Another way to make your kitchen more personal is to add open shelving,’ says Jen Nash, head of design at Magnet. ‘This can double up as both decoration and storage if you fill them with ornate jars, beautiful crockery and your best kitchenware allowing you to really show your personality. You can then put your less aesthetically pleasing items in closed cupboards. To add some more colour to your shelves make sure to add a few plants for greenery and texture.’
Open shelving is also a great small kitchen idea for personalising your space. ‘If you don’t have a big space, it doesn’t mean that it still can’t have personality. It is about finding ways to add your own unique touch so look to art for the walls or open shelving, along with crockery and decorative objects, can make a room feel loved and part of you,’ Richard advises.
Wood panelling
Kitchen panelling is another way to add warmth and texture into your kitchen, whether it’s on the walls, cabinetry or the kitchen island.
‘A great way to make a kitchen more cosy is to add wood panelling,’ Jen suggests. ‘Whilst this works beautifully on walls, you can also use it under a breakfast bar to add interest and contrast to a kitchen. It also feeds into biophilic design bringing the feel of the outdoors in.’
But you can also do that with a vase of flowers. Or in a true Jeremiah Brent fashion, with leafy branches in a large vase.
We can hardly wait for Queer Eye’s new season.
