‘Nate & Jeremiah Home Project’: Jeremiah Brent Says Leaving Their NYC Home Was the ‘Biggest Mistake’ [Exclusive]

Jeremiah Brent and Nate Berkus from HGTV‘s Nate & Jeremiah Home Project are proof that you can always go home.

Brent and Berkus recently repurchased their beloved New York City penthouse, which Brent said was a mistake to have sold in the first place.

“The day we left that house was one of the saddest days we ever had,” Brent recalled. “And I remember looking at Nate, going, ‘We’re making the biggest mistake.’ And I spent seven years trying to get us back to that house.”

“Jeremiah describes that apartment as the great love that got away,” Berkus added.

“And so now we kind of get the second chance at first love. And it’s been everything we thought it would be. It felt like walking back into our lives,” Brent recalled.

Nate and Jeremiah said returning to the NYC penthouse had a different feel

The Fifth Avenue penthouse was Berkus and Brent’s children’s first home. So when the family returned to the apartment, the couple recalled how it felt like home, but had a different vibe.

“You know, it’s funny, we had this really unique moment. We were so excited and could not wait to get back. We got back in the house and it was exciting and it felt great, but the kids’ rooms weren’t done yet. And once the children’s rooms were done, all of a sudden it was like the engine turned on and all the gears kicked into place,” Brent recalled.

“Nate and I looked at each other and sobbed,” Brent admitted. “It was just like it was the moment we thought we were going to have when we got the house back. But it didn’t happen until the kids’ were rooms complete. And we realized, wow, like, we’re back here, we live here and everybody has a space here.”

Nate and Jeremiah reflect on their children’s design choices for their rooms

Now that the children were a little older, Poppy is 7, and Oskar is 4, the designing couple thought they’d be creating new spaces for their children.

“I mean, it was interesting,” Berkus reflected. “Our son wanted the same wallpaper that was in our townhouse because he likes the animals and we were like, OK. And we thought that would help make him feel at home. There was a lot of transition. New school for him.”

“But, our daughter has no memory of living here the first time. She was a baby,” Berkus said. “And I think it was really interesting. She’s got a very strong opinion about design. I mean, I can tell you stories of what she commented on when we were showing her what our plans were for her room, where she was right and we were wrong. Down to lunch a month ago when she said, ‘I don’t like where my bed is. There’s not enough space on my floor. I feel like I’m always squished.’ And we came home from lunch on a Sunday, the four of us, and pushed everything around until she felt like we had gotten it right.”

Brent added, “She was right.”

“It’s a much better room the way it’s laid out now,” Berkus noted.

The designing couple said to involve the children in the design process

Berkus and Brent’s show Nate & Jeremiah Home Project focuses on creating a home through beloved pieces and memories. Berkus said that means letting your kids be involved too.

“I think that it’s important for kids to have a voice, but don’t go crazy,” he said. “You don’t need a six-year-old dictating how you should be spending your money. But they were very involved in the design process, especially, Poppy. We were really able to show her what the plans were and involve them in the process and construction check-ins. It was really fun for everyone.”

Nate & Jeremiah Home Project Season 2 is on Wednesday at 9 pm ET on HGTV.