A lot of you asked what I picked up from Target for Nate’s big debut weekend. I’m a total fan—remember when our hands almost touched here?—so of course I was parked at Target the moment the doors opened on Sunday. Even though we’d just returned from Cincinnati the night before, I was determined. I call myself a Noupie (Nate groupie), so I sprinted inside expecting to find the collection on display. To my surprise, there was nothing out yet. When I asked the employees, they looked at me like, “Nate who?”
Rather than launch into a full sales pitch about Nate Berkus’s clever designs (I could have easily done that), I rushed back to the car and told John, “Other Target, go!” We zipped to a second store—still nothing. At that point I started to worry it was a limited release only in certain cities or that stores would release stock later. We had a family party to attend across town, so I paused the hunt. On the way home, we stopped at another Target. That store only had an unlabeled end-cap with a few towels, so I assumed maybe Richmond would see the collection later. Then John, bless him, decided to swing into yet another Target—apparently there are about ten around here. When I walked in at that fourth stop, I finally saw it:
The moment felt like clouds parting and angels singing—at least to me and anyone who loves stylish accessories. I immediately snapped a photo and posted it to Instagram. I grabbed the two pieces I wanted and stood there protectively, half expecting a stampede of shoppers to swoop in. Here’s my “mine” shot—snatched and guarded:
I’d been eyeing the white tortoise-shell piece since I saw it in a preview video of the Nate for Target collection, and the little spiky urchin was too quirky and porcupine-like to pass up. Walking back to the car, I was holding my finds and grinning so widely that John, who’d stayed with Clara in the car, started laughing at me. I was elated—this is what a successful Target run feels like for a home-decor lover.
Within 24 hours my friend Katie (you might know her) posted her own Instagram haul and, of course, she had grabbed the same two pieces. Does it confirm best-friend status when you independently buy the same items? I vote yes. We called each other and laughed—sometimes the best finds are the ones you discover in tandem, even when you don’t plan it.
The tortoise-shell ceramic felt like the perfect balance for a corner that had been visually heavy on one side. Hanging it evened out the display and added a glossy, sculptural touch—think ceramic animal meets modern accessory. It looks especially nice against our stenciled wall and gives the area a bit more cohesion.
Close-up, the ceramic tortoise has that glossy finish that reads like a small piece of art. It contrasts well with texture on the wall and plays nicely with other decorative elements.
As for the spiky urchin, it found a new home on my autumn mantel. I already had a bronze spiky orb on the opposite side (you can see it here), so the urchin balances the display and adds a playful, tactile contrast to the other fall accents.
So that’s my little Nate for Target story: the early-morning dash, the false starts, the victory at the fourth store, and the joy of placing the pieces around the house. What did you find from the collection? Was it hard to track down? Did anyone score the bedding, towels, or those bold colored chains? I loved the yellow chain but didn’t have a spot in mind, so I passed—though it could be a fun DIY project to re-create with an old heavy chain and spray paint. Share your Target hauls and styling ideas—I’d love to see how you used Nate’s collection in your own spaces.