Nate Berkus Talks Moving Off Oprah's Couch With "The Nate Berkus Show"

Interior decorator Nate Berkus has made a career out of making "Oprah" audiences gasp in awe of his home makeovers and swoon with his good looks. While over 60 appearances on the "Oprah" show and 127 makeovers, he's moving off Oprah's couch and redesigning the daytime talk show with the premiere of "The Nate Berkus Show."

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"The Nate Berkus Show," co-produced by the big O's own Harpo Studios with Sony Pictures Television, will offer more than just tips on how to turn homes from drab to fab, although home overhauls will be featured. Berkus will also include various lifestyle segments and even sit-down interviews and celebrity guests like country superstar Dolly Parton, headline-making Elizabeth Edwards, and even his mom and HGTV/DIY personality Nancy Golden.

But for a show spearheaded by the most well-known interior decorator in the country, who also boasts his own best-selling book and a line of furnishings on HSN, "The Nate Berkus Show" will at least have the best looking set on television. He collaborated with set designer Jeff Hall, who offered functionality while Berkus worried about all the fixtures.

"I wanted the set to feel like somebody was walking into my home everyday," Berkus told AHN. "It's going to change up periodically as I become interested in different things in the world of design."

But designing a show from the ground up is a lot more work than redoing a living space and being a glorified guest on "Oprah." Berkus moved from his usual corner in the windy city of Chicago to New York this past summer where he began to work on the day-to-day of carrying a show with his namesake, including working closely with his staff on scripts, segments, planning, and producing.

Berkus made his first appearance on "Oprah" back in 2002 after he met a producer by chance at an art gallery. He made his last appearance this past May where she dedicated a farewell to the design star. But in between, other friends of "Oprah" Rachael Ray and Dr. Oz made the jump from guest spots to hosts of their own Harpo-produced shows.

Meanwhile, Berkus honed his hosting skills with his a stint on the short-lived "Oprah's Big Give" and his own Sirius radio talk show. Now, "The Nate Berkus Show" is ready to premiere, with TV watchers hoping it to be the next big hit in Harpo's canon. The openly gay Berkus will even be coupled with Ellen DeGeneres' show in some markets. Berkus, who'll celebrate his 39th birthday on the show with a special episode, says he feels ready to strike out on his own.

"What feels right to me more often than not is when things happen organically. I wanted to do this in a way that felt right for me because I was really happy with my role on the 'Oprah' show," Berkus says. "I think that the timing is great right now because there's always been so much interest in the home and living well. I've had years to prepare for this."

"The Nate Berkus Show" premieres Monday, September 13th in syndication. Check local listings for times.