5 Life-Changing Design Lessons We Learned From Bobby Berk

Bobby Berk is on top of the world. Or, he’s in a penthouse apartment in Brooklyn, but in New York City real estate terms, it’s basically the same thing. Perhaps best known for the home makeovers he does on Netflix’s Queer Eye, Berk is an interior designer in real life, too. His latest project was making over the living room of this year’s Real Simple Home. He’s also celebrating the release of an interior design book, Right at Home: How Good Design Is Good for the Mind: An Interior Design Book.

We got to speak to Berk from the penthouse living room in Brooklyn, and the wisdom he was sharing is too good to keep a secret. Here are our five favorite design tips we learned—they’ll change your perspective on design for the better.

Design Side-to-Side and Top-to-Bottom

It's a common mistake to only think about arranging your home as being something that happens to items with four legs that rest on the ground.

"Everybody thinks of real estate from side to side," Berk says. "Like, ‘what can I fit on this floor plan?’ Don't forget about your real estate from top to bottom, especially in a bedroom. Put that bed up high. Get a bed with dressers underneath. Really go up—shelves all the way up to the ceiling. Maximize your space from top to bottom, not just side-to-side.”

Don’t Focus on Your ‘Aesthetic’

You may be tempted to design a space around a certain aesthetic—Scandi, tomato girl, coastal cowgirl—but you might end up with something that looks good without feeling good.

“It's all about putting things in that make you happy," Berk says. "I talked a lot in my book about not worrying about what your design aesthetic is because most people who aren't in design really can't articulate that. It's about finding the things that make you happy."

You can find inspiration for home decor from anywhere, even from your favorite "worn-in leather jacket."

"Think of it like some leather accents in your furniture," Berk says. "You can look in your closet and kind of figure out a color palette for your home based on what you wear."

That's certainly true for Berk, whose home is made up of colors that are present in his closet.

"Think about your favorite movie, favorite show, your dream vacation or your favorite vacation and infuse those type of things in there," he suggests. "Those are the things that are going to make us happy. It's going to make your home really not just be a beautiful place but somewhere to take care of your mental health."

Most Design Rules Are Actually Just Opinions

Which design rules should be broken, according to Berk?

“I personally don't think there's really any rules in design," says Berk. "Design is so personal. I think that a lot of rules that are made up are just a designer trying to come up with rules to get their opinion in. Their opinions are great, their opinions are valid, their opinions are often based on their experiences—but I really think design should be personal.”

Scale Is the Only ‘Rule’ That Matters

Even though he thinks most design rules are made up, there is one Berk firmly believes in.

“The one rule I think is valid, that should not be broken, is scaling—making sure that the things you're putting in your home are the right size for that space," Berk says. "Because if they're too big—'Oh my god, I love this sofa so much. I know it's too big, but I'm going to get it anyway'—you're going to hate it. You're going to stub your toe. You're going to be crawling over it all the time."

Even if a piece is lovely, it just might not be right for your space.

“You can have the most impeccable taste in the world, but if something's not the right scale, it's not going to have a good feeling," he says. "In the end, if it doesn't function properly, it doesn't matter how beautiful it is, it's not going to make your life easier."

Following Trends Won’t Make You Happy

The emerging trends he likes? "None." Yes, none.

"I don't like trends because I feel like that's just telling people what they need to do in their home even if it's not right for them," he explains. "Like, "Oh, well your home isn't on trend, blah blah blah,' but [design] is not really about that." 

Just like his take on design rules, Berk's perspective on trends is encouraging and supportive of anyone who wants to design.

"The biggest trend I love is just people really realizing that design can be democratized, and design is for everybody," he says. "And everybody really is a designer because only you really know what makes you happy, so my favorite trend is following your gut."