LAB Talk: Bobby Berk
MAY 3, 2019
May is Home Improvement Month, and what better way to kick it off that by learning from an industry leader and Queer Eye’s home interior expert?
LAB Talks is so honored to have hosted the one and only Bobby Berk, in a discussion about the most efficient way to transform your home and your well being. As a designer, Bobby transforms homes that in turn, transform lives on Netflix’s hit show Queer Eye.
Bobby sat down with Figure’s co-founder Alana Ackerson to answer any and all questions about home improvement. In this special time, Bobby talked about: the smartest way to transform any space, his favorite home transformations from the show and some hilarious and candid insights into the making of Queer Eye.
“Think of your home as an investment - Bobby Berk.”
What is your favorite room to design in the home?
I would say the kitchen. The kitchen is the heart of the home and it is where you get the most bank for your buck. You start and end your day there.
What is one little thing that you can do to improve your house that can make a huge difference?
Paint. It can be something that is quick and that isn’t a huge project. It can make you feel like you’re not living in someone else’s dirt. Actually, in season 3, I painted 6 out of 8 houses.
What is something that you have had forever, that you haven’t gotten rid of?
My husband. Actually, if you haven’t heard my story I left home at 15 and move around a lot. I didn’t keep many possessions with me as I moved sometimes 5 times in a year. The one thing I have kept is a blanket from Banana Republic Home, believe it or not.
Do you struggle with people who want to keep sentimental items in their home when you are doing a renovation?
Yes. Let it go, let it go! You’re on a damn show! By season 3 people told me to do whatever in their house. But, seasons 1 and 2 people were a little less trusting of me because they hadn’t really seen what I could do.
What is your best advice for working with small spaces?
Go up. Don’t just think about the space from left to right, but work with the vertical space as well.
What is one design trend that you hate?
I don’t think there are any that I hate. I mean, there are a lot of trends that just aren’t for me. But I can appreciate the beauty behind them. Different things spark joy for different people.
Do you have a favorite project from the show?
They are all my favorites, but in terms of my style being reflected in the project I would say AJ from season 1. I would totally live in that home because it was designed with my aesthetic.
What advice to you give people before you leave them in their new homes?
Just like Ru Paul I say, “don’t f*ck it up.”
You know, I do leave them with the thought that a clean house effects your mental health. If you wake up to the laundry you kept telling yourself you were going to do, then the first feeling you will have in the morning is disappointment. But, if you wake up with a house that is tidy you can then focus on goals and things that make you happy. I really teach the heroes that your home is like your charger - you have to plug yourself in to recharge. Investing a few minutes a day to keep your space tidy can go a long way.
How long do you get to remodels a hero’s home on the show?
I get the home on Tuesday afternoon and I have it done by Friday morning. We do a lot of preplanning. I fill a warehouse with furniture before the season starts so that I can pick things out for the hero’s home within that time frame.
Thank you again, Figure for partnering with LAB and bring Bobby to Minneapolis. We so appreciated learning about the most effective way to successfully transform any space.
Thank you to our sponsors:
And a final thank you to Bobby and Alana for spending time in the Holden Room, with our LAB community!
Photos By:
Kathryn Marie Photography | Grace Vo Photography | @ms.placed.design
