“I don’t think we should put celebrity designers on a pedestal,” says Bobby Berk

Queer Eye star Bobby Berk recently left the hit show to run his own interior design studio full-time. In this exclusive interview, he discusses how his television experiences have shaped his approach.

After announcing in November 2023 that he would be stepping down from his role as the interior design expert on the Netflix reality series after eight seasons, Berk has since turned to full-time work through his eponymous studio — as well as is a Dezeen Awards judge.

“I think the show really made me more confident in using color”

“Designing for TV is very different from designing for a ‘real world’ project,” Berk told Dezeen. “The timeline is much faster [in TV]and you’re also creating a space that has to work in person and translate to the screen.”

Berk described how his work on Queer Eye – where the five expert presenters make positive changes in the everyday person’s lifestyle – required him to adapt his usual design style in order to satisfy the needs of the renovation subjects. of the show.

“In terms of design, my work on Queer Eye often featured a lot more colors and patterns than I usually use,” he explained. “I wanted to reflect the personalities and desires of the residents, and that often meant courage.”

In contrast, Berk describes his personal style as an “organic, modern, classic, Spanish and minimal mix with a mostly neutral color palette” that leans towards working with natural materials and geometric shapes.

He cites his LA-based studio, in a recently renovated 1970s Spanish-style house, as the project that most accurately reflects his style.

Filled with a palette dominated by black, white, marble and wood, the rooms house the designer’s headquarters and various home products.

However, he reports that Queer Eye has opened him up to experimenting with bolder tones and patterns.

“I believe we should let the work speak for itself”

“I’ve brought hits of color to a number of projects since then, and I think the show really made me more confident in using color – especially in wallpaper, unique paint treatments and murals,” he said.

Berk argues that his style is not definable to a single term or phrase – but admits that some aspects of his taste were strengthened by moving from New York to California, after a childhood spent in the Bible Belt.

“Everything really developed over time, there was no exact moment for my style to come together,” he said. “Rather, I feel that all of my past experiences and influences came together into a more distinct look and feel when I moved to California.”

Los Angeles continues to be the biggest influence on his work, ahead of the various Queer Eye filming locations – including Atlanta, Philadelphia, New Orleans and a spin-off season in Japan – or Portugal, where the designer now lives part-time. partial.

“Of all the places I’ve lived and traveled, Los Angeles is the city that continues to fuel my creativity and help me see with fresh eyes,” he said.

“It’s a very inspiring place on so many different levels, and it has such a heritage of incredible architecture and design.”

Design as a tool to improve well-being has remained central to Berk’s work before, during and after Queer Eye, and he explored the topic further in his book Right at Home: How Good Design Is Good For The Mind, published last year. .

“Since the beginning of my career, I’ve known the power that design can have to change your life,” he said.

“This will always be the focus of my work, to use design not only as a way to make a room beautiful, but as an invaluable tool to improve well-being and mental health.”

While he admits being in the spotlight can be both “challenging” and “flattering”, Berk is keen for his design work to be judged on its own merits.

“Being on a TV show has definitely changed my life in incredible ways and given me so many wonderful opportunities,” he said. “Part of that also means being a public figure and having people interested in more than just your design work.”

“Sometimes it’s challenging, sometimes it’s flattering, but it’s what I signed up for,” he added. “I also don’t think we should put celebrity designers on a pedestal or value their work over other designers who may not have had the same exposure.”

“I believe we should let the work speak for itself and give space to anyone who is talented and creates compelling design.”

The photo was taken by Sara Ligorria Tramp.

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