Smart home decoration tips from designer Vern Yip

When you're decorating a room, it can be difficult to identify your personal vision and stay true to it — especially if you have financial constraints or are designing with others in mind. But Vern Yip, who has designed on TLC's Trading Spaces and hosts the interior design show Home Reimagined, says that compromising on your tastes now means you might be redecorating a year from now. This episode, Yip shares a step-by-step guide from his new book, Color Pattern Texture, to make any room feel undeniably you — and still keep roommates, partners and your budget happy. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekitSign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at [email protected] the show and listen to it sponsor-free by signing up for Life Kit+ at plus.npr.org/lifekitLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

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• 0:00Speaker 00

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• 0:17Marielle Segarra?

  You're listening to Life Kit from NPR.

• 0:23Marielle Segarra?

  Hey, it's Marielle. You ever scroll through Pinterest or Instagram and see an AI-generated image of some super cozy room? You know, the one with a wraparound couch that could fit an entire football team and the roaring fireplace and the floor-to-ceiling glass walls that reveal a view of the snowy mountains just beyond? This is a fantasy. You don't have a fireplace. You don't live next to a mountain. You actually live in a 700-square-foot apartment, or something like that. Now, this doesn't mean you can't love your home, the one you currently live in. But Vern Yip, who's an architectural and interior designer, says getting there is

• 1:05Marielle Segarra?

  not about picking the trendiest pink color or renovating the whole place all at once.

• 1:11Speaker 02

  I mean, design for me is a real tool to maximize the quality of your life, to ensure that the surroundings that you spend the most time in really make you feel the way that you want to feel.

• 1:27Marielle Segarra?

  Vern hosts a design show called Home Reimagined. You may also know him from his time on Trading Spaces. And he just published a book called Color, Pattern, Texture, because those are the power tools designers use to create meaningful spaces. But what's meaningful, that depends on who you are.

• 1:44Speaker 02

  I think I use the example in the book of growing up in a very sort of traditional Chinese household. My parents fled China during the Cultural Revolution, which was when communism came into China, and they were able to only take a handful of things with them. And I grew up in a very humble household. My parents worked really, really hard and gave up a lot to come to this country. But they surrounded us with the things that they were able to take out. Beautiful paintings that unfortunately they had to fold in order to get them out. And so they, they had creases in them.

• 2:18Marielle Segarra?

  Now, in the home he shares with his husband and kids, Vern surrounds himself with images and patterns that remind him of his culture, his foundation, and his upbringing.

• 2:27Speaker 02

  And I love that I still have it in my household as I'm raising my children and my children are now adding another layer of meaning on top of mine.

• 2:36Marielle Segarra?

  And you can be inspired by anything, not just your family history or cultural background. Vern once saved a wrapper from a bar of chocolate and used that as inspiration.

• 2:45Speaker 02

  It just had like the coolest depiction of a polar bear in the forest. And there was something about the style of how it was drawn that, you know, really resonated with me.

• 2:57Marielle Segarra?

  On this episode of Life Kit, how to reimagine and spruce up the spaces in your home so they feel like you and whoever else you live with. We'll talk about where to find inspiration, how to compromise, how to settle on a paint color, and how to decorate on a budget. That's after the break.

• 3:34Marielle Segarra?

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• 4:55Marielle Segarra?

  You share a step-by-step process in the book. It's a sort of game plan for decorating your place. And the first thing on that list is to figure out what you want a particular space, say your living room, to be, what you're hoping to use it for, and also what emotions you want to feel when you're in there. Why start there?

• 5:14Speaker 02

  I think that that's really important because not everybody wants the same thing. And it's important to really be honest with yourself about not only how you want your space to feel aesthetically, but how you want it to work functionally. A lot of people say, hey, I want my dining room to be the center of lively conversation and for people to be able to spend hours there just comfortably conversing with each other. But somebody else might say, hey, you know, I prefer my dining room to be really calming and low-key.

• 5:52Marielle Segarra?

  Yeah, I mean, you might be someone who's like, I don't like inviting people over. What I want is for that space to be a solo space. Or I want to feel really relaxed and like, watch my Netflix movies there.

• 6:05Speaker 02

  Absolutely. Or you might think that everybody wants a calming, relaxing bedroom. Somebody might say, hey, you know, it's the, it's the only time I get any time to myself. When I'm in there, I want to be stimulated. I wanna be excited about what I'm seeing. You know, I wanted to be perfectly selfishly me. Because so many of our common spaces, like our living rooms, our family rooms. I encourage people to really design with everybody who's important and involved and gonna be using that space. But you know, those more intimate spaces that can be really just you. You know, somebody might really wanna just embrace their wild side.

• 6:46Speaker 02

  So it is really important to start with an honest conversation with yourself about how you wanna feel in that space.

• 6:53Marielle Segarra?

  Yeah, totally. So what about if you share the space with a roommate, or a partner, or your kid, other family members? How do you combine your styles?

• 7:06Speaker 02

  That's such a great question. Because I have been in the middle of a lot of really difficult client conversations where we have two people with very, very disparate points of view on what should be included. But I think it's really important to have everybody who's really using a space participate in the process so that they can feel heard. Because when you give up any say in what your home looks like, you may think that you're okay with it, but you can start to become really resentful when you wake up in a bedroom every day that is completely not a color that you're okay with and filled with patterns that really you don't like.

• 7:51Speaker 02

  It starts to wear on you. So I think it's important for everybody to participate. I always use the example of a Venn diagram. Let's find the intersection for those important sort of foundational items, the things that are really major components of the room. Let's see if we can't get to agreement on that handful of items. And then, as we start to fill the room out with different elements that are a lot Less important and a lot more temporary than let certain people have their way. And I'll give you an example, you know, it's really different.

• 8:31Speaker 02

  For example, selecting tile that's going to go on your bathroom walls. That's really permanent. And once it's up, it's up and you're not going to really want to change it if you don't like it after it's up. That's completely different from somebody saying, hey, you know, I know you don't love terracotta, but would you be OK with a couple terracotta throw pillows? What about terracotta towels?

• 8:58Marielle Segarra?

  If something's controversial in the household, go for towels, not tiles.

• 9:03Speaker 02

  That's exactly right. Well put.

• 9:04Marielle Segarra?

  Thank you.

• 9:09Marielle Segarra?

  All right, takeaway one. Before you renovate, redesign, or decorate a room, take a beat to think about what you want it to be. Maybe your kitchen is super functional, but it's a bit sterile. When you want it to feel cozy, you want it to be a space where you're excited to meal prep with your family or your roommates for the week. Or maybe your living room is fine, but it doesn't fit your personality. There's no art on the walls and the floor has become a sea of dirty laundry and random clutter. What do you want it to feel like? And how do you want to use it? Make sure you include anyone you share the space with in this process. And try to come to compromises on the bigger, more permanent design choices, like what flooring or tile or couch you're going to get.

• 9:52Marielle Segarra?

  OK, next, you tell folks to gather inspiration for the space. And one way to do that is with an inspiration box. You say in the book, many of us kept a treasure box when we were children of things that were special to us, like shells from the beach, ticket stubs, rocks, found feathers. As adults, we often forget to take the time to do this. And you give examples of how someone could build their inspiration box. Like you say, you brought home a paper folder from the Acropolis Museum's gift store in Athens that had stylized animals on it. What did you like about about that folder? And why did you put it in your box?

• 10:32Speaker 02

  Yeah, you know, such a funny thing to bring back from such an iconic place. But there was something about it that struck me. I had never seen animals interpreted in that way. It was also the color of the folder. For me, like, when something really moves me, I really love something. And I think this is important, too, to not just fill your house with things that you like and that you're OK with, or that you feel an obligation to, but to really surround yourself with things that you truly love. I've once helped a client design an entire bedroom based off of sea glass that she had been collecting for years.

• 11:16Speaker 02

  She'd been going on vacation with her family to a certain beach. And every time she would go, she would pick up sea glass. And it just meant so much to her, you know? She loved the texture of it and the colors of the sea glass, but it also had a lot of memories. And I think that that's what I'm getting at when I'm saying you have to be open to really loving something and building your house with things that resonate with you, not only aesthetically, but because they have a tie to your life in some capacity.

• 11:46Marielle Segarra?

  Yeah. That kind of leads us to the next step, which is to include room elements that have meaning to you. So what do you mean by that?

• 11:56Speaker 02

  This is such an important component, and I hope everybody can really take this to heart. We all start out filling our spaces with things that we don't necessarily love, but that we can afford. And what I say to people all the time is every single one of those things in your house, whether you realize it or not, is sending you a message. And you want that message to ultimately be a really positive one. You want that message to be, hey, you know, remember when you went on that great road trip to see the changing fall leaves? And you saw me in an antique shop in the window? And you fell in love with me and you brought me home?

• 12:40Speaker 02

  I mean, that's a great message. The other message could be, hey, do you remember when you bought me because you didn't really love me, but I was on sale and you were having a dinner party and you needed to fill this hole on your shelf? Like, that's not the kind of message that you want your house to be sending to you. But the other thing is that it's much more difficult to insert meaningful items at the end of the process. So start with meaningful items and the items that are most limited first.

• 13:14Marielle Segarra?

  Takeaway two: gather inspiration for your space. One way to do that is with a physical inspiration box or folder. Collect paper and small objects in the colors and patterns that stir your soul. And you don't have to be able to articulate why you like them. Just notice what resonates and stick it in the box. Also, try to incorporate patterns and objects that have a deeper meaning to you. A blender that belonged to your grandma, or a painting that reminds you of the city where you grew up. What matters is that you understand the connection and the meaning. You don't need to explain it to your house guests, although you totally can if you want to.

• 13:52Marielle Segarra?

  Okay, let's talk about color. What does it mean to choose your colors carefully?

• 13:57Speaker 02

  Yeah, you know, a lot of people, for example, they like to pick paint chips in the store and then like make a selection when they're in the store. And the thing is, the lighting where you're buying paint is likely, hopefully, completely different from what you have at home. Normally, in a hardware store or home improvement store, the lighting is fluorescent and it's really cool in temperature. And it impacts how a color looks in that space. Your room could be north-facing, or south-facing, or east or west-facing. And the kind of light that comes into a room, you know, it's much warmer, for example, if you're south-facing, and it's definitely cooler if it's north-facing.

• 14:39Speaker 02

  So it really is going to look different in your actual space. And that goes for color across the board, whether it's color in your upholstery, or your rugs, or your wall covering. It's good to get those physical samples and then to actually make sure that they read the way that you want them to read, because it is a big investment at the end of the day.

• 15:00Marielle Segarra?

  Yeah, you gave an example of the book of someone who painted their room a particular color and then realized that it made them look bad.

• 15:08Speaker 02

  Yeah, so a good friend of mine, she loves wearing hues of green. She has beautiful green eyes and she just really feels like it makes her eyes pop. She's very pale complected. And when she painted her whole room green, like the greens that she loves wearing, she's now realizing that the light is bouncing off of the green walls and it's making her look like she's under the weather. She then went ahead and painted her room like a really lovely shade of kind of like a peach and she felt so much better in the space. But everybody has been through that exercise of picking a paint chip, buying the paint

• 15:51Speaker 02

  without having tested it thoroughly, and then looking at the room color and going, oh no, what have I done?

• 15:59Marielle Segarra?

  Takeaway three. Paint is not the most permanent decision, but it's not as easy to switch out as a throw pillow. So take a moment to gather paint chips and look at them in your space at different times of day and under different lighting conditions.

• 16:13Speaker 02

  Tape them onto your wall and then look at them during the day when you have natural light and then look at them at night when you're primarily using artificial light. And start to take down the ones that you don't really like. Put the paint chips on different walls within the room because it's going to look different on different walls because light's going to be hitting those walls differently. And then when you finally have narrowed it down to like two or three choices that you think you're really going to be happy with, that's the time when you can either, a lot of paint companies, for example, have these paint stickers that are really accurate, that are larger, you know, they're usually like eight inches by eight inches or so. And you can put that on the wall. You could buy sample paint pots.

• 16:55Speaker 02

  A lot of paint companies have those as well where you're not buying even a quarter gallon. You're buying enough to put like a three foot by three foot square of paint on that wall. And after it's dried, that will help you determine what's really the best choice for you.

• 17:11Marielle Segarra?

  After the break, we'll have more design tips with Vern Yip.

• 17:25Speaker 00

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• 17:44Speaker 05

  On the latest episode of Sources and Methods, in Israel this week, an election with no clear winner. Next week, in the US, an election that could shift the balance of power in Washington. And in both countries, a defining issue for voters, the war in Iran. We look at where things could be headed in that conflict. Listen this week to Sources and Methods, the national security podcast from NPR.

• 18:08Marielle Segarra?

  We're back with Life Kit. So, OK, Vern, every one of us has a financial limit, some kind of financial constraint. How can we figure out what to prioritize spending on if we do want to make a room look different?

• 18:20Speaker 02

  I think it's a great point, and I actually think financial constraints can be your best friend. Because when we're given limitless budgets, I think we oftentimes, you know, there's no consequences in our minds. So I think it causes us to examine things on a deeper level and to really prioritize. I really encourage people to invest in things that they really care about and that they really love and that are of quality, and to build their rooms more slowly, to sometimes do without the things that you might really love. Maybe you end up getting a pair of end tables from your parents' house that they're throwing out, and they are perfectly fine to serve you in the interim until you can afford those

• 19:05Speaker 02

  end tables that you really want. Or maybe you get something from a thrift store or Goodwill that is secondhand that will suffice. But I think so often, when people don't go through this step-by-step process of really building a room correctly, they end up with something that is aesthetically beautiful, but it doesn't ever last because it's not truly reflective of It's not truly built with items that they love. And so they start that process over and over again of redoing the room. A room should grow with you as you grow as a person. Instead of like completely stripping it away as you grow and you evolve, you add additional layers to your room to reflect your experience.

• 19:49Speaker 02

  And I think that's when you know you've done it right.

• 19:51Marielle Segarra?

  Yeah.

• 19:53Marielle Segarra?

  Do you have any suggestions for decorating on a budget? Like how to find stuff that is more affordable?

• 19:59Speaker 02

  Yeah, I mean, I still love a traditional yard sale. You can still find incredible things there because a lot of people have sort of given up on the idea of physically going somewhere to look for something. I think a lot of people buy secondhand or repurposed and they can either choose to celebrate the piece on its own or they can choose to adapt it to better reflect who they are. But I do think that there are a lot of clever ways to do that. And oftentimes, those secondhand items are of higher quality than what you might get brand new from a store.

• 20:40Speaker 02

  Maybe that older sofa has a hardwood frame instead of one that's made out of pine. Maybe it has eight-way hand-tied springs instead of being made of some kind of weird foam that's gonna eventually give way and everybody will be able to tell where you exactly sit every night when you watch TV.

• 20:58Marielle Segarra?

  Sometimes I find too that like what seems like a cheaper option in the moment might not be worth it. Like if you're in a space where you're saying, oh, you know what? I'm just gonna, I can't afford to re-tile, so I'm gonna put down peel and stick tile. But peel and stick tile like on the floor can very easily come unstuck and wear down.

• 21:23Speaker 02

  You're exactly right. It is not a long-term solution. But it's also how you feel every day stepping onto that peel and stick. You know, it might be peel and stick, for example, that looks like wood or looks like marble, but it's never going to feel like wood, marble, or porcelain, or whatever it is that would have been your first choice. And it might be very passable in a photograph. You might see somebody do it on a social media post and think, that looks good and that was so affordable. But at the end of the day, you have to physically interact with it. And design is so much more than just the color of something or the pattern of something. It's really how it feels.

• 22:08Speaker 02

  It feels on your feet. It feels when you sit down on it, when you touch it, even, you know, the texture of something when you're just visually appreciating it because you can see it.

• 22:20Marielle Segarra?

  Yeah. It seems like in that case, if you're like, I can't afford to get the whole floor re-tiled, you could put down a rug and then save up towards doing the whole tile floor.

• 22:31Speaker 02

  It feels like you co-authored this book with me. That is exactly right. You should find a less permanent and less expensive solution that will just kind of get you over the hump until you can do it the way that you want to. I mean, I know there's something just really great and beautiful about immediate gratification, but sometimes that's really not the answer.

• 22:52Marielle Segarra?

  All right. Takeaway four. A great way to redecorate on a budget is to shop secondhand. Go to yard sales and thrift stores. Often you'll be able to find furniture and other items that are high quality and made to last. And if they need a little love, you can fix them up. Also, remember that sometimes what seems like the cheapest, easiest option right now will not last. I had this experience myself with peel and stick tiles. Tried using them as a kitchen backdrop. They were hard to clean and they started coming unstuck within a few months. Eventually I re-tiled with ceramic. Sometimes it's better to save up and make a change that'll last. Yeah, I like what you're saying about our spaces being a work in progress because I

• 23:37Marielle Segarra?

  think there is a pressure to have this perfect, beautiful space, especially if you're someone who's really affected by what's around you. It's like, you feel like you haven't arrived yet or like you're just, this thing is annoying you every day, this old tile that you keep looking at. Or it's almost like, why can't I just like get it together and finally get my house looking like, looking like your book?

• 24:06Speaker 02

  You know, first off, these projects that you're seeing in this book, they're for clients who I've known for years. Meaning, in many cases, I've seen the same painting, but moved it from like house to house to house, you know? It takes time. It does take time. Even when you see it in a beautiful magazine spread or a beautiful book, it's important to realize that that didn't happen instantly. And oftentimes, those rooms that are put together instantly, even though they might be perfectly put together, they oftentimes fall flat because they don't have any of the patina of life in them, of objects that have been hauled from point A to B to C to D.

• 24:51Marielle Segarra?

  Totally.

• 24:52Speaker 02

  So these pictures are beautiful, but it's important to realize that this is the result of years of surrounding yourself with things that have meaning and that you love.

• 25:02Marielle Segarra?

  Vern Yip, thank you so much.

• 25:03Speaker 02

  Thank you. Thank you for having me.

• 25:09Marielle Segarra?

  Okay, time for a recap. Takeaway one: Before you change a space, think about what you want to use it for and how you want to feel in it. And make sure you include anyone you share the space with in this process. Takeaway two: Gather inspiration. You can even collect ideas in a physical box or folder, found objects and ephemera, prints and patterns that you love. Also, consider decorating with items and styles that have a deep meaning to you. Takeaway three: I know it's exciting to slap on a fresh coat of paint, but take a moment first to gather paint chips and look at them in your space at different times of the day, under different lighting conditions. Narrow it down to your favorites and get larger paint stickers or small samples of the paint itself so you can test it out on the wall.

• 25:54Marielle Segarra?

  Takeaway four: A great way to redecorate on a budget is to shop secondhand. Go to yard sales and thrift stores. And remember that sometimes what looks like the cheapest and easiest choice right now will not last. It's okay to design a room little by little, to let it grow with you over time, like your favorite neighborhood in your favorite city, the one with the layers and layers of history.

• 26:18Marielle Segarra?

  And that's our show. Before we go, I do have a favor to ask. If you have a moment, would you leave Life Kit a five-star review? Maybe this episode is inspiring you to redecorate your living room, or to make a budget to save up for that couch you've been eyeballing. A five-star review is a great way to show your support. Thanks, y'all. This episode of Life Kit was produced by Margaret Serino. Our visuals editor is Beck Harlan, and our digital editor is Malika Greb. Megan Kane is our senior supervising editor, and Beth Donovan is our executive producer. Our production team also includes Andy Tagle, Claire Marie Schneider, and Sylvie Douglas. Engineering support comes from Stacy Abbott. I'm Mariel Segarra. Thanks for listening.

• 27:13Speaker 03

  Stay tuned for the following announcements and messages from our sponsors.