8 Design Tips from Bobby Berk to Steal from the 2023 Real Simple Home

A gorgeous penthouse apartment in Brooklyn, New York, the sixth annual Real Simple Home features sweeping views of the city and must-see room makeovers by top designers. But we're especially obsessed with the living room, which was styled by interior designer Bobby Berk, best known for his role on the Netflix show, Queer Eye. With an elegant palette and smart uses of pattern and texture, the living room is both cool and comfy. Read on to learn how Berk took this room from an empty glass-and-steel box to an inviting space ideal for entertaining. 

1. Showcase a View

Instead of competing with the large windows, Berk wanted them to inform the design for the rest of the space. “The only way to compete with that is to be harmonious with it,” he says. The designer, who typically chooses neutrals, knew that a showstopping color scheme would make the view and the room sing. So he turned his head to what was right in front of him. “I wanted to pull in colors from the city. And if you look around at all these buildings out here, you see the reddish-orange brick, the light bricks, and the peacock colors on a nearby building,” Berk says. His energetic palette of burnt oranges, blush peaches, and deep blue hues lets the room mesh seamlessly with the skyline.

2. Create Zones

With a large, rectangular space, it’s important to add some organization to make the room more functional. Bobby created a main seating area with a plush bouclé sofa, velvet poufs, leather-and-wood slingback chairs, and a plush geometric-print chair. To distinguish it from the rest of the room, a navy blue rug creates a visual border. To the side, a wall niche creates the perfect alcove for a bar area. Bobby opted for a console filled with entertainment essentials rather than a bar cart; the out-of-sight storage helps keep the space tidy.

3. Soften Straight Lines

Too many straight lines can make a room feel tense. “Everything is so square in this room, and in the view outside, that I wanted to bring in some curves,” Berk says. “And I think round shapes are very beautiful, especially when they're surrounded by something opposite.”

Berk added a mix of sculptural and geometric shapes to soften the room and make it feel more homey. A curved sofa, a coffee table with rounded legs, and an arched room divider help balance all the angles. Cylindrical poufs, a scalloped mirror, and squiggle sconces bring in new shapes that ebb and flow with the rest of the room, proving not everything has to be the same shape or angle. 

4. Layer Textures

Berk loves decorating with texture, and there’s no shortage of it here, including velvet poufs, a bouclé sofa, and jute bar console. Look closer and you'll find hits of texture in the rug, on the chairs, in the mix of plants, and three mismatched side tables, made of concrete, plaster, and wood. There’s even texture on the wall, Berk says. The framed piece above the black console is purposefully folded and not lined up with the edge of the frame to add dimension.

5. Use Pattern Wisely

“I didn’t want to put a lot of pattern on the walls because there’s so much going on outside,” Berk says. Instead, he opted to use pattern sparingly but with great impact. A black-and-white chair became a pattern focal point, with additional motifs featured on the pillows and throw blankets. And don’t forget to look up—patterned wallpaper on the ceiling is subtle but draws the eyes upward. “When you put something up that high, it makes you see how high the ceilings are,” he says. 

6. Set the Mood (Lighting)

Believe it or not, there's no overhead lighting in the living room. And while the windows provide plenty of light during the day, Bobby had to get creative with lighting choices for when the sun goes down. A floor lamp pointed upwards helps give the feel of overhead lighting but with much less harshness, Berk says. To balance it out, he chose a table lamp with a ceramic shade that forces light downward. “At night, it’s nice because it’s all ambient light, there’s not that light and bright in your face,” Berk says. 

7. Develop Creative Solutions

Problem-solving is your best friend when it comes to designing any space. Here, a large AC panel in the back wall was a major eyesore. Knowing that he couldn’t hang anything over it, Berk got innovative. "We decided to do a screen and make it a piece of art,” he says. He turned what was once a sore spot into a thing of beauty. Plus, the screen can easily be moved out of the way if a repair is ever needed. 

8. Channel Your Inner Designer 

Berk's most recent book lies somewhere between design inspiration and self-help, teaching readers how to make their space their own using what makes them happiest. When designing any room, he advises that you don’t need to listen to the opinion of any designer other than yourself. “Everyone has a designer within them, you just need the tools to figure out what makes you happy. Because that’s ultimately what you should be putting in your home,” Berk says. While it's great to follow tips from designers you admire, remember to trust your gut and go with your instinct.