Vern Yip is busy. A nationally known interior designer, TV host and author, he’s adding another show to his credits: the revival of TLC’s “Trading Spaces,” premiering April 7 and featuring Yip and others from the original cast of designers. He’s also the featured speaker at the Southern Women’s Show, March 17 at 1 p.m. at the Richmond Raceway Complex, where he’ll share design advice, tips and stylish living inspiration. He’ll also offer a glimpse into what viewers can expect from the new season of “Trading Spaces.”
Originally airing from 2000-08, the show was a real trailblazer in the world of DIY-design TV. “Trading Spaces is the first show that really brought design, DIY and entertaining together,” says Yip, who appeared in the first four seasons. “There were plenty of shows with [home design] tips, but none were doing it in a way that was attainable and entertaining.” He says that the show has always held a special place in people’s hearts, and fans have been asking for its return since it went off the air. From college students watching with their friends in the dorm to expectant mothers watching marathons during prescribed bed rest, “People remember the experience of watching the show,” says Yip.
Viewers will be familiar with the “Trading Spaces” reboot, because the premise is precisely the same: two neighbors, two days, two designers, a limited budget and all of it top-secret until the big reveal.
Some things about the show have changed, however. For starters, the design environment is vastly different than it was when “Trading Spaces” first aired. On a practical level, Yip says, designers can now order items online and oftentimes have them arrive the next day. During his first run on the show, he says, “We were still trudging from brick-and-mortar [shop] to brick-and-mortar [shop]” — without the aid of GPS systems providing time-saving directions.
Another thing that has changed is the culture and people’s interest in design. When “Trading Spaces” first aired, “People weren’t necessarily comfortable in having a say in what their home looked like; they felt like they needed to follow a trend or look like their neighbors,” says Yip. People have become bolder and more secure in their design knowledge thanks in part to the wealth of information available online. “People now know how to speak the design language,” he says. And big-box stores now have well-designed, accessible pieces — not the case the during the show's first time around, he adds.
Having such access to goods and information can be overwhelming, Yip acknowledges, but viewers can take a page from the show’s designers, and be inspired to create their own looks. Even if the process is different and arguably more efficient, the show’s endgame is the same: “ 'Trading Spaces' encouraged people to think independently,” he says. “It’s OK for your house to look different, it’s OK for you to have an eclectic look.”
In addition to his work on “Trading Spaces” and other shows as well as his own design projects, Yip has launched a line of fabrics, and is working on launching lines of wallcoverings and light fixtures, too. He also wrote a book, published in 2016; “Vern Yip’s Design Wise: Your Smart Guide to a Beautiful Home,” is equal parts practical and pretty, providing the rules of design along with inspirational photos of his work. He says that the information in the book is pertinent to everyone, no matter how big or small their dwelling may be. “Being a busy parent, I wanted to ask the questions that link us all,” he explains.
Currently, Yip is working on another book, expected in 2019. The book will impart ideas and inspiration based on his guiding philosophy, which is, “Every time you walk through your home, it should be the place you want to be more than anywhere else on the planet.” If you don’t feel this way, he says, something is wrong. “People spend a lot of time pining to be somewhere else, but your everyday home should be your vacation home. And there are concrete things you can do to get it there.”
Catch Vern Yip and other guest speakers at the Southern Women’s Show, March 16-18 at the Richmond Raceway Complex.
