Bobby Berk has a message for builders and facade renovators all over the world: “Stop designing kitchens exclusively in white!”
The Queer Eye Alum, 43, told exclusively We weekly that he “can’t stand all-white kitchens.” Berk, who is working with Amazon Devices to introduce SIY, also known as “Smartify It Yourself,” home automation, opens up about why this design style drives him “crazy.”
Berk explained that he gets “so frustrated” when builders and speculators, especially in Los Angeles, decide to keep everything so monochrome and clinical. (He also admitted that all-white bathrooms are not his favorite.)
“They say, ‘We want everything in white because we want everyone to like it.’ But I say, ‘Nobody likes that anymore,'” Berk vents his anger. “Stop that. Bring some personality into it.”
The interior designer noted, “You don’t have to go overboard with the color.” Berk suggested applying earth tones to the cabinets or as a “countertop backsplash” for an easy upgrade.
When you have an all-white room, Berk admitted, “you walk in and it doesn’t feel like a kitchen. It feels like an operating room.” He added, “I hope people read this and stop doing that.”
Although Berk has strong opinions on all-white decor, he said Us that he is “not a big fan of trends,” whether seasonal or otherwise.
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He said people should do what “makes them happy at home and not necessarily worry about what I tell them should make them happy.”
However, Berk said Us He is a fan of cleaning – but not in the spring, as is traditional. “One of the trends I would like to implement is autumn cleaning instead of spring cleaning.”
Berk pointed out that spring cleaning can be problematic because it “rains” when you’re cleaning out your garage to get organized. “There’s less rain in the fall. And most people are already digging through their garages starting in October to find their Halloween decorations, and then in November to find their Thanksgiving decorations,” he explained. “So you’re already in your garage, already digging through stuff.”
The reality star added: “I think fall is actually the best time of year for cleaning. I want people to stop spring cleaning and focus on fall cleaning.”
As Berk enters his favorite cleaning season, he’s learned to let technology help him with his daily tasks. By partnering with Amazon Devices to promote SIY—a twist on the popular DIY trend—Berk has upgraded his home to a smart house using Alexa and other Amazon products.
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Whether he’s using Amazon’s Smart Plug or the smart coffee machine in the kitchen or watching the garden from his living room with an Echo Show 15 – Berk enjoys making his home “smart”.
“In the morning, I have a smart plug that works with Alexa and my coffee maker is plugged into it. When I wake up, I say, ‘Alexa, get up and brew,’ and Alexa automatically turns on my coffee maker and starts brewing,” Berk said. Us“And then it automatically adjusts the light in the kitchen to an invigorating color.”
Berk himself is a “huge SIY fan” and said Amazon’s products have improved his daily life. “I’m always looking for ways to make my life easier and more automated,” he said. “And luckily, these days you can literally smarten everything in your house.”
Berk added, “It was a natural, perfect partnership because not only do I use Alexa – not only in my house, but in my car – but I also use the smart bulbs. I use them with my music. I use my Ring cameras, my Blink cameras. … It was a match made in heaven.”
Learn more about the SIY (“Smartify It Yourself”) campaign and Amazon Device tools here.
With reporting by Mandie DeCamp
