B
obby Berk wore many hats before becoming the interior design expert on Netflix’s Emmy Award-winning show Queer Eye. Raised in a small, Missouri town, he dropped out of high school at 15 and worked various retail jobs. Driven to pursue his growing passion for interior design, he settled in New York in 2003 and worked his way up in companies like Bed Bath & Beyond and Restoration Hardware. This led him to eventually become Portico Home + Spa’s creative director. Berk started his own company and launched his brand and lifestyle website, bobbyberk.com, before becoming a member of the Fab Five. Now in its fifth season, Queer Eye is one of the most popular shows on Netflix and is streaming in more than 100 countries. Earnest and endearing, Queer Eye continues to challenge social norms and bring change to people’s lives. OUT FRONT had the opportunity to chat more with Berk about Queer Eye, collaborating with Tempaper to donate to GLSEN , and how one can spruce up a home while on a budget.
Hi, Bobby! What a pleasure it is to chat with you! Can you begin by telling us more about your recent collaboration with Tempaper?
QUEERING UP YOUR DESIGN WITH
BOBBY BERK by Denny Patterson Photo by Luke Fontana
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I have actually worked with Tempaper for, like, 10 years now. It’s owned by a set of twins, and it was started by their aunt who was a set production designer on Broadway. She was constantly having to put up wallpaper, and it was driving her nuts. So, she started printing wallpaper on contact paper for these Broadway sets, and her nieces were like, ‘This is a great idea.’ Six months later, they walked into my store, and they were like, ‘We have this removable wallpaper product, and we want to know if you would carry it in your store.’ I said, ‘Sure, put some up on a wall, and we’ll see how it goes.’ I think I was one of their very first resellers ever. Our relationship grew into a friendship. Years later, I decided to do my own wallpaper line. I wanted to do a line that people can install and deal with themselves. Wallpaper can be inexpensive, but when you add in the cost of installation, it’s not cheap. Wallpaper installers are very talented tradespeople. So, I wanted to make sure I came out with a line that is very much a DIY product. I went to Tempaper
