Before the arrival of his son, everyone told HGTV design guru Vern Yip that his house would look totally different. But one-year later (and with a second child on the way) Yip said his house doesn't look different at all.
"I grew up with a real appreciation of beautiful things and an understanding that there were things I could touch gently and things that I had to appreciate visually. I am trying to raise our son in the same way," he said.
On Saturday, casting directors for HGTV's reality competition series "Design Star" (Yip has served as a judge since season one) hits Atlanta in search of the next design sensation. Yip lobbied hard for an Atlanta open call, convinced that the metro area has tons of design talent to offer.
"This is really exciting... because this is my hometown. We are full of design talent and I really want Atlanta to represent," he said.
Yip said the aspiring designers should be heavy on talent and personality -- essentials for anyone hoping to have their own television show.
In celebration of his son's first birthday this week, we asked Yip to give us some tips on designing with children in mind:
Don't sweat the delicate stuff. "The philosophy that you have to choose design over your kids is so over," Yip said. Yip has injected high design and even delicate items into the decor of his son's room such as a kid version of Philippe Starcke's classic Louis ghost chair or a George Nelson bubble pendant lamp. "People say it doesn't look baby friendly, but it is hanging from the ceiling," Yip said.
Make safety a priority. "There are really incredibly dangerous things I like to prevent," Yip said. His outlets have outlet covers, and in the main room where his son plays there is a large leather ottoman instead of a sharp-edged coffee table. He also has plenty of storage space for toys and other stuff. Not only is it safe, it is educational. "It teaches him from an early age that things have a place," Yip said.
Take advantage of new and improved fabrics. "Indoor/outdoor fabric has come such a long way," Yip said. Those stiff materials once clearly meant for outdoor furniture are now as soft as indoor furniture with the advantage of being stain and spill resistant, he said. "I also think leather is a wonderful and kid-friendly product. As long as it isn't finished with a high polish," he said, which can't withstand scratches.
Every room in his house now has big oversized rugs. "Kids are on the floor all the time. Wool is a really good option and there are many nylon carpet products that are stain resistant. If it isn't stain resistant, you can make it stain resistant."
"A great advancement is with paint," Yip said. "They make wonderful flat paints that are eco-friendly and also manage to be wipeable and cleanable while still giving you that nice flat look."
Think long term. "Part of the eco-friendly movement that everyone is so eager to be a part of is buying things that will go the distance," Yip said. Don't buy things that will last two to three years, he said, but look for classic furniture and decor items (as in not those cartoon character borders) that can take your child into the teen years and young adulthood.
Event Preview
HGTV Design Star Open Call
Saturday, 10 a.m. -- 1 p.m. W Atlanta Midtown, 188 14th Street N.E. For more information: www.hgtv.com/designstar
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