Bobby Berk Shares How To Add French Flair & A Little ‘Je Ne Sais Quoi’ To Your Life

 Photo Credit: Netflix

Through the COVID-19 crisis, with most of the world in quarantine, it’s important to be happy in your space, and no one knows how to create that space better than Queer Eye star and interior designer extraordinaire Bobby Berk. But Berk, who is happy as a clam in his minimalist  Los Angeles digs with husband Dewey, taking time to smell the roses and enjoying being in one place for the first time in a long time, still found time for projects. The most recent of which is a collaboration with Oui by Yoplait, a four-part crafting series to celebrate its limited-edition Heritage Collection, in which he’ll show avid DIY-ers how to make homemade crafts that will add a little “je ne sais quoi” to your day and a much-needed design refresh, just in time for Bastille Day. [The Heritage Workshop series will start with his tutorial on Tuesday, July 14 on his Instagram page and continue each Tuesday through August 4, with three additional installments led by notable designers and crafting pros, including Design Lovefest, Wit & Delight and A Beautiful Mess.] Here, we chatted with Queer Eye‘s resident design expert on how to add some French flair to our lives while simultaneously discovering how he’s been saying “oui!” to life in his. Photo Credit: DFree/Shutterstock.com

What would you do to create a French-themed party?

“…I would definitely use whatever I have with lots of blues, checkered tablecloths. I like decorating with food. That’s one thing I like doing with the holidays. I’m a minimalist, so I don’t like decorating for the holidays. For me, doing a big charcuterie spread with big loaves of bread and cheese, that to me makes a more beautiful spread than any decor.”

What would give your home a refresh during quarantine if money is no object?

If there’s no budget, put in a pool! I also think re-landscape your garden and your yard. My favorite place right now is my yard. Not only chilling out in the evening with neighbors… but also because it’s something that we get to use year round, especially if you live in California, it’s something that you can [use] for years to come.

How are you saying “oui” to life?

I’m saying “oui” to life just by embracing being at home.  This is the first time in my entire adult life, the longest period of time, that I’ve not been on the go. It’s been kind of nice. I’ve been learning Portuguese, I was learning Mandarin but it was a little harder so I haven’t opened up that app as much recently. I’ve been saying yes by being home, and not taking a break—I almost feel like I was working more than I was. At first I felt like I was going stir-crazy: I was quarantined in Austin, because we were filming season 6 of Queer Eye when all of this happened. I was going stir-crazy, but I embraced it, and now I feel like I can do this for awhile.

Have your cast members been a support system during this time?

I wouldn’t say that we’re in touch as much because when we’re filming we’re together every day all day, so we’re together a lot, but yesterday we were on a group text for hours. I would say a few times a week at least still; we keep in touch a lot during the week.

What does the rest of your year look like?

I have no idea. I really have no idea. I know we’re going to go back and film season, but I don’t know when. We had a date, but unfortunately it got changed again due too the increase in cases in Texas. Unfortunately none of that is in my control. My life is no longer in my control anymore.

How do you create that “je ne sais quoi” in your own life, particularly at this time?

We’ve been having a lot of dinner parties (and I use the term “parties” very loosely) with our core friends. My trainer and his wife are very good friends, and they were quarantined with me when we were in Austin because he also trains Antoni [Parowski] so he travels with us. That’s how I’ve been doing it. I’ve been spending time with people I love the most. I’ve been spending a lot of time with my husband.

What to you is the greatest luxury in life?

Love. I know it sounds cheesy… but the greatest luxury in life is love.

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