Bobby Berk's Priceless Advice Is The Key To A Perfectly-Balanced Living Space

If you're a fan of Netflix's hit whole-life makeover show, "Queer Eye," you know that designer Bobby Berk knows how to put together a room in a way that inspires awe in homeowners and viewers alike. However, Berk's living space makeovers aren't just stunning; they're practical transformations that utilize perfect balance to elicit a feeling of ease and livability. Recently, the co-host took to Instagram to showcase one of his latest room designs.

In his Instagram reel, Berk broke down the concept of creating balance within a space by using a mixture of light and dark colors. "I'm all about balance in design," he explained. "If I'm going to use dark pieces, I like to balance them with light pieces." It may sound simple, but this really is the key to getting started when it comes to creating a balanced look for your living space. Once you've woven together your light and dark colors, you can move on to incorporating both warm and cool tones within the space as well.

Light and dark may sound like the most basic of design concepts, but it is truly the basis for all other décor decisions. A room that is too dark can feel heavy, dreary, or even oppressive, while a room that is too light can feel cold, ungrounded, or even sterile. Both have an unbalanced and less-than-inviting aesthetic. In his Instagram reel, Bobby Berk points out that in the great room he recently designed, he balanced a variety of dark wood pieces with light, bright fabrics and décor. 

To put his advice into action, start with a color, fabric, or décor item that you feel especially drawn to. Think about how you can incorporate it into the room and then consider how you can balance it within your space. If you're in love with a dark red wine color, for example, consider painting it on an accent wall in a light room or featuring it in a large art piece on a lighter-colored wall. If you can't stop thinking about white, flowing curtains, consider how you could pair them with dark, rich rugs to create balance. You can also take a page from Berk's book by bringing together the light and dark elements of your room in one piece: a marble coffee table. You can snag one similar to the table showcased in Berk's great room by Way2furn on Amazon for $289.99.

The same logic that applies to creating a balance between dark and light décor also applies to warm and cool tones. When a space is filled with only warm-toned colors like red, orange, gold, and yellow, it can feel overstimulating or stuffy. When a room only features cool tones like blue, gray, silver, and purple, it can feel cold and unwelcoming. The key to creating balance is to mix the two tones in a complementary fashion. You can see Bobby Berk put this technique in action on his website, where he documents an eclectic dining room makeover. The designer balances a striking cool green wallpaper and crisp white woodwork with warm gold curtain rods and light fixtures. "It all comes together as a space that works for just about any occasion," Berk said of the finished room. 

For instance, if the walls in your room are a cool-toned light gray or pale blue, you could use warm-toned accent colors in your décor choices. This might look like incorporating gold or copper picture frames, bronze sculptures, and warm terracotta rugs throughout the space to balance the cool and warm tones. To balance the light and dark hues, you might then add dark navy throw pillows and blankets or dark Dijon-colored wall art. The result is a perfectly balanced living space.