The Popular Decor Item Designer Bobby Berk Can't Stand Seeing In Homes

Since starring as the design expert on Netflix's "Queer Eye," Bobby Berk has never been shy about voicing his strong opinions about certain home design trends. He previously went viral for calling out famous home design features that did not make sense, according to him. One trend that has seemingly become a perpetual subject of his disdain is the use of word signs or quotes as home decor. He loathes this trend so much that he posts content abhorring its use across social media every now and then.

"Inspirational quotes? I'm a hater. I'm sorry, I can't stand them. Words are not art. Don't do it," Berk said in a TikTok video where he reviewed so-called "millennial" design trends. In another TikTok post, titled "Things I Would Tell You as an Interior Designer... Who Has Designed Hundreds of Homes and Isn't Afraid of Hurting Your Feelings," he doubled down on his sentiment, saying, "Inspirational quotes and sayings are great, but should not be on your walls."

He further poked fun at the trend in an Instagram video where he sarcastically mouths, "Put that down," while wagging his finger at the camera. The post's caption read, "When your client tries to put word art on their wall." Many homeowners view word signs as a clever way to infuse warmth or inspiration into their spaces, but Berk strongly believes there are far more creative ways to make a home feel personal without relying on mass-produced text-based wall decor.

Bobby Berk's take on this trend may seem harsh, but it's not without merit. Word signs have been the go-to design choice by many homeowners for more than a decade. It's not uncommon to see kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, and even bathrooms adorned with words and phrases in cursive or block lettering. Many of these wall art pieces even come in sets, so homeowners scatter them around the house to establish consistency. While they may have started as interesting touches to otherwise empty walls and bland spaces, they have become so widespread that they have lost their initial charm.

Interior designer Sophia deDomenico has relegated such decor to "placeholders" or decorative fillers that lack individuality (via Best Life). Because of this trend, many homes tend to look alike as their walls feature the same quotes and words. In so doing, homeowners sacrifice reflecting their personality through wall decor for something safe, plain, and ironically uninspired design elements. There's also the issue of authenticity, since displaying a mass-produced "farm fresh eggs" sign in the kitchen of homeowners who purchase eggs from the supermarket can feel contrived.

In the end, overexposure has made the trend easy to mock, and the low cost of these decorative items has also affected the perception of many people, who now view them as cheap and disposable decor. As such, it's not surprising that even Pinterest has warned to keep this decor trend far away from people's homes.

Since hanging quotes and word signs on blank walls is a no-no for Bobby Berk, he has shared ideas on how to decorate a large blank wall without making it look cluttered. One tip is to turn it into a statement wall by incorporating a single bold feature, such as an oversized mirror, a textured fiber art, or a woven tapestry. In one project he showcased on Instagram, he placed a large, framed landscape art piece featuring a desert skyline on a blank wall after painting the ceiling with a bold white and brown checkered pattern. By placing only one wall decor element, he established the focal point of the wall, without taking away the dramatic impact of the artistic ceiling.

Berk also appears to prefer gallery walls over word art, since they allow homeowners to showcase their personal and memorable moments through large photos displayed on the wall. "A gallery wall is a really great way to bring in your own art and your own photography, your own memories, and really fill out the space in a perfect way," he told Frameology. Do note that gallery walls do not always work with any wall. You need to determine the best places in your home for a gallery wall first before committing to this art design.