How to Decorate Ep. 436: Color, Pattern, Texture with Vern Yip

Podcast: How to Decorate
Host: Ballard Designs (Caroline, Taryn, Liz)
Guest: Vern Yip (Interior Designer, TV Personality, Author)
Date: October 21, 2025

Episode Overview

This week, the Ballard Designs team welcomes renowned designer Vern Yip to discuss his new book, Color, Pattern, Texture: The Foundations to Make Your Home Your Own, and his Magnolia TV show, Home Reimagined. The episode dives deep into the power of these three fundamental design tools, how to make choices that express personal meaning, and practical tips for everyone—from beginners to seasoned decorators. Vern shares stories, expert advice, and encourages listeners to pursue honest, enduring design that prioritizes individuality and harmony—both for solo decorators and families.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Vern's Intentions Behind the Book

• Purposeful Authorship: Vern writes only when there's a clear need, not simply to showcase his work.
  • “I don’t like to put things out into the universe unless they have a purpose… I put out books because I feel like there’s a vacuum and there’s a need.” (02:51)
• Why Focus on Color, Pattern, Texture?
  • These are the three most powerful tools a designer wields, and understanding them allows homeowners to create spaces tailored to their unique preferences.
  • Design should serve the people living in a home first, not just guests or conventions.
  • Personal Example: Not everyone likes popular materials (e.g. a client who dislikes velvet's feel).
  • “Our homes should be designed to please and serve us... because it is the most important space in your life.” (04:25)

Demystifying Color, Pattern, and Texture

• Color

  • Don’t Choose Paint First:
    • Start with items more limited in selection (e.g. rugs, artwork, wallpaper); the nearly limitless variety of paints should come last.
    • “Don’t narrow down your paint color first. Get a vast array of things you’re considering for the room…and then pick your paint color after.” (09:30)
  • Always test in situ:
    • Samples should be viewed vertically (for walls), on the floor (for rugs), and in the room’s actual lighting.
    • Embrace tonal variation—layering shades of the same hue adds richness and visual interest, while matching too exactly can feel flat.
    • “It’s not about matching. But it isn’t also like, hey, throw anything together. You want to be able to work within the general hues...things have to be friends and go together.” (17:33)
  • Use physical samples to check compatibility before making big purchases—avoid expensive mistakes!

• Pattern

  • You can layer more patterns than you think—change the scale (small, medium, large) to allow for more patterns in one room without chaos.
  • Patterns are more specific and personal than color; they can reflect individual stories and preferences.
  • “Pattern…is more specific even than just picking a paint color.” (08:38)
  • Even those averse to “pattern” (in the textile sense) still engage with natural and architectural patterns (e.g. leaves, window placement).
  • If you dislike bold patterns, focus on texture—mixing shiny/matte, rough/smooth, or fine/nubby creates interest and depth.

• Texture

  • Especially vital in neutral or pattern-averse rooms.
  • Texture brings a room to life through contrast (rough with smooth, shiny with matte) and scale (fine with coarse).
  • “Neutral schemes really require an understanding of texture and mixing those textures.” (35:38)

• Inspiration Box

  • Collect meaningful items over time—anything that “makes your heart sing.” This can be anything from a paper folder from a museum to a chocolate box; these all can spark room palettes or visions.
  • “It doesn’t have to be something precious or expensive. It can be anything that you’re responding to.” (13:53)
  • Physical artifacts trump digital images—hold things in your hands, see their true color/scale/texture.

• Color/Pattern/Texture Dictionaries

  • Each chapter ends with a “dictionary” of common terms, illustrated with photos, including exact paint chips curated by Sue Wadden of Sherwin Williams. This demystifies designer language for everyday homeowners.
  • “There’s actually physical, like, pictures of what we’re talking about...It was really good to get a super professional like that to give us those paint chips.” (21:09)

Practical Process Breakdown

• Build from What Matters: Start with meaningful pieces, then layer in other elements.
• Visual Layering: The book demonstrates building a room “block by block”—starting with inspiration, adding furniture/fabrics, then paint/colors, helping readers see each step (see also the cheat sheets at the end).
• Recap Features: Each chapter is summarized and cross-referenced for easy use both as a cover-to-cover read and as a future resource.

Living with Others: Balance and Compromise

• Mutual Respect in Shared Spaces:
  • The best designs stem from compromise; no one person’s vision should dominate if more people live in the space.
  • Example: For a couple with architectural and highly feminine preferences, Vern abstracted a floral design in linework to meet both their tastes.
  • “Best design comes out of compromise. When one person gets their way to the detriment of another, it’s never going to be a lasting, enduring design.” (41:27)
• Private Spaces vs. Public Spaces:
  • More shared input in family/living rooms; primary bedroom/bath is yours to truly personalize with a partner.
• Kids in Design
  • Allow them a voice—help them select colors or elements, but gently steer toward choices with longer longevity.
  • “Important to be a partner with your kids in helping them achieve not just your vision…but also their vision.” (27:27)
  • Use favorite themes (e.g. Pokémon) as inspiration for color tones, not literal oversized themes.

Decorating Dilemmas & Case Studies

• Design Dilemma: Small Mountain Cabin (61:00)
  • Listener Melissa wants a Ralph Lauren vibe in a small living space with a focus on maximizing seating and including a TV.
  • Vern’s Solution:
    • Use the fireplace (with mounted TV) as the focal point.
    • Opt for larger, fewer pieces: a sectional (preferably facing the fireplace) and one or two swivel chairs for flexibility.
    • Layering patterns and colors from the rug, art, and pillows already chosen showcases Melissa’s taste and shows good design.
    • “When you have a small space, fewer pieces but larger pieces will make that space feel more significant and visually expansive.” (64:51)
  • Additional note: Moving the sectional creates an entryway, and allows a view out the window.

Designing for the Future

• Design for Goals & Aspirations
  • Decor should reflect where you’ve been and who you want to be. Vern shares that he collected dining tables for a beach house long before he owned one—spaces can manifest your dreams.
  • “Your home should…be tailored to you for your goals and aspirations, who you want to become.” (33:37)

Vern’s New Show: Home Reimagined (50:34)

• Premise: Converting structures never meant for homes (e.g. sewing factory, brewery, church) into residences, while honoring their histories.
• Design Challenges:
  • Warmth and human scale in massive, voluminous spaces are achieved by drapery, lowering lighting, using furniture/art/rugs of appropriate scale.
  • “Drapery does wonders...getting the lighting down to human level, the scale of what you use—all of that comes into play.” (54:36)
• Where to Watch: Magnolia Network, HBO Max, Discovery

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “It’s not good enough to just like something. If it’s going to go in your home, you should love it…that should be the feeling.” — Vern Yip (13:48)
• “If everything in a room is a look at me moment, nothing is a look at me moment.” — Vern Yip (40:00)
• “If your home is done correctly…it’s a true reflection of who you are…and should be the best invitation for someone to get to know you better.” (55:57)
• “Books are so special…they should reflect who you are and what your interests are.” (56:53)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Time | Segment/Topic | |----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:04 | Vern’s Introduction & Book Purpose | | 02:51 | Why Write This Book? How Color, Pattern, Texture Shape Spaces | | 06:23 | Key Misunderstandings About the “Three Tools” | | 09:12 | Picking Paint—Why Not to Start There | | 11:41 | Inspiration Box—Collecting Meaningful Objects | | 16:09 | Tonal Variations—Depth vs Matching | | 19:25 | Color & Pattern Dictionaries—Demystifying Designer Jargon | | 27:27 | Designing with and for Kids | | 33:37 | Design, Honesty, and Manifesting Aspirations | | 35:00 | What If You Don’t Like Pattern? Use Texture! | | 37:51 | Practical Reasons for Patterns—Hiding Stains, Creating Focus | | 41:01 | The Power Piece—How to Use & When to Choose as Starting Point | | 43:58 | Real Life Client Compromise—Blending Contrasting Preferences | | 50:34 | Introduction and Breakdown of TV Show “Home Reimagined” | | 54:28 | Creating Warmth in Huge Spaces—Drapery, Lighting, Scale | | 61:01 | Listener Dilemma: Small Cabin Seating, Layout, Focal Point |

Tone & Atmosphere

The conversation is warm, witty, and highly practical. Vern’s humor and humility shine throughout (“This is the one thing I don’t suck at…”) and the hosts, as always, create an inviting space for open dialogue and learning. The episode is peppered with real anecdotes and hands-on advice, making expert design entirely accessible.

Where to Find Vern Yip

• Instagram & Facebook: @vernyipdesigns
• Book: "Color, Pattern, Texture" (Out October 14, 2025; pre-order available everywhere books are sold)
• TV Show: "Home Reimagined" (Magnolia, HBO Max, Discovery)
• Upcoming Event: Book signing at Ballard Designs Atlanta, October 23, 6–8 PM

Actionable Takeaways

• Always decorate for yourself and those who live with you, not for outside impressiveness.
• Begin with meaning—let items you love set the tone for your entire space.
• Use samples—test colors, textures, and patterns in the environment where they’ll live.
• Don’t fear pattern, color, or texture—layering and variation create longevity and interest.
• In shared spaces, seek compromise and mutual respect; in private spaces, let your true self shine.
• Let your home reflect not just your past, but your aspirations for the future.

For more, visit www.howtodecorate.com/podcast and follow Ballard Designs on social media.