Tag: Queer Eye

Interior Design Expert Bobby Berk Shares Top Tips for Making Your Living Room an Audio Oasis

November 16, 2023

a graphic illustration showing two people listening to spotify on television.

As the weather outside becomes more frightful, it’s time to make your living room delightful. So cozy up your home’s vibes by allowing your favorite music or podcasts to filter through the living room. From countless brands of smart speakers to easier-than-ever TV listening, it’s seamless to connect and enjoy audio with congregating family and friends. 

Bobby Berk knows a thing or two about cultivating the perfect ambience for a living room. The interior design expert and author is well-known for his stylish and youthful designs and has been one of the “Fab Five” on Netflix’s popular makeover show Queer Eye. This makes Bobby the perfect person for Spotify to partner with to show fans how audio and home design go hand in hand. And while your home decor aesthetic is as unique as your music taste, a few extra tips can go a long way in creating the perfect space for yourself.

For the Record sat down with Bobby to understand more about designing a welcoming living room space, as well as what you’ll find on his perfect music playlist for home entertaining.

What’s the historical function and significance of the living room?

From its beginnings in the late 19th century, the living room was a more formal space in the home used primarily for entertaining guests. It consisted mainly of more-tailored seating and a layout built around conversation. It wasn’t until the mid-20th century that the living room became a more casual space for spending time with family, relaxing, listening to music, or watching TV. The design itself was also adapted to be more about comfort and a sense of coziness.

What are your top three tips for designing a welcoming, comfortable, and functional living room?

First, add seating that looks—and most importantly feels—good. Next, create a layout that encourages connection but is also open. Place your furniture in a natural, conversational grouping. You also want the layout to feel welcoming, so be sure to leave space to enter the room and move through it easily. Finally, bring in soft and cozy materials. Adding pillows, throws, and a soft rug underfoot will create a comfortable living room that you really want to spend time in.

What do you like to listen to when designing and working? How about for hosting?

If I really need to get focused and get things done, I prefer a chill instrumental mix like Focus Flow or Workday Lounge. When designing, I’ll listen to something more upbeat, a pop mix or one of my favorite artists, Rozzi.

My ideal hosting playlist would take you on a journey starting with smooth jazz and a cocktail lounge vibe. Then I would move into some pop classics and top 40 hits, get things a bit more energized, and then finish things off with more relaxed, ambient tunes.

How do acoustics, sound, and entertainment fit into your living room concepts?

I’m always thinking about how someone will use a space when designing, and that definitely includes entertainment and sound. You don’t want a living room to be an echo chamber, so I bring in materials like a rug, upholstery, and curtains to soften things and improve acoustics.

What’s your go-to smart speaker?

I have a number of Sonos speakers throughout my home, and I love that I can easily connect Spotify to just one speaker—like, if I want to sing in the shower, the portable speaker if I’m outdoors, or the whole house if I’m entertaining.

Spotify’s daylist provides you with a custom playlist multiple times per day depending on what you listen to around the clock. What are you loving about the feature so far?

My mood definitely changes throughout the day, so it’s nice to have a playlist that changes along with it! In the morning, I have a mix that gets me motivated and focused for the day, a high-energy workout mix for the afternoon, and something a bit more chill for unwinding at the end of the day.

Whether it’s a Feel Good Morning Niche Mix for those who love a fresh, light, and airy aesthetic or a warm pumpkin spice evening daylist for those channeling a cozy winter atmosphere on the couch, Spotify’s personalized playlists can help you feel right at home.

Loud and Proud: Turning Up the Pride with the Fab Five

June 11, 2018

Pride Month is already operating at full blast across the United States—and there’s plenty of room to keep turning it up. As the celebrations continue across the globe with parades, festivals, and community events, there’s one place everyone can turn for the sounds of Pride: Spotify.com/Pride.

The Hub celebrates Pride through the music of artists who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, or queer, and their allies. So who better to help curate our party platform than Queer Eye’s Fab Five? This year, the cast of Netflix’s hit show are participating in a Spotify Pride Hub takeover and digital experience.

On the show, five gay men—culinary specialist Antoni Porowski, interior designer Bobby Berk, hair stylist Jonathan Van Ness, fashion guru Tan France, and culture expert Karamo Brown—are enlisted to perform complete makeovers on nominated men, forming connections and learning about their shared bonds as humans in the process.

So, in addition to the Pride Classics playlist and the Global Pride playlist of LGBTQ artists around the world, Antoni, Bobby, Jonathan, Tan, and Karamo have added their tasteful touches by highlighting the music that most inspires and empowers them to proudly live at full volume.

Check them out—then head over to Spotify.com/QueerEye to find out which member of the Fab Five you are most like, based on your musical taste.

And just as each Fab Five member has a specialty ranging from cuisine to culture, each also has a defining life story, journey and song that helped him feel free to be who he is. We asked the guys to tell us about a song on their playlist that empowers and speaks to them during Pride Month and throughout the year. (We asked them for makeovers too, but they were a little busy with Pride Month festivities.)

Is there a song that helped you discover/realize your identity? Can you share the story behind that song?

Antoni Porowski: “Being Boring” by the Pet Shop Boys. When I first saw the music video for this song, there was something so carefree and innocent about the people in the video. They are completely nude, so there are no barriers and they just seem free of constraints. It’s done so tastefully. This song is something I closely attribute to my coming out and being free.

What does celebrating Pride mean to you? How do the songs on your playlist display that?

Bobby Berk: Celebrating Pride is the way we remember the struggles that came before us that paved the way for the freedoms we now have. The songs in my playlist are really about empowerment and the perfect anthem to head into Pride, remembering the champions that got us here.

What song on the playlist would people find the most surprising? Why?

Tan France: I think people would be surprised to see “I’m Better” by Lil’ Kim and Missy Elliot. People tend to think Brits are all stuffy, but I absolutely love this song. It’s a side of me that I’d like people to know. And it’s killer for when you’re on the treadmill!

What song on the playlist picks you up when you’re down? What’s the story behind that?

Karamo Brown: “I’m a Survivor” by Destiny’s Child. At my first Pride, I heard them sing and felt empowered and proud.

Jonathan Van Ness: “7/11” by Beyoncé. There is something about a strong beat served by Queen B that makes me feel my innermost power. She is a shining example of being a strong, hardworking artist that I can always look up to to slay me off my damn feet. Yay pride, yay Bey.

As you’re enjoying the beat of your favorite Pride Month hits, make sure to turn up the sound on your Spotify player and keep an eye out for some hidden Pride features! No matter who you are or what music you listen to, always take the opportunity to turn it up and live your life at full volume.