Vern Yip of Trading Spaces Shares Design Wisdom

Vern Yip of Trading Spaces Shares Design Wisdom
If you've ever wanted to ask celebrity designer Vern Yip what color to paint your family room, here's your chance. Yip, made famous on TLC's "Trading Spaces," will visit the Indianapolis Home Show next weekend as part of its first Indianapolis Home Decor & Interior Design Show.

Yip, 36, will appear at 3 and 7 p.m. Jan. 29 and 1 and 3 p.m. Jan. 30 on the main stage in the South Pavilion of the Indiana State Fairgrounds. He'll talk about design trends, answer questions and, most likely, update fans on two works-in-progress: the NBC home-makeover series he's hosting and producing, "Home Intervention," expected to air in summer or fall; and the book he's finishing for April distribution, "Designing Spaces" (Regan Books/ Harper Collins).

Home & Garden writer Ellen Miller caught up with the globetrotting Yip by phone as he spent some rare time at his Atlanta home:

I'm not a big follower of trends; I don't advocate people feeling they have to follow trends to have their home updated. The home should be a manifestation of you.

But if you are interested in trends, there are very cool, exciting things happening. One is a big resurgence in wallpaper. It has totally evolved; it's a shame to even call it wallpaper, because that instantly connotes ducks and chickens and pastoral scenes. Now, it's wood veneer, it's silk, it's glas