The master of design

HGTV's 'Design Star': This Is Vern Yip Today

One of our favorite interior designers is HGTV's Vern Yip! Not only has he worked on Design Star, but he was also one of cheerful design transformers on TLC's show, Trading Spaces. Let's take a look closer at Vern's life today and see what he's accomplished aside from his notable design career!

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Born in 1968 to Chinese parents who emigrated from China to the U.S, Vern Yip was originally expected to go to medical school to become a doctor. He studied both economics and chemistry at the University of Virginia, and weeks before he was about to start med school, he was wondering why the lab walls were a hideous yellow instead of focusing on his actual lab work at hand.

So, he switched things up. He ended up going for a masters in architecture and received his M.B.A at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Yip is certainly a well-rounded man in education!

His breakthrough

Once he completed his studies, Yip went onto to work for an architectural firm, and then for Disney Cruises. His detail for design landed him on the fun, design-swap series Trading Spaces. People are fans of Yip because of his feel for understanding what people actually want in their house, something that reflects them and their personality. Since the ending of Design Star, Yip has published two books: "Design Wise" and his most recent, "Vacation at Home".

Vern Yip and partner Craig Koch

Yip is also happily together with partner Craig Koch! The couple shares two children together - Gavin Joshua Mannox and Vera Lillian Beatrix. While Yip focuses still focuses on design, he is also a UNICEF ambassador since 2010. He and his partner continue to work and help others in various charity projects, all the while they raise their family of both children and friendly canines!