Cork Flooring at Vern Yip’s Apartment in NYC
My Tour of Vern Yip’s NYC Apartment
A few months ago I was invited to meet designer and HGTV star Vern Yip and tour his NYC apartment.
He worked together with the Portuguese Cork Flooring Association (APCOR) and redesigned his NYC apartment with a fashion-forward combination of cork flooring, along with beautiful fabrics and fresh paint colors.
Vern was eager to talk about this eco-friendly and beautiful flooring option, and I wanted to learn more about it!
I’ve watched Vern on TV for years, and who wouldn’t want to talk with such a talented designer?
I didn’t know what to expect, how big the apartment would be, or if there would be other bloggers. I got dressed up, got into the car they had sent, and off I went.
I ended up not using my big camera after all, but I wanted to be prepared.
It’s great to be able to get some work done on the drive to NYC, which takes about an hour.
When I arrived, the person who greeted me right away was Vern! He was excited to meet me and had heard of my blog, which of course was nice to hear. I was one of just a few bloggers that were invited to tour his apartment.
There were a few other people in the apartment — from the agency who put this press tour together and from the cork flooring association.
Everyone was so nice, and Vern and I started chatting and didn’t stop for half an hour.
We talked about our careers and how we started off while he showed me his beautiful apartment.
Look at those stunning, two-toned floors!
Would you have ever guessed that that’s cork?
He showed me a chair he had bought back when he was in college he still owns.
He didn’t have the funds to reupholster it for years, but over the years he had it redone several times because the bones of it are solid, and it’s still a furniture piece he uses all the time.
We both agree on splurging on well-made pieces that speak to us and combining them with less-expensive furniture and decor.
I also found out that Vern’s partner is from Germany — what’s the chance of that!
They have two super-cute kids, a little boy and girl. He couldn’t wait to get back to them in Atlanta, where they all live most of the time.
The apartment is small, with one bedroom, but there is so much you can feast your eyes on.
And look at that view of Central Park he has every day!
Here you can see the cork flooring again — in bold stripes.
Vern doesn’t have rugs in the apartment because there is no need for them — the cork flooring does an even better job and makes the apartment look bigger than it is.
This is the bedroom/office. Isn’t that an interesting art piece of shipping containers?
Those linens are from Vern’s fabric line.
Vern told me a lot of things I didn’t know about cork flooring.
I already knew that it’s a natural, eco-friendly flooring choice that’s recyclable and renewable, and I’ve noticed that it is getting used more and more in interior design.
Cork flooring also has these features:
- It’s naturally hypoallergenic and shock absorbent
- It’s water, mold, and mildew resistant
- Cork is soft and warm underfoot, and dent resistant
- Cork offers infinite design possibilities with textures, patterns, and colors
- Unlike wood, cork harvesting does not harm or kill the oak tress. The bark is stripped after it turns 25 and then every 9 years. The result is a forest with 1.8 million acres that helps the environment and fights greenhouse gases.
Cork floors seem like the most perfect flooring option out there! I don’t know any product that can beat all of these features.
Thank you for inviting me to tour your apartment, Vern! I enjoyed my visit with you so much. Thanks for chatting with me and making me fell so welcome.
