Vern Yip, HGTV Design Star judge and designer for the annual HGTV Urban Oasis home, is an award-winning architectural and interior designer who gained national acclaim for his expertise in transforming homes and restaurants in his private design practice and on primetime television.

Vern runs his own design company in Atlanta, Vern Yip Designs, and vernyip.com, where design tips are dispensed with consumer value in mind. With a Bachelor of Arts in economics from The University of Virginia, a Master of Science degree in management and a master’s degree in architecture from The Georgia Institute of Technology, Vern has used his varied educational background to build a distinguished business. His creations and room transformations range in budget from frugal to eight-figure projects for high-end clients, including the design for a high-profile Oscar party in 2006. His eclectic style is influenced from his world travels, which include childhood trips to Asia, Latin America and Europe.