Entertainment

This Netflix Home Makeover Show Stars One Of Your ‘Trading Spaces’ Faves

by Genevieve Van Voorhis
Larry Busacca/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Whether you already know her from TLC's Trading Spaces or are just meeting her for the first time, interior designer Genevieve Gorder is about to enter a whole lot of new homes thanks to the upcoming Netflix series, Stay Here, which drops Aug. 17. As you can see in the trailer, the show follows Gorder and real estate expert Peter Lorimer as they make over regular people's short-term rental spaces. Once you start to see Gorder's work in more detail, you'll probably be on the hunt for some of her other projects — or even be looking to get your hands on some of her products.

Gorder's official bio on her website states that she "is the founder and director of the Genevieve Gorder brand, a television host and producer, a home product designer, contributing author, and global ambassador for home and human rights." The designer just turned 44 on July 26, and already she's appeared in over 20 different lifestyle shows for her work as a designer, per her website. She's got an impressive line of homeware products that'll spruce up your own pad with a little of Genevieve's charm. Her name has pretty much become synonymous with the world of on-screen interior design, but she didn't always envision herself that way.

Back when she was first asked to audition for Trading Spaces, Gorder was appalled at the idea of interior design. In an interview with Style at Home, she revealed her initial reaction to the idea of joining the show:

"I was like, 'No! Interior design is so lame.' I had an idea of who that lady was, and she was not chic... Interiors didn’t feel cool back then. And I didn’t want to get into something uncool. But once I saw how creative it could be and how much you could do with an approachable amount of money, I was very interested."

Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Gorder studied international affairs at Lewis & Clark College, until switching lanes to pursue graphic design with an internship at MTV in New York City, a profile in HudsonMod explained. Her background in graphic design has been extremely influential on her work overall. In an interview with RoomFu.com, she talked about how that particular skill changed her way of thinking as a designer for the better, saying:

"I think graphic design is more experimental because it’s a bit more temporary and disposable, so we’re willing to play a little bit more. That is a huge gift. It’s important to take design seriously but not who you are and how you should approach it. No one wants to live 'seriously,' 24 hours a day."

Her career was launched into the spotlight in 2000 when she landed the role as one of the six designers on Trading Spaces, but she's been gaining fans steadily since then. Some of her other ventures include Dear Genevieve, Genevieve's Renovation, and multiple appearances on Rachael Ray.

Gorder is also mother to a 10-year-old daughter named Bebelle, which has led to numerous publications seeking out her expertise on how to decorate nurseries and kids room. According to one profile in Metro, she designed Bebelle's bedroom herself, complete with an actual, working swing suspended from the ceiling!

If you're wondering whether Gorder is going to bring the same level of ingenuity and originality that made her so beloved on Trading Spaces to Stay Here, I wouldn't worry too much about it. In an interview with PeopleTV, she said she likes to apply her signature style to just about everything she does. She says that, whether she's doing budget projects or pricier ones, "I like to use all my muscles. I apply the same technique, I just use different ingredients that cost different prices." You can see how those ingredients comes together when Stay Here comes to Netflix.