We were awkward with the cameras at first, but then Gen was soeasy to be with. She listens in a way that’s so completely undivided,

you feel chemistry. Soon it was like we were all just friends hangingout, having regular conversations, and the cameras just happenedto be rolling. —David Smith, Delta Upsilon fraternity (Berkeley: Prospect Street)

83While some fans have referred to Genevieve Gorder as “The BarefootDesigner,” flashing her feet on TV serves a practical purpose: Gen adoresher collection of shoes and doesn’t want them dappled with paint,adhesives, or numerous other materials she works with every day.

gorder

“ ”When Genevieve Gorder walks into a

room, heads turn. It’s not because she’s

instantly recognized as aTradingSpaces designer—that moment

usually coincides with her giveaway

giggle—and it’s not solely because she’s

a tall, striking, green-eyed blond with a

seductive strut. Her unmistakable allure lies instead in the way

this good-gal designer brims with her own contented spirit.

Gen has the smirk of a girl who approaches every day as

her birthday. She’s prone to flirting and roaming barefoot and

she hates symmetry. Despite some grunts about an early

moss-covered wall, she’s received rave reviews for rooms

ranging from a Moroccan teen fantasy to bright, happy

kitchens, a groovy “retrofly” lounge, and comfy, woodsy dens.

She’s found design inspiration in old cigar box labels, sliced

vegetables, a homeowner’s favorite sea-glass necklace, and a

few brief tango lessons from an Argentinean cowboy named

Orlando. Many have described Gen’s style as eclectic and

whimsical. The resident free spirit of Trading Spaces is

anything but random in her mission to make America rethink

white walls and beige carpet. “Decorating comes down to how

genevieve

you find your joy,” she

explains, “and I’m there

to help make yours visible.”

That joy can be tough to define when Gen’s only

contact with her homeowner client is a 20-minute

video. Her solution? She mentally puts herself in

her homeowners’ place. Take the couple who

enjoyed sitting by the fireplace in their cramped

basement dreaming of a cozy cabin makeover: Gen

conjured memories of autumns spent at

her grandpa’s

Minnesota cabin

and responded with

a design that included not only the look and feel of heavy timber but also

the smells, tastes, and overall warmth of the season. She painted the walls to recall the

cinnamon she remembers wafting from hot cider; she sewed pillows from 99-cent thrift

store sweaters and a corduroy shirt (snap buttons, pockets, and all).

Coincidentally, it was also a shirt that inspired Genevieve’s first decorating effort at

the ripe age of 7. Taking a cue from her do-it-yourselfer parents who restored their

share of south Minneapolis Victorian homes, Gen boldly drew up plans for her own

custom headboard patterned after her favorite (and oh-so-’80s) T-shirt, which boasted a

bright rainbow arching up one sleeve and down the other. She had some help building

that masterpiece, but by high school Gen’s family experiences on house projects had

instilled within her the know-how to strip wood, varnish, lay tile, and take down

wallpaper by herself.

In Defense of Moss

84

OK, so...enough about

the moss!

Gen stands behind one ofher most daring designs.

Gen makes no apologies for the only room in the history ofTrading Spaces to be rejected before it was even seen.“Something smells,” said the pair of San Diego homeownersbefore opening their eyes to see their bedroom wall coveredin floor-to-ceiling moss. “That room was hot!” insists Gen,who’s built five more moss walls on commission since thatshow aired. All were in Manhattan, where urbanites canappreciate portable greenery that grows without light orregular watering. “I’m sorry the San Diego homeowners

didn’t get it, and that they hadallergies,” Gen continues, “but atleast I got someone out there thinkingabout the design merit of a material youwon’t see on a store shelf.” To that end maybe her organicwonderland was a success: As they stapled on theunconventional wallcovering, Gen’s team members weredefinitely thinking “Why?” They kept at it and got at leastsome viewers thinking “Why not?”

Gen

Lew

is

Adrian

The always cheer-ful Gen with her two brothers

Walls and floors soon took a

backseat to hip-hop, soccer, and

some ambitious language and

cultural pursuits. Growing out of

her embarrassing preteen

permed bob and fascination for

all things Cyndi Lauper (any

surprise this girl just wanted to

have fun?), Gen committed

herself to studying Spanish and

the violin. Both endeavors

stemmed not from school

requirements but from seeds

planted by her parents, who

wanted their children to see and

embrace cultures the world over.

“We weren’t conventional,” says

Gen’s mom, “but we weren’t

hippies either. Arts and travel

were about giving our kids the

education they need to get out

there in life and keep moving.”

Gen’s mom is co-owner and

instructor of a yoga studio as

well as a women’s health

nurse practitioner and former

modern dancer. Her dad and

brother Lewis are talented

amateur photographers, her

stepdad a classical bassist, and

her grandpa a former big band bass player. Both brothers have cut their own

CDs—one creates techno, the other hip-hop and spoken word. Gen raves about

both. Says youngest brother Adrian, “What you see? Gen really is that cool. And

more. She’s all about family. I know I can count on her.”

She really does dance spontaneously—but only to one or twosongs on every CD that she says are upbeat enough for

the spirit of the room, and after that she’s up again to change themusic every two songs. —Jennifer Quinn (Missouri: Sunburst Drive)“ ”

Grandm

a

Adria

nMo

m

Gen

The always reliable Gen learned at a young age to follow

her own dreams with a sensible mix of caprice and drive.

She traveled as far as France (twice) to play violin with

her youth orchestra and, during a summer break in high

school, studied as an exchange student in Barcelona, Spain.

While she debated world politics and

contemplated life in the foreign service, a

poster of Prince in Purple Rain hung above her

bed. (She’s still a huge fan.) Asked whom she

would have hung out with if she had been a

character in the filmThe Breakfast Club, Gen

answers, “All of them. Brains, geeks, jocks, the artsy crowd, and yeah,

Molly Ringwald. But I’d always date the skateboarder. Probably for his

sense of adventure,” she muses.

College brought Gen to Portland,

Oregon, where besides breathing in

that first fateful scent of Oregon

moss, she majored in international

affairs at Lewis and Clark College.

Passionate about world cultures but

weary of memorizing political

science acronyms, she enrolled in

art classes, eventually finding her

calling in a graphic design class. “It

all just clicked. Everything

changed,” she recalls. Her newfound

talent landed her an internship at

MTV in New York City, which later

Nice

s

ock

s,

Ge

n

Gen’s snapshots showcase the evolution of afree-spirited trendsetter. Clockwise from left,Gen drying off after a swim, breaking hearts

in high school, strolling the beach (in highstyle!), and acting coy in grade

school.

Pretty in pigtails

High schoo

l days

Ho

me

Sw

ee

t

Ho

me

Who would I hang out with? All of them. Brains, geeks,jocks, the artsy crowd, and yeah, Molly Ringwald. But

I’d always date the skateboarder.“ ”

became a full-time job; soon she

dropped out of Lewis and Clark to

start over at the School of Visual

Arts in Manhattan. Working and

studying full-time, she followed that fast

track all the way back to Amsterdam in

the Netherlands.

Landing back in New York, Gen found

work with an award-winning studio

called Duffy Design. Her credits there

include the bottle and label on Tanqueray

10 bottles, but her interests strayed

toward three-dimensional graphic design.

As she explains it, that means she might

design a logo for a company, then its

exhibition booths, and maybe its

corporate T-shirts or

benefit dinner menus. “It

all comes down to color,

form, balance, and

knowing your materials.

You use them all to flesh

out a character,” she says.

Gen’s description of

three-dimensional graphic

design isn’t too far from

her current idea of a

successful room

makeover—materials,

color, form, and balance all come into play in home decorating. Back when

Trading Spaces called, Gen had yet to see the connection between

graphics and interior design. “I grew up with Designing Women and just

didn’t think decorating was cool. I pictured all interior designers wearing

big perfumed scarves and bursting through swing doors balancing bolts of

purple chintz,” she explains. Never saying no to the possibilities of

serendipity, she got on a plane. Gen recalls, “They sent me a copy of

Changing Rooms [the British TV series that inspired TradingSpaces], and I thought, I could do that.” She auditioned along

Gen and a homeowner try to decipher manufacturer’s instructions.

Above: Question-and-answer sessions and autograph signings at thehome and garden trade show. Below: Gen and her family kicking back inthe hotel between Gen’s appearances.

87

genevieve gorderBorn: July 26, 1974

Raised: MinneapolisAdopted Hometown: New York City

Favorite Saying: “That’s so sick!” (a compliment)Addictions: Tortilla Española and MAC lip glass

Most Embarrassing Moment: During an interview on the Todayshow, she quipped, “Matt, I can do anything for $1,000.”

Photographed at Le Souk in New York City on November 7, 2002