Exclusive: Genevieve Gorder's Launching Free Online Design Classes
Deciding how to decorate your home isn't rocket science, but let's be real: Sometimes, it can feel like a feat. You want a space that reflects who you are, not a hodge podge of random stuff you thought you liked but don't really go together. Or a space that's so bland it's totally devoid of personality.
It's why many people turn to designers for help, and for the first time, you can tap into Genevieve Gorder's insights-without having to attend a Trading Spaces casting call or pay to become one of her clients. Genevieve's partnered with T.J.Maxx to teach an online interior design course, and it's totally free to sign up. You can register starting today at MaxxYouProject.com, and during a break in filming, the Stay Here star spilled some details on what you can expect.
First, this isn't an Interior Design 101 course. There's no lecturer with heaps of homework-this class is a little more personal. It's dubbed "Design A Uniquely-You Space," because Genevieve isn't interested in forcing her ideas of what's chic onto you. She wants to help people unlock their own potential and develop their eye, so you can stop debating whether that end table goes with your sofa, or which shade of paint will really make your kitchen cabinets stand out.
"A uniquely you space, for me, you can’t buy it in a box," Genevieve explained. "I think a lot people are so overwhelmed with design that they often want to grab and go-they want to fast-food it."
It's a struggle everyone's familiar with-you get sick of agonizing over what you want, so you either buy a set of things (that inevitably wind up being too matchy-matchy), or you try to literally copy an image you found on Instagram or in a magazine.
"Which will never look like it does in that magazine," Genevieve added.
A post shared by Genevieve Gorder (@genevievegorder) on Sep 4, 2018 at 11:21am PDT
Second, expect to do a little soul-searching on your own. The designer will push you to answer questions that seem a little off the beaten path, but there's a purpose to them all.
"What do you listen to? How do you move in your space? Are you urban? Are you rural?" she asked. "Your gestures are bigger if you’re rural; they’re tighter if you’re urban."
It isn't just a case of what colors you like or how much square footage you have. If your style's more rural, cue the Dixie Chicks: You probably crave wide open spaces, liking bigger statement pieces that make an impact, even if it means fewer of them (so you have more space to move around). In an urban space, function reigns supreme-everything you love probably has multiple uses, making the most of every inch without cluttering things up. The Joanna Gaines gigantic clock or faux-cathedral window? Not for you.
From there, it's a matter of figuring out how you live and where your life's headed in the next few years, since most of us change out our clothes a lot faster than we change out our bedrooms.
"It takes a lot of insightful questioning, I think, to get a really authentic space to yourself," Genevieve said. "Unless you’re a designer, you don’t know those layers as intimately-and you shouldn’t-so it takes some work to get there."
Thankfully, it's a lot more enjoyable work than, say, assembling an Ikea bed frame or restoring a brick wall by hand.
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