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Celebrity designer Genevieve Gorder shares her secrets

Designer and TV personality Genevieve Gorder just completed a photo shoot in Mexico City, and when she thinks about how far her career has come she doesn't hesitate to say she is always extremely grateful.

“My schedule is insane now, but every single day I remember I get to do something that I love to do,” she says. “Someone just hired me to do a shoot in Mexico City and things like that are cool. Art is limiting life on a grand scale.”

You might remember Gorder from her seven-year span as one of the original designers on TLC's “Trading Spaces” from 2000-2007, which launched her TV design career. From there, Gorder has appeared on several HGTV shows including “Design Star,” “Dear Genevieve,” “Bang for Your Buck” and “Genevieve's Renovation” — her most recent show about the renovation of her own life and home in Manhattan with her daughter Bebelle.

For the DIY designer, Gorder suggests starting with small elements that make a big impact.

“When there is a change of seasons, you should change your accessories including your pillows and what's in your baskets around the house to help you to feel fresh and beautiful,” Gorder says. “When you do that, you'll walk in and feel different. It feels good to create change.”

If the warmer weather has inspired you to get to the great outdoors and test your hand in the do-it-yourself waters, Gorder says that it's is the perfect time to try some crafts outside, but she cautions beginners to watch the thermometer. “If you're doing crafts outside during the summer, keep in mind that paint can have a hard time drying if it's too hot or humid,” she says. “If you're going to do the crafts, do them in the morning. I do the majority of my exterior projects at the beginning of the summer, starting at 7 in the morning instead of noon.”

Gorder says an easy project for any skill level is to paint a room, or even a simple piece of furniture.

“Paint is the oldest, least expensive change you can make and it's an absolute beginner's dream,” she says.

Gorder also suggests that painting outdoor furniture is also a really good summer first-time project. “It's not only functional it's pretty,” Gorder says. “But don't paint the whole surface. The chair should look a little old and weathered. Do one chair, it's a good investment of time and money and it brings color outside. The world is filled with an abundance of beiges and greens, so let's complement those colors with beautiful pastels. It's a great excuse for those who live in a world of beige. It's OK to be playful outside and it's a great way to exercise those color muscles.”

Give tired old patio furniture a whole new life with a dipped paint look. Gorder says to simply tape off the top third of any wooden chairs and tables and use exterior paint to cover the bottom two thirds. Use pastel hues and sun-bleached palettes, which Gorder says look best against wood tones.

Don't stop there. “Do a patio pick me up,” Gorder says. “Scandinavians have been painting patterns on floors and rugs for centuries, and it's a genius technique for outdoor decks, as well. Buying a stencil takes all of the complication out of painting. Often we over-analyze what we want to do, and then we are paralyzed because it's overwhelming. Slow down the pace and start with small bits of color and you'll feel really accomplished.”

When it comes to creativity, Gorder says it's important to expose children to the arts when they are young, which is how her upbringing inspired her to design.

“I come from a creative family — someone is in music, someone is a dancer, a writer and a jazz musician, but design wasn't anyone's profession.”

Even still, Gorder, who grew up in Minneapolis, says her family would purchase and remodel old Victorian houses, which could be looked as priming her for her career.

“My family bought these old Victorians that were sold for practically nothing where we lived,” she says. “We all learned how to design and decorate the home. It's not a skill set that I thought was anything valuable, but it manifested into my career.”

After graduating from The School of Visual Arts in New York City, Gorder worked in studios throughout Europe and New York City and now has a host of clients and companies working with her. She also hosts a lifestyle web series called “A Well Designed Life” on ulive.com.

Gorder says she also loves social media and new clients seek her out through Facebook and Twitter. She loves what she does and hopes others find the same love in designing and decorating their homes.

• For more information on Gorder, visit her website at www.genevievegorder.com.

Gorder says a wooden deck an stand out using porch and floor paint and a Royal Design Studio Stencil. On top of the deck is a wooden patio chair painted in a "dipped" look.
Gorder, who grew up in Minneapolis, says her family would purchase and remodel old Victorian houses, which primed her for an interior decorating career.
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