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<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto: James Bombales<\/em><\/p>\n Genevieve Gorder has been gracing our television screens and schooling us in the art of approachable design since TLC\u2019s <\/span>Trading Spaces<\/span><\/i> first premiered in 2000. Since then, she\u2019s appeared on numerous programs including <\/span>Dear Genevieve<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Design Star<\/span><\/i>, <\/span>Genevieve’s Renovation<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>Stay Here<\/span><\/i>. <\/span><\/p>\n Now she\u2019s making her way to Bravo and the reality TV streaming platform, hayu, with the launch of <\/span>Best Room Wins<\/span><\/i> \u2014 a brand new design competition series judged by Gorder and Whitney Robinson, the Editor-in-Chief of <\/span>ELLE Decor<\/span><\/i>. Each episode, two designers will go head-to-head, transforming ordinary rooms into lavish retreats with only four days and $25,000 to get it all done.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Nicole Weingart\/Bravo<\/em><\/p>\n We spoke to Gorder about where to save and where to splurge when decorating on a budget and got the scoop on the star-studded panel of guest judges who will be appearing on <\/span>Best Room Wins<\/span><\/i>. Spoiler alert: Martyn Bullard, the Kardashians go-to interior designer, is \u201ca true thunderbolt with his authoritativeness.\u201d Keep scrolling for Gorder\u2019s four lessons on creating luxury interiors for less and don\u2019t forget to tune into <\/span>Best Room Wins<\/span><\/i> starting May 1st.<\/span><\/p>\n\n Photo: James Bombales, design by Karin Bennett<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThe most common misconception about designing a luxurious living space is that people think that they need to have the exact same architecture as the style they\u2019d like to see in their interiors,\u201d says Gorder. Into mid-century modern? You don\u2019t need to live in a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home to pull off the look. \u201cYou can really create some incredible fusion with mismatched architecture and make it feel completely luxurious,\u201d adds Gorder.<\/p>\n Photo: James Bombales, design by Kate + Co. Design Inc.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cLuxury does typically cost more than penny pinching, can-I-do-it-for-a-dime kind of style, but creativity is free,\u201d says Gorder. As contestant and interior designer Jason Lai says in the trailer, \u201cYou have to have taste, you can\u2019t buy it!\u201d Using a can of paint to inject drama into a space or learning to edit with a critical eye are low- or no-cost ways to amp up the style factor. \u201cW<\/span>hat we\u2019re showing on <\/span>Best Room Wins<\/span><\/i> are ways to create a luxurious home without having to use that enormously huge, luxurious budget,\u201d says Gorder.<\/span><\/p>\n Photo: James Bomables<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cHow you sleep and how you perform in life is really crucial to how you rest \u2014 so don’t skimp on beautiful linens for your bed,\u201d says Gorder. \u201cEven if they say it \u2018feels\u2019 like luxury but costs less, it\u2019s never the same thing. That\u2019s one place you can\u2019t cheat!\u201d She also advocates for spending money on the sofa because let\u2019s face it, \u201cthat\u2019s where we spend a lot of time throughout the day,\u201d and splurging on natural stone in the kitchen. \u201cMother Nature is really the ultimate luxury! Yes, there are a lot of composites and synthetics that are simply incredible, but in the kitchen, which is the heart [of the home], I don\u2019t want synthetic, I want all real and I want true luxe,\u201d Gorder adds.<\/p>\n Photo:\u00a0Roman Boed\/Flickr<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n1. The architecture doesn\u2019t have to match the decorating style.<\/b><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n2. Creativity is key to luxe-looking design.<\/b><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n3. If you\u2019re on a tight budget, splurge strategically.<\/b><\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n4. Score certain big-ticket items secondhand.<\/b><\/h3>\n
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