@JoelECarlson – Hello everyone! Welcome to Twitterview No.200 with special guest @Real_Genevieve! She’s from Minnesota! Let get this party started.
@real_genevieve – I’m ready @JoelECarlson Let get this party started.
Q – #1 So @real_genevieve, where did you grow up in MN, and how did you get interested in home design/decorating?
A: I grew up IN the city, 32nd Colfax
My family bought old victorians in the 80’s and we’d restore them from top to bottom, these are my first design memories
I come from an art driven family, it’s just wiring and support for beautiful comes naturally from all of us
when I say city I mean, I am South High, I’m KMOJ (the 1000 watt giant), lived in uptown before there was a calhoun sq. ha ha
Q – #2 After high school, did you get schooling/training in design? How did you land your 1st TV gig?
A: Yes, I went to Lewis & Clark College in Port. Or thinking I would be in International Affairs…but I found design, one class and
it sent me straight to NYC where I attended and graduated from the School of Visual Arts with a BFA in design.
I also studied in Europe for close to a year at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Holland, but I can never just study…
I would always be working/interning in design along with fulltime school. In NYC I worked at MTV for several years in the design dept
In Holland, it was so much design theory and not enough practice so I worked in a small studio out there called muskadelic
So, in short. Yes, I’ve had extensive training, I’m a real designer who just happens to be on TV
Post design school, my 1st job was one of my greatest. A co. from MPLS called Duffy Design.
Joe Duffy was and is an incredible design mentor to me.
Q – #3 When did you 1st start appearing on TV doing design work, and how has it evolved for you?
A: I first started doing design on television 11 years ago, this has been an incredibly long ride. I’m enjoying the entire journey
design television and myself have grown up together. My life experiences evolve my vision and curiousity
I have 2 be incredibly prolific and am unable 2 repeat myself. There’s an incredible amount of pressure,but thats how I operate best
Q – #4 DM’d question – @real_genevieve Did you ever work for Prince? In what capacity? Ever considered a home goods line as a side venture?
A: Yes I worked for Prince. I worked at Glam Slam as a teenager…he is and will always be a god to me. I’m forever 16 when I see Prince
Being from Minneapolis, Prince is less of a performer to us but more of a religion, we throw down for him
I do have many home goods coming out this year Bedding, Textiles, Accessories and Rugs
to keep inspired, u have to keep moving. Travel. It is the great educator. every yr. I push myself out there for a design mission
Last year, my roots. I went to Croatia & Norway to study embroidery & rosemalling. I came back refreshed w color and new eyes.
I actually filmed it, went to ancestral homesteads and met my family on both sides…humbling, unforgettable, forever inspiring
Bedding-Springmaid/Wamsutta in spring, Rugs-Surya, Accessories-Target Fall, textiles-everywhere
Q – #5 Great! With the “New Economy”, have you changed your style or approach to fit more of people’s needs?
A: My approach never changes, my mediums change with peoples budgets.
It never gets boring, out of desperation comes creativity. Small budgets make me feel like I’m in art school again, it’s a challenge
Q – #6 DM’d question – Can you be hired as a private designer? Also, what is the link for your design studio?
A: I can be hired privately, it’s rare that I have time but occasionally I’ll do a juicy project.
I like to do pro bono charitable spaces during my “free time” or hospitality
Q – #7 Your FAVORITES: Restaurant, store, activity/sport, city for vacation & your comfort food.
A: MY FAVORITES in MPLS or in the world?
@JoelECarlson – Both. Re: Favorites
A: favorite cities in the world? New York, Istanbul, Rome, Paris, Marrekesh….for getaway disappear? Villasimius in Sardinia, poof!
Fav sport? I’m a soccer girl thru college, but have always been athletic xxskiing, etc and my latest obs. running. I’ve got a club
restaurants: in mpls: bar la grassa, the old lotus and swedish meatballs from ingebretsens
restaurants in NYC and the world? we’d need a whole separate interview, too many!!!
Q – #8 Understood. What is the most common & simplest mistake to fix that you see done in peoples homes right now?
A: fear. People are paralyzed by fear of making a mistake in their home. This is why they’re all beige. This can easily be fixed
The unbeiging of America will be my lifes work, ha ha ha
Q – #9 Unbeiging. You should copyright that! :) What advice would you give to designers just starting out?
A: to designers just starting out…lead from your heart first, head second. Design is an emotional practice not a science.
Your job as a designer is to imagine harder than everyone else in the room. Your eyes must ALWAYS be open.
We are visual therapists.
@JoelECarlson – THANK YOU so much @real_genevieve for being my guest today for No.200! Keep up the great design work! All the best to you.
@real_genevieve – Thank you, to all of you! It was a privilege.