Genevieve Gorder on How ‘Best Room Wins’ Differs From Other Design Shows (VIDEO)

Twenty-five grand will buy 50 Landskrona armchairs at IKEA — or a professionally designed room on Bravo’s latest competition series, Best Room Wins. In each episode, two pros get that amount of cash and four days to create a luxury-for-less space in a client’s home.

Genevieve Gorder (above, with designer Matt Sanders) pulls triple duty as host, mentor and judge, critiquing the work alongside Elle Decor’s Whitney Robinson and a rotating guest. (The best room wins a spread on ElleDecor.com.)

Here, Gorder previews what makes this design show different.

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The Budget

Yes, $25,000 sounds like a lot — especially when Gorder worked with as little as $1,000 on Trading Spaces — but it’s actually more realistic for non-DIY projects, she says. “If this were just truly decorative, that would be an amazing amount of money, but because you’re also doing construction projects — installing a new floor, putting in a new wall or window, repairing a leaky roof — it adds up.”

The Voyeurism

For inspiration, the participants tour a multimillion-dollar estate that exemplifies that week’s chosen style. (First up: Hollywood Regency.) “We go into these incredible homes that even as a designer we don’t get to see often,” she says, “and we really break down what these styles are.”

(Credit: Nicole Weingart/Bravo)

The Priorities

The judges take client satisfaction into account, so designers need to communicate their vision in advance — and not save it for a big TV reveal. “I’m like, ‘Guys, it’s not that show,'” Gorder says. “You would never do this in real life. Just show them the plan!”

Check out an exclusive sneak peek at the premiere below:

Best Room Wins, Series Premiere, Wednesday, May 1, 10/9c, Bravo