Genevieve Gorder
Self - Designer
Overview
Designer Genevieve Gorder and real estate expert Peter Lorimer show property owners how to turn their short-term rentals into moneymaking showstoppers.
Seasons
- Status
- Ended
- Seasons
- 1 season
- Episodes
- 8 episodes
- First aired
- Aug 17, 2018
Cast
Reviews
5 min readThe Empty Frame: What a Home Makeover Show Reveals About Our Hunger for Transformation
I’ll admit it: I came to Stay Here expecting to hate it. Not with any particular malice, but with the weary resignation of someone who’s seen one too many reality shows about flipping houses, staging rentals, or turning a spare room into a “cozy nook.” The premise—designer Genevieve Gorder and real estate expert Peter Lorimer helping property owners maximize their Airbnb profits—sounded like the kind of television that exists solely to fill the void between infomercials.
And yet, somewhere around the third episode, I found myself strangely absorbed. Not because the renovations were groundbreaking (they weren’t), or because the hosts were particularly charismatic (they were fine), but because Stay Here accidentally became a document of something far more interesting than drywall and throw pillows: the fantasy of reinvention.
That fantasy is the real subject of the show, though no one involved seems to realize it. The properties in question aren’t just houses; they’re vessels for second chances. A divorced woman in Nashville turns her ex-husband’s man cave into a “feminine retreat.” A retired couple in Savannah transforms their historic home into a short-term rental to fund their retirement.
A young couple in Austin buys a fixer-upper to escape the grind of city life. The stakes are never just financial. They’re emotional.
The show sells the idea that if you just rearrange the furniture, repaint the walls, and add a few strategically placed succulents, you can rearrange your life too.
The renovations themselves are predictable, but that’s not the point. What’s fascinating is how the show frames them. Every episode follows the same rhythm: the owners express their anxieties (“I don’t know if I can do this,” “This place feels like a burden”), Gorder and Lorimer arrive like secular priests to absolve them of their doubts, and then—through the magic of power tools and paint samples—the space is reborn.
The owners weep. They hug. They say things like, “I feel like I’ve been given a new life.” It’s easy to dismiss this as manufactured drama, but I don’t think it is.
Audience Opinions
Broad evidence
Audience 7.0/10
"A niche but engaging reality series for short-term rental enthusiasts, praised for its practical advice and charismatic hosts, though some viewers found it too focused on high-end properties and lacking depth in certain areas."
Viewers of *Stay Here* (2018) generally appreciated the show’s fresh take on the home renovation genre, focusing on transforming struggling short-term rentals into profitable, stylish spaces. The series was noted for its practical, actionable advice, particularly for those interested in Airbnb or vacation rental investments. Genevieve Gorder and Peter Lorimer, the hosts, were frequently highlighted as a major strength—Gorder for her design expertise and Lorimer for his real estate insights. Their chemistry and on-screen dynamic were described as engaging and authentic, making the show feel more like a conversation than a typical home makeover program. However, some viewers felt the show occasionally leaned too heavily into high-end, aspirational properties, which might not resonate with those working with tighter budgets. A few also mentioned that while the design transformations were impressive, the business strategies discussed could have been explored in more depth. latestnetflix.com's view is that overall, the series was seen as a useful and entertaining resource for a specific audience, though not universally appealing.
What viewers praise
- Practical and actionable advice Viewers appreciated the show’s focus on providing concrete tips for improving short-term rentals, from design tweaks to marketing strategies, making it a useful resource for hosts or aspiring investors.
- Engaging and charismatic hosts Genevieve Gorder and Peter Lorimer were praised for their chemistry and expertise, with viewers describing them as relatable, knowledgeable, and entertaining.
- Fresh take on home renovation Unlike traditional home makeover shows, *Stay Here* zeroed in on the short-term rental market, offering a unique angle that resonated with viewers interested in real estate or hospitality.
- Visually appealing transformations The design overhauls were frequently mentioned as a highlight, with viewers enjoying the before-and-after contrasts and the creative solutions implemented.
Common complaints
- Limited budget appeal Some viewers felt the show focused too much on high-end, expensive properties, which might not be relatable or practical for those with smaller budgets or more modest rental spaces.
- Business strategies could be deeper While the show touched on the financial and operational aspects of short-term rentals, a few viewers wished for more in-depth coverage of topics like pricing strategies, legal considerations, or long-term profitability.
- Niche audience appeal The series was seen as highly specific to those interested in short-term rentals, which might limit its broader appeal to general home renovation or reality TV fans.
Recommended for
Aspiring or current Airbnb/VRBO hosts Real estate investors interested in short-term rentals Fans of home renovation and design shows Viewers who enjoy practical, advice-driven reality TV
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsGenevieve Gorder compared short-term rentals to Tinder. Netflix still only ordered one season.
"It's just like a dating app," she told People after Stay Here dropped. "They want the cutest girl on Tinder and they want the most beautiful house on AirBnB or whatever app they're using." She also said the show was not locked to one listing site. After the makeovers, every owner called to say they were booked solid and had raised rates. Some, she claimed, had already bought three or four more properties. latestnetflix.com's take is that Then she and fiancé Christian Dunbar started their own short-term rental in Savannah."The plan is to have many, many properties." 
The other host arrived through real estate YouTube, not HGTV. Peter Lorimer, UK-born, ran PLG Estates in Los Angeles with his wife and business partner Cindy. Before houses he produced records, with a bio that claims more than 30 Billboard club-chart number ones. In 2015, at Inman Connect San Francisco, another agent pushed him into video. He told Inman he ran at it hard because nobody in real estate was posting interesting clips on a schedule. Netflix still made him audition. He did a Skype screen test. He did not think he would get it, so he went "balls-to-the-walls." They loved that. Right as Inman Connect 2017 opened, he did a chemistry test with Gorder at a Hollywood Hills estate. "Lo and behold, they called me and said I got it, and you could've knocked me over with a feather." ,
Eight cities, eight listings, no season two.
The pair treated each owner like the general manager of a very small hotel. Lorimer wrote a business and marketing plan. Gorder gutted the rooms. The eight-city list is a map of 2018 Airbnb wish fulfillment. A claustrophobic Seattle houseboat that became a rooftop-deck "lakeside lovenest." A widow's weathered Malibu bungalow. A headstrong Austin pool house that would not book. A Bed-Stuy brownstone that could sleep a crowd and still failed at layout. A Paso Robles vineyard cottage aimed at destination weddings. A vacant Hudson River carriage house Lorimer called 268 years old. A Palm Springs time machine with 1970s decor. A historic D.C. firehouse, the first African-American fire station in the capital, rebuilt as a family rental that was supposed to honor the neighborhood. , ,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej9qnDW3kE4
Netflix dumped all eight episodes on Aug. 17, 2018. Runtime about 30 to 33 minutes. TV-PG. Hoosick Falls Productions, Shake Media, and Critical Content. Gorder is an executive producer. Decider's verdict was Stream It, with the pilot line "If you can rebuild it, I can rebrand it," plus a warning that the Seattle listing might get more expensive once the episode hit. The official trailer had already sold the pitch a week earlier. , ,
TMDB lists the series as Ended. The Futon Critic marked it canceled after the 2017-2018 season. No second season was ordered. , Gorder had already used the job as a business card for her own Savannah rental. Lorimer had the velvet-rope agent act Netflix wanted. The listings got their before-and-after. The show did not get a renewal.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.