HGTV's Genevieve Gorder Can't Stand This Trendy Wall Color (& What To Try Instead)

Experts predict that pale blues, soft browns, warm reds, and warm neutrals will be in for 2024. Of course, trends come and go so it's tricky to commit to them, especially as major parts of a home's design. This is why HGTV's Genevieve Gorder can't stand neon walls and prefers less obvious options. "I've been there, done it. It's like such a trend moment. It's so trendy, it hurts," she says in a People interview. "A bracelet? Cool. A wall? No."

While it's exciting to dedicate one or even all of your walls to a fun color, major changes will need to be made when it eventually goes out of style. This is especially true with neon, which is hard to ignore once it's dated. Sticking to timeless features, which tend to be more subtle in nature, and incorporating louder trends tastefully is a much better route to keep your home from dating before its time.

Alternative to neon walls

"Design has to feel effortless to be cool. When I see you trying, I'm out," Genevieve Gorder tells People, highlighting the key issue with this color option. When one wall or more is simply painted in a bright neon highlighter color, it feels obvious that you're trying to have something visually striking and trying to create a fun energy. To be more effortless and approach things more naturally. Neutrals and quieter, more relaxing shades, including cream, navy, or oatmeal, are the obvious alternative. But if these aren't for you and you have your heart set on bright hues, try to be intentional and selective with your pop of neon color.

We suggest incorporating neon into your home with small, simple pieces. A fun, well-placed neon sign, for example, will be a better addition to a room than an entire wall in the color. The main idea behind this is that modern decor trends can be made timeless when you incorporate them through accessories because then you can switch them out whenever you need to. Another tip is to use neon elsewhere around the house, like on a small piece of wood furniture like a chair or a shelf.