HGTV Star Alison Victoria Takes Aim at ‘Boring’ Las Vegas Homes
“Sin City Rehab” star Alison Victoria is betting on a bold modern approach to her timeless designs to elevate the “boring” look of Las Vegas homes.
The 44-year-old HGTV star has long showcased a signature old-meets-new decorating style on network shows, including “Windy City Rehab,” “Windy City Rehab: Alison’s Dream Home,” and “Rock the Block.”
Yet, on Season 2 of her latest series, Victoria reveals to Realtor.com® that she is going all-in on avant-garde designs at many of her renovation projects in the hopes that other homes in the area follow suit.
“You’ll get to see me design differently this season. You’ll get to see me do a little more of a modern take on some of these homes, which is really fun,” says Victoria, who first established her design firm in Sin City after attending college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
In the latest season of the show, which premiered on Oct. 7, Victoria’s refreshed designed strategy has resulted in the construction of a completely unconventional kitchen at a client’s home. She concealed appliances and installed lounge banquette booth seating to make the space intentionally hard to define.
“The future of kitchens is really not knowing that it’s a kitchen,” predicts Victoria, who has designed approximately 200 kitchens over the course of her career.
This nontraditional style of kitchen is precisely the inspiration Victoria believes the Las Vegas real estate scene needs so homeowners can avoid the cookie-cutter designs she repeatedly comes across in the desert area.
“Most homes here just feel like they’re right out of [a catalog], and I hate that,” she says. “Everything feels very predictable and the same—modern, glass, iron, and pivot doors—and it’s so boring to me.
“I’m seeing Vegas evolve on the houses I’m doing, and I’m trying really, really hard to make sure that I’m doing it in a way that [shows] people in Las Vegas, like, ‘You don’t have to do the same thing that everyone’s doing,’” she adds.
As Victoria works to “change Las Vegas one house at a time,” her business is also evolving.
“It’s a mix of doing what I really love, which is working with clients, but then really trying to get back into the flipping game with some different people,” she says. Another goal is taking on large commercial projects.
“I would love to do another hotel, another casino, another restaurant,” she says. “When the opportunity presents itself, I’m going to be saying ‘yes’ for sure. First of all, it’s better money. Second of all, you aren’t micromanaged as badly.”
Micromanagement is but one of the many challenges Victoria faces on the job. There’s also “massive delays, failing inspections, and firing subcontractors,” the latter of which can lead to some of the explosive moments Victoria shares on the show.
“People think my show is drama. No, my show is real. And real life in this business is drama,” explains Victoria.
“You go design a house or build a house or flip a house and be a babysitter to all these subs who, you want them to all be great, but they’re not,” she continues. “They will push you and they’ll walk all over you if you let them. So for me, it’s just kind of a no bullsh-t approach of like, ‘You’re not going to disrespect me. I’m paying you. Remember who your boss is.’ I always try to lead with respect, but I can only take the disrespect for so long.”
It’s been about one year since Victoria reestablished her professional presence in the Las Vegas market and made her Henderson, NV, villa her primary home, and the design superstar is feeling as confident and content as ever.
“I couldn’t feel more at home,” she says. “I wake up every day and it’s sunny, and I’m in my house that I designed and I’m in love with. I really do feel like I designed my life beautifully to love where I live. I just couldn’t be happier. And when you are happy, beautiful things just come out of it.”
Another source of Victoria’s happiness is her boyfriend, Brandt Anderson. With work going well and her TV show underway, Victoria now plans to double down on designing a schedule that allows her to spend more time with her ace.
“I haven’t had any time this year, so that has been very tough,” she says. “I’m very much looking forward to having the time to spend with Brandt. I feel bad because I can’t be there for some important things and I feel like I’m missing so much, and so I’m really excited to get back to that.”
New episodes of ‘Sin City Rehab’ air Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on HGTV and are available to stream the next day on HBO Max.
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