Yahoo Lifestyle HGTV’s Alison Victoria Says ‘Windy City Rehab’ New Season Is Best Ever
Alison Victoria is back on HGTV this fall in a big way. She’s celebrating the fifth season of her hit series Windy City Rehab, and she’s following that up with Scariest House in America—a perfectly timed spinoff of Ugliest House in America. Taking on new projects and returning to the flipping game is sure to be stressful, but, as she told Country Living, Alison has never been happier. Here, she tells us about her new projects and how she finds calm in the chaos.
On returning to Windy City Rehab
The last season of the popular HGTV series brought in more than 16 million viewers. Alison is returning to her hometown with 12 new projects. She says, “This new season is, in my opinion, the best ever. I am the happiest I’ve ever been, which in turn lets me be even more creative because I’m not bogged down with any other BS. It’s just this total freedom of creativity and trust from each client. They’re hiring me because they love me and they love my design. So I’m able to design these houses as if they’re mine without being micromanaged. A couple of them do micromanage a little too much...”
Alison continues, “There are a lot of highs and a lot of lows, and there’s a ton of inspiration. Design wise, you are getting some of the best design ever. And then also just watching me go through my real life of building my business and my team.”
Of course, it’s not an easy or one-dimensional job. She says, “The highs and lows of each client job—watching them go through it because most of these people have never done it before. I’m the designer, but I’m the therapist, but I’m also their mentor. And also I’m the babysitter and also I’m the middle man between them and their contractor.”
On making time for herself
None of this is new for Alison, who has many years of experience under her toolbelt. Adding in the element of TV takes it to another leavel. She explains, “TV is not glamorous, especially when it’s reality TV, and especially when you’re being real on reality TV. It’s extremely exhausting mentally and physically because you are bearing it all and you’re carrying it all on your shoulders.”
She continues, “The most important thing to me is making sure that when I am working that I’m having fun doing it, and then I am taking time to be present and enjoy the people that I love. So I am always traveling and even if it’s for a weekend and I can get away and go to Paris, I’m going.
“I’m so fortunate. I’ve worked really hard to have the friendships that I have and they are just the best. Creating annual events that we stick to with friends is really important because the older you get, the more you have to schedule things. Having those things on the calendar a year in advance is extremely important because you know nobody’s going to cancel. So yeah, that balance, I’ve got that down.”
On having HGTV friends
Alison’s HGTV career has included stints on Rock the Block, Barbie Dreamhouse Challenge, and Battle on the Beach, and she’s proud of the friendships she’s made along the way. Alison says, “No one else will ever understand your life unless they live it. It gives you more strength because you have people that you can talk to, that understand the issues you’re going through. You can connect with them in true friendship and be vulnerable with each other and not act like everything’s great.”
Alison’s on-screen relationships have translated to real-life. She says, “The real friendships that I have, the people on the network, we’re able to do that. We’re able to call each other and be like, ‘I need to pick your brain. I’m going through something tough right now. I know you went through something tough. How did you deal with it or can I pick your brain?’ I love that they’re just very natural relationships.
“The audience can see right through the fake. Your real relationships, those shine and those connections really just they come across the screen.”
On being scared
Alison is returning to co-star with comedian and actress Retta on Scariest House in America. She says, “Retta is so fun. That’s a friendship that blossomed very fast, and she and I are constantly texting and talking and seeing each other when whenever we can. Scariest [House in America] is just a spin off of Ugliest. So it’s Ugliest with a lot of scaring the s--t out of each other.
“And that’s one of my favorite things to do in life—to scare people and to be scared. It is just hysterical to me. I’m sure it’s like killing me because I’m giving myself many heart attacks. But, God, it’s fun.”
Season 5 of Windy City Rehab premieres on September 24 on HGTV and Max. Scariest House in America debuts on October 4, also on HGTV and Max.
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