Motel Rescue's Lindsey Kurowski On Her Biggest Remodeling Challenge & Bouncing Back - Exclusive Interview

Most American roadside motels peaked in the second half of the 20th century, back when a Big Mac would set you back about 70 cents and branded ashtrays sat on the beige tables lining every fast food joint in the country. By the 1980s — when the term "flyover country" found its way into dictionaries — the dream of many moteliers had already been snuffed out like a spent cigarette. But Lindsey Kurowski, host of Magnolia Network's "Motel Rescue," has a message for the roadside motel owners who are still struggling to stay afloat: Your business can be profitable; now isn't the time to give up the fight.

In her new seven-episode series, Kurowski hits the road to assist motel owners across the country. From modernizing outdated business models and accommodations to restoring the rustic charm these establishments are known for, the "Inn the Works" veteran has a proven track record that precedes her. In an exclusive interview with House Digest, the multitalented renovation specialist discussed her unique approach to preserving this quintessential slice of Americana and offered insight into how to make your short-term rental business thrive.

Why is it important to you to save vintage motels and the unique style they're known for?

I'm so drawn into this industry, specifically for the history and the stories of these places. There's such a romance to an old motel and looking up at the photos of what it used to be when it was in its heyday. There's something to be said about the people all across the country who are doing their best to keep these places up and going — also, people who are buying them and trying to refurnish them and bring them back to what they were or restore them.

It's preserving our history. Right now, I'm in ... Here's a surprise for you. I'm on Route 66 in Kingman, Arizona, which is ... Route 66 is the birthplace of the American road trip. It's cool to help preserve the story, and it's a huge part of Americana and why people were traveling these roads when they came up almost a hundred years ago. I love preserving history, and these places have such a story that should keep going for generations.

What I'm finding, being out here on the road, is there are some older people running things and also not understanding the younger generation and how to attract this new kind of traveler. Things are changing so much faster than they used to. You used to have a business model you could stick to for 20 or 40 years. Now it's changing every three to five years — how people are traveling, and how they're finding you. It's really an education for the owners.

I don't feel like everybody should have to sell. That's also why I want to do this show. There's a lot of people who are right on this cusp of, "Business is down; we're going to have to sell. It's been in our family for three generations." That's where I shine and say, "Hey, if you make a couple of tweaks ... and here's the tweaks: Let's redesign the rooms so they're inviting and they have modern updates. Let's get you on social media and get you a website."

There's a couple of hacks that can help them turn the ship around. That's why this show can be important, because it is make-or-break for a lot of these owners, and I'm here to help educate them that they don't necessarily have to sell. They take my advice, they can thrive. They're not always open to change — that's what we're finding as well.

When looking back at your renovation roots, you once said you "didn't know what you were doing" when you bought the Oak Knoll Lodge from Season 1 of "Inn the Works." What lessons did you learn about renovation and design from that learn-by-doing project?

Oh God, so many lessons ... This is funny. When I purchased the Oak Knoll Lodge, the first thing I did was realize how low all the ceilings were. With all the magazines I was reading, I wanted open-concept, high ceilings.

I stuck my head up in the attic and saw I could extend the lobby another six feet or so in the rooms; I could open this up and have another six or eight feet on the ceiling. I did that right away — took down every ceiling, vaulted it, made it look gorgeous. Then winter rolled around, and I realized that it was cold in the rooms. My biggest learning curve was [that] they did these drop ceilings to help keep the heat in.

I ended up having to put in substantially bigger heaters. Now, it was still worth it. You should still vault your ceiling, but I did learn you need to check the capacity of your heating system before you vault the ceiling, because you may also have to up whatever kind of heater you have. I did not have enough to heat the extra 600 square feet I had just introduced to the room. That was a major learning curve, but I'd still do it. It's worth it. It's a little more expensive in the winter.

For "Inn the Works," you renovated historic inns with the help of your family. What advice can you give to homeowners undertaking a DIY-heavy renovation with the help of spouses, siblings, and parents?

Get a therapist on retainer? Honestly — it can be challenging. The lows are lower, but the highs are high. Family is amazing, but it can be very challenging. If you're a couple, get a couples counselor queued up. Also, put some budget aside for the stuff you don't know how to do. It's okay to be a DIYer. You can figure out wallpaper, but if you don't want to tackle tile, don't — pay someone to. You can make your big project list and maybe try three. If you have 10 things you've got to do, you should do three to four and maybe hire some professionals.

What decorative or functional flourishes do you like to add to motel rooms that people can also employ in their homes?

I do a lot of upholstery work and reupholstering. It's awesome if you guys are zooming around on Craigslist or [Facebook] Marketplace — finding old furniture that needs to be refurbed is fun, and anyone can do it. You can do it at scale. I often find 40 bar stools — then I do new fabric on the cushions, and I use those at a hotel. But you can do the same thing at home. Upholstery is not as expensive as you would think, so make a good relationship with your local upholsterer.