Trixie Mattel on Palm Springs motel: 'If there's anywhere this would work, it's definitely here'

The first time drag superstar Trixie Mattel came to Palm Springs, she felt as though she found her way home, especially when she spotted breeze blocks in her signature color: pink.

Mattel, the drag persona created by Brian Michael Firkus, evokes ’60s glamour and midcentury vibes — two themes the desert city is known for. Hailing from rural Wisconsin, Firkus was far away from Palm Springs when he designed the character. On that first trip, though, Mattel — who compares her drag persona to one of the housewives from the film "Edward Scissorhands" — found herself in a spot that was "frozen in time," much like her look.

"There's a lot of older gay men who are kind of in their 20s mentally, going out every weekend, looking their best they've ever looked," Mattel told The Desert Sun. "What I loved about it was it just seemed extremely California, and there was a sweetness to it. It's not doing an impersonation of earnest Americana; it is the most authentic mid-century California experience."

It's no wonder then why the "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars" winner decided to start a new business venture, the Trixie Motel, in Palm Springs. Even without looking at the sign, the bubblegum pink walls and decorations adorning the exterior of the building at 210 W. Stevens Road evoke a Barbie Dreamhouse vibe that Mattel has perfected over the years.

But before the spot screamed Mattel-meets-Palm Springs, a few renovations had to be made. Viewers will be able to watch the whole process unfold via the Discovery+ series, "Trixie Motel," which debuted Friday.

Wigs not optional

Mattel and her partner and property co-owner David Silver purchased Ruby Montana's Coral Sands Inn for $2 million, according to the first episode of the series. They put in another $500,000 for renovations, which were scheduled for four months.

The motel, located in the Little Tuscany neighborhood, was built in 1953, according to Realtor.com. Before it was sold, the inn had bright pink-colored exterior walls with rodeo-inspired decorated rooms, based on photos listed on the website.

It's not the first business under Mattel's belt: she has her own cosmetic line, Trixie Cosmetics, and owns This Is It in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the oldest continually operating gay bar in the state. She jokes that she chose a motel for financial security, but really she wanted to add to the possibilities in Palm Springs.

"In Palm Springs, I heard something I really liked, like spiritually, the air, the energy, and I wanted to add my voice to that in a way that was very harmonious," Mattel said. "People are always coming here and they need somewhere to stay, and I know that the Trixie brand is a more eccentric, somehow more gay version of the Palm Springs energy. I just thought if there's anywhere this would work, it's definitely here."

It also was important for Mattel to create a safe space for all people. There have been times when Mattel hasn't felt safe or welcomed in hotels or motels around the world, so she wanted to make this a place where everyone could feel free to be themselves, and have the amenities to do so.

"Let's be honest, motels and hotels are made for men. They're made for people who hang up suits and maybe plug in a shaver. There's no lighting for makeup, there's no counter space, there's not somewhere to hang up garments, there's not anywhere cute to take a picture of yourself," Mattel said. "Definitely as a drag queen-owned motel, I couldn't put something out into the world that didn't speak to people who like to plug in a curling iron and put on some lipstick."

There's only one ask from Mattel if you do stay at the motel: "at least bring a wig." Guests who do drag might also get some perks, such as a free drink.

Ups and downs of renovations

Each episode of the show tackles one of the seven uniquely themed rooms in the motel, such as one full of pink flamingos and one aptly named the Queen of Hearts room. As renovations are going on, the team has to work on securing permits from the City of Palm Springs, as well as tackling the pool, lobby and bar areas that bring it all together.

To help them meet these goals, the owners enlisted fashion and interior designer Dani Dazey and project manager David Rios for help.

Rios has been working in the design industry for about 25 years and has experience turning homes into resorts. He's most known for his "Sputnik" doors around the desert, including the Blush Palm Springs home on South Farrell Drive that has two black front doors with gold accents. The design can be seen on pink and gold exterior doors at the Trixie Motel.

He was hired as a project manager and brought in a whole team of collaborators to work on the motel from around October/November 2021 to February/March of this year. Once Dazey presented her design ideas for a given space, Rios and his team would have to execute those plans. Executing was often "pretty hard" with the four-month timeframe he was given, he said, and there were a few hiccups along the way, including lack of materials, delays and production shutdowns because of COVID-19.

The show covers a few of those hiccups, including issues with flooring and bathroom tiles. But Rios said the show's leader kept a positive attitude throughout the process, which in turn helped him.

"We're filming, we're sweating, it's raining, people are getting COVID-19, this, that. Someone would normally give up, but if (Trixie's) not giving up, I'm not giving up," Rios said. "We made it to the end together, and I would do anything for her. She's a hugger, she embraces everybody, she acknowledges everybody and I really appreciate that."

Because of little time available, work had to be completed on the weekends, he said. Working with Horacio Perez, the architectural drafter on the show who has worked on a number of projects in Palm Springs, also helped the team expedite the permit approval process with the city.

Rios said the high point of being involved in the project was how supportive and understanding Mattel and Silver were throughout the process. People get "dismissed" or face "pushback" sometimes in construction, he said, but that wasn't the case with the two owners.

Lack of materials, however, was a downside. Shipping containers from China full of supplies he needed were stuck for months at a time, and Rios had to drive to different cities to pick up whatever resources he could find. At times, the crew also had to redo work that was done on flooring or wallpaper because materials were not the best quality, he added.

It wasn't always just about the hard work. Rios said filming with Mattel was full of "constant comedy," and even if something went wrong, she "just rolled with all the punches."

"It was dramatic, it was fun ...at the end of the day, to be appreciated by such an icon, someone who is really making a staple here in the city, and just allowing me to be a part of it, allowed me to really flourish," Rios said.

Speaking of designer Dazey, Mattel said: "I had big plans and she had bigger plans. For everything I wanted to do, she was adding another primary color and another pattern. She really has shown how to make a space to the max without feeling chaotic or crowded."

Throughout the series, Mattel also gets “free labor” from a few friends, including "Vanderpump Rules" star Lisa Vanderpump, comedian Nicole Byer, actor and musician Zooey Deschanel, "Property Brothers" star Jonathan Scott, actor Leslie Jordan and frequent drag queen collaborator Katya.

Vanderpump, who owns restaurants in California, also provided mentorship throughout the renovation process. The best piece of advice she gave Mattel was that "everything's going to take twice as long and cost twice as much, and oh my gosh was she right," Mattel said.

With her other friends, Mattel didn't spare them any sweat.

"All my famous friends are like, 'So what am I doing?' B----, you're getting on a ladder," Mattel said. "I know you're a huge star on other shows, but you're doing manual labor."

The drag star said the hardest challenge she faced was diving into the venture with her partner of five years. It was the "biggest, most stressful thing" they introduced into their relationship, but they were able to find new depths "because we took an extreme trust fall together doing this. We're in each other's lives forever through this business, and this is our baby."

The best moment was seeing what was possible with the motel.

"When I saw the first room, it was the first time I had a very clear voice in my head that what we were doing was not only going to work, it was going to be iconic," Mattel said. "I said 'we are changing the game and there will never be a place like this ever again.' I couldn't believe it. It was like the universe showing me the future that this is working and it's going to be perfect."

The Trixie Motel will officially be open for business on Labor Day; Starting Friday, prospective guests can start making reservations at https://www.trixiemotel.com/, Mattel said.

Before this business has even opened its doors, the "RuPaul's Drag Race" alum is already thinking about other possibilities in Palm Springs. Mattel would like to do a themed airstream park where people stay for a few days, sit around a campfire and enjoy musical performances. A campground is another venture she's interested in, with Trixie Mattel-themed cabins, activities such as basketweaving and flag football and drag queens dressed in camp counselor outfits.

Whatever she decides to do, she said the Palm Springs community has been nothing but supportive along the way.

"During filming, I would take DJ gigs at Chill Bar just for fun, and small business owners from all over Palm Springs would come to my DJ set. Palm Springs is an intimidating place because everybody loves it there and everybody is protective of it," Mattel said. "When they hear that somebody is throwing their hat in the ring, I was expecting a very critical welcome, but everybody in Palm Springs came right up to me and said, 'We love what you're doing, we can't wait to see it, here's our store, you should come in and see it sometime.' What business community is like that?"

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Trixie Mattel talks Discovery Plus show 'Trixie Motel,' Palm Springs