David Bromstad :: Dreaming Big and Finding That Perfect Fit

What can you say about HGTV's David Bromstad? This host/designer/ home expert is unendingly energetic, completely disarming, downright charming and, last but not least, has a wicked sense of humor. His oft-donned smile and that quick humor has endeared him to HGTV audiences since he won the debut season of "Design Star" back in 2006, and he hasn't gotten off the network's fast track since.

The youngest of four, Bromstad grew up in Cokato, Minnesota, a small town, which, as he said, "Most people haven't heard of, there's 2,600 people, so it's pretty small." Located not far (at least by Midwestern terms) from the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. He said of growing up gay there, "The Midwest was definitely unlike other places, though I have to say Minnesota is so weird, because it always votes liberal and is Democratic, yet it's not that way in so many other ways. It's weird and wasn't the most friendly place to grow up gay; there's definitely a bible belt sensibility still thumping up there."

Like many, it was a place he would eventually, as he said "Run away from." Steps that would eventually lead him to Florida and then a place on HGTV, the most popular home improvement channel on television. Now, 11 years and several popular shows later, Bromstad is still dishing out advice to America's households as he only can. Smiling that infectious smile, using his genuine, fun-loving personality as he shares his unique signature style, as he charms audiences across the nation.

The latest embodiment on that journey, "My Lottery Dream Home," has him helping recent lotto jackpot winners spend their winnings as they find their perfect dream home. Using that signature effervescence and enthusiasm, he gets into his charges heads, helps them to recover their senses after winning their millions and does what he does best: Finds them a perfect, beautiful place to land.

This guy is all about creating a sense of home, finding a nest and making it your own. Let's hear a little more about how he got there and how he makes the magic happen.

I'm curious to know how you got from a small Minnesota town like Cokato to a spot on "Design Star." Can you give us a little synopsis on what that journey was?

So, I grew up in Cokato, up until I was 14 and right before my 15th birthday we moved to a suburb of Minneapolis called Plymouth and I went to Wayzata High School there. Wayzata High School, I love it, I have friends with kids there still. (Laughs) I know, very 90210 [It's where Brandon and Brenda Walsh moved from on Beverly Hills 90210], though on the show they pronounced it Wayzayta, they never got that right. (Laughs) Anyway, that's where I finished off my high school years. I went to art school in Sarasota, Florida at the Wringling Brother's College of Art & Design, because I wanted to be a Disney animator. That was back in the day when they still did hand-drawn animation. After I was there for a few months I realized that I really did not want to do animation, because it was kind of boring for me. Drawing a broomstick over and over and over again in order to make it move for five seconds, was going to take me weeks and weeks. It was awful and I was like, "I just can't." (Laughs)

I finished my education and moved to Orlando, then ended up working with Disney again, though not in any sort of animation capacity. Disney was a client of mine, I did windows and visual merchandising for quite a while. I basically had my own business and then started doing kids fantasy bedrooms and model homes around the Southeast. I was barely scrubbing two pennies together, but I was doing what I wanted to do. I was being creative, making my own hours, having my own clients. Did I struggle? Yes. Did I nearly go bankrupt doing it? Yes. (Laughs) It definitely had that "starving artist" quality to it, with high highs and super, super lows, but it all ended up working out.

I loved what I was doing, making furniture, making props and murals and designing interiors, it was a lot of fun and I was proud of them. One of my interior designer friends told me that I should do a television show that she had heard of called "Design Star" on HGTV. I thought she was nuts, but she convinced me to apply and got on. I had no intention of winning, I didn't think of myself as an interior designer at the time, but I thought, "What the hell... Then I ended up winning the thing." (Laughs)

I'm pretty obsessed with DIY and design shows. I actually remember watching "Design Star" and you winning the competition. Were you having as much fun as it looked?

Yes. I had so much fun doing that, but I really wasn't prepared to win. Even the executives for the show told me later, "We did not peg you to be the winner." They sort of had me on the show as their token gay guy. I sent my audition tape and sort of messed it up and they cut it in a particular way, then used it to make me look sort of bitchy. It kind of upset me that they cast me to be sort of the snotty gay guy, but then I figured I would go on and charm them by just being myself. In the end that's what I did... and, of course, with my talent. (Laughs)

Would you do another reality show like it again?

Oh my gosh, in a second. I loved doing "Design Star" so much, I love competition and I wish there was more of it available to do. Once I'm in a competition, it is no holds barred. I love my career, I love where it's been and where it's gone. After "Design Star" it all changed, it became a totally different animal, and I'm grateful for that. I love where it's going, and that things will continue to change and that's okay. Though in television, things tend to change a little more rapidly. (Laughs)

You've been on so many different shows over the course of your HGTV career, That seems to be the natural course for design shows.

Yes, I jumped from a competition show, to hosting it, then hosting other shows and then mentoring people, it's been pretty amazing. Once the shows went away, I was like, "Thank you HGTV," I'm ready for the next challenge after six years!" I had reached all of my goals there. Then they said, "Hey, ever thought about doing a real estate show?" I thought, Why not? (Laughs)
I have to admit at first it was a little frustrating, because there were these big beautiful homes and I thought it would be so much fun to do renovations. I had to get used to the fact that I wasn't going to get to be as creative as I usually am, so it took me a little time. I just adjusted and now I channel all of that energy into being a great host.

People ask me a lot if I miss design and of course, I miss that aspect. But as of right now, it's a wonderful, lovely job. I get to travel and I get to meet people who have had their lives changed by winning millions of dollars. It's really super wonderful to be a part of that every week.

It's such an interesting phenomenon, winning the lottery. To interact with people whose lives have been altered so radically, it must be fascinating.

It's huge and really, really fascinating. I love to understand where they were and what their lives were like before. It's interesting to look at how much of a financial risk they were taking and how much money they were actually putting towards the lottery every week. The ones who win are always the ones that tended to take the greatest amount of risk. It's scary in some ways, but it's always those risk-takers that make it in business, in life, and it turns out it's the same for the lottery.

Do you find there is a thread that runs through the people you help find these homes? Something that they all share in common?

The one common thread is that they want to stay close to home, move back home or be by family. It's really incredible, because it's true for pretty much every single one of them, it's really lovely. The people and cultures are very different, but it's definitely the single commonality with all of them... It's one of the coolest things about this job.

How has your sense of design and how you create spaces for people changed since you began?

Back when I started, I was very much influenced by other designer's aesthetics. I've become educated as a designer, so my style has definitely evolved... let's call it farmhouse chic, with a little storybook thrown in. There really aren't any rules in design, it's only about suggestions, and I love telling a story with my work. You want to follow your own personal style, it's all about creating something that is uniquely yours. You add things that make you happy, because if they bring a smile to your face on a daily basis, that's a wonderful thing. You should live for everything that is in your house, for sure. Having a passion behind it makes it fun and lasting. I love it when that happens, it's super fun.

BROMSTAD'S SEVEN SURE FIRE WAYS TO HELP DESIGN A ROOM

1. Be realistic with your budget and stick to it. Being on a budget doesn't mean the design has to suffer. I found my most strict budgets produce the most creative outcomes.

2. Create a design board. Whether it's on Pinterest or in a binder, gives
a clear vision of your space and the elements you are inspired by at your fingertips.

3. Do a space plan before you go out shopping! This is a crucial thing to do before you head out the door looking for that perfect piece. Take measurements of your space and figure out how big the furniture should be. You don't want to come home with a sofa that completely over takes the room or one that is far too small. It takes the guess work out of,"I wonder if it will fit..."

4. Take measurements of your doorways, halls and stairways to determine if you can fit that piece into the room easily. Again, I've been there, I custom made a headboard for a very large bedroom; it was perfect! But then I tried to bring it up the stairs and it wouldn't fit. #lessonlearned

5. Always start the design with your most expensive pieces. (I.e sofa, bed, rugs, etc.) When your shopping online or out in the stores, this helps you keep focused on the core pieces. Also, if you want your room to stand the test of time, pick pieces that are timeless.

6. Always pick your paint color last! This is the most important rule of all and the one that's the most broken. Picking the paint color and painting the entire room before you buy your core pieces seems like a great idea, but it's not. Here's why: There are literally thousands of paint colors to choose from, right? Furniture and accessory selections are much more limited. Buy most everything and choose that perfect shade of wall color last to ensure that you're not repainting your room over and over.

7. Love everything you put into the room. If you are buying something and just think it's "fine" or "will look okay," then you're probably going to hate it. Buy things you love, things that make you happy and bring a smile to your face.

"My Lottery Dream Home" is on HGTV, for more information go to hgtv.com/shows/my-lottery-dream-home.

To connect with David, check out his Facebook feed at facebook.com/ DavidBromstadTV, follow him on Instagram at instagram.com/ bromco, on Twitter @bromco or via Pinterest at pinterest.com/davidbromstad.