Since winning the debut season of HGTV’s Design Star, David Bromstad has quickly become one of the friendliest and most recognized faces on the network. We recently had the pleasure of catching up with the brilliant designer and vivacious television personality during his participation in Capital One’s Banking Reimagined Tour.
Riesa Pascal: You have been a key figure at HGTV ever since you won the debut season of HGTV Design Star in 2006. What was that journey like from TV contestant to renowned HGTV host?
David Bromstad: It was all pretty much by accident, but a really good accident—really good! Being a contestant was probably one of the most intimidating moments of my career because you have the pressure, you have everything to lose, and you have nothing to lose all at the same time. I didn’t even think I was going to get on the show, but I got on the show. I didn’t think I was going to win though that was the goal and then I ended up winning. Now 10 years later—almost 11 years later—I’m right here.
R.P: How did you get involved with My Lottery Dream Home?
DB: I got a call from the network and they were like, “Hey, we got this great new idea for a show! It’s a real estate show and we know you’re a designer, but you’re an incredible host. We would love to have you do the pilot to see how you like it.” So I did the pilot and it was super fun. I’m helping people who won millions of dollars and I get to help them find a house! I get to go on the journey and explore what they do with their finances. It is super exciting to see how much of the millions and millions of dollars they spend on the house so it’s fun to be a part of that project with them.
R.P: What is your favorite part of the show?
D.B: Just meeting the homeowners for the first time. It’s so exciting knowing that they’re new millionaires and I won the lottery myself when it comes to this. To go from being a starving artist barely able to make ends meet to having my own show on the network and having a very solid career, that’s my winning the lottery so I get to relate to them.
R.P: What is the most popular request you receive?
D.B: The one commonality that everyone has is that everyone wants to move back or stay with family. That is the number one thing that all of my homeowners ask…that we keep them in the area or move them to the area where they came from and where their family is. It’s really interesting.
R.P: What is the weirdest “wish list” item you’ve ever encountered?
DB: I think the weirdest item on the wish list was one we did in the Hamptons. He had just won 20 million dollars—a ton of money—and he wanted as many bathrooms as possible. I showed him one with like 6 bathrooms! It was ridiculous and he was like, “Okay. All right. Keep ‘em coming.” I was like, “You’re weird.” It was basically a tour of bathrooms, but when you got money you can wish for whatever you want.
RP: What would your dream home look like if you won the lottery?
DB: I’ve been living in Florida forever, but the mountains always call my name everytime I’m out there. I would have a beautiful, delicious home up somewhere in the mountains. Maybe near Aspen. Definitely a more cabin feel, nothing too big, not too small. Definitely all the amenities that I love and of course I would have to have my studio to the back or something like that. A nice big property, but nothing too extravagant. Just mountainy.
R.P. I’ve heard you refer to yourself as the “Granddaddy” of HGTV! Why is that?
DB: I classify myself as the Granddaddy of HGTV because I am the oldest talent on there! Not the oldest, but the longest lasted talent. There might be bigger names out there, but I’m the most consistent.
RP: Any new, exciting projects coming up?
DB: I can’t really mention what’s developing, but it’s really exciting and super fabulous! I’ll give you a clue: I’m going to beautifying your home in every way. That’s all I can say, but it’s coming soon this fall. As for whether I’ll be on TV next year and the year after that, I don’t know. I just love that it lasted this long and whatever comes next comes next, but so far so good. We’re moving and grooving. We’re doing another season of My Lottery Dream Home for at least another year. It’s the life of an artist. Living year to year, never knowing what’s going to happen next, but I always enjoy the process.
R.P: What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
D.B: The days I’m not traveling are usually very few and far between, but I’m usually relaxing at my condo in South Beach and going to the gym and that’s it. I’m super lazy. I’m a couch potato and I love to watch TV because I’m always moving. People are like, “Ooh you live in Miami, that’s so fun!” I just basically sleep there because I’m only home about 2 days a week.
RP: You recently partnered up with Capital One on their Banking Reimagined Tour. How has that experience been?
DB: What they’re doing is bringing banking really close to everyone’s everyday life! I wish they would’ve had that when I was a starving artist and figuring what I could do with money to make the best out of my life. They’re here to help young people and it’s in a non-traditional form. You’re not going into a bank, you’re just hanging out with people who are giving you really solid advice. They’re not trying to get you to come in and sign up for an account. They’re just there to give you advice because they care and it’s great for everyone to take advantage of that. It’s the new age of banking.
