The Meaning Behind HGTV Star David Bromstad's Tattoos

David Bromstad's approach to life and design is all about color and fun. For almost two decades, fans have become familiar with his sunny personality on his HGTV shows "Color Splash" and "My Lottery Dream Home." They've also observed Bromstad's enthusiasm for tattoos — something he wouldn't be recognizable without. "I literally stay up at night thinking and researching what I can do next, what area I can have tattooed that's interesting, different, and fun. It's a creative outlet," Bromstad explained to Hart and Huntington Tattoo Orlando.

Bromstad has opted for designs filled with personal meaning. Since he has a college degree in illustration, the HGTV star uses his skills to create his unique body art. Bromstad was born in 1973, and he pays homage to that date with an "est. 1973" tattoo in the middle of his chest. A few years earlier, he had the words "Limited Edition" tattooed just below his collarbones in celebration of his individuality. This design evolved over time, with a banner behind the words, along with a heart and crown.

Since his birthday is in August, Bromstad has a detailed lion wearing a crown extending down one shin in celebration of his astrological sign. A tiger slinking down the side of his neck chasing a second tiger connects with this theme. "Since I'm a Leo, I'm a fan of all large cats," Bromstad divulged to Passport.

Beyond birthday-centric ink, some of David Bromstad's tattoos commemorate his love of Disney, where he worked after college. Various incarnations of Mickey Mouse decorate one arm, along with a single Minnie Mouse. The Mickey collage took multiple visits to the tattoo artist, one of which lasted seven hours. Later photos reveal a dancing body was added onto the larger Mickey head on his upper arm." My Mickey Mouse tattoo is the most joyous. I love it so much," Bromstad informed Hart and Huntington Tattoo Orlando.

On one thigh, Bromstad also has a colorful, ornate representation of Cinderella's breathtaking castle. Although the HGTV star didn't divulge how long this tattoo took to create, his close-up photo shows the intricate nature of the design as well as the subtle shading of the orange and purple colors. Pre-HGTV, during his time working for Disney, Bromstad was impressed by the artists' attention to detail, and this idea influenced his approach to art.

On his opposite thigh, Bromstad pays homage to his love of Harry Potter with a tattoo of the famous Hogwarts school from the series. While the design is just as detailed as the Cinderella Castle, this tattoo is in black ink only. Below both castles, Bromstad has the words "Magic" and "Fantasy," with special care in the details. "Check out the 'M' in magic," Bromstad wrote on Instagram. "I place a lightning bolt cause I'm that big of a nerd and I love it!"

In addition to castles, David Bromstad has another ornate tattoo on his lower leg: the word "love" in colorful, decorative letters. The HGTV star created the art,  complete with close-ups of the tiny, multicolored dots and stripes embellishing the letters. "It has every color in the rainbow and then some," he wrote on Instagram. A few months later, Bromstad revealed a rainbow tattoo that encircled his leg. This ink was imbued with a ton of personal significance: "The gay flag, my love for color, my first tv series, color splash, freedom and it's just plain happy," he shared on Instagram.

In addition to the rainbow tattoo, Bromstad has pride-themed tattoos on his chest, including the word "family" in rainbow letters, as well as a unicorn with a rainbow mane and tail striking a dab pose. During an episode of the "HGTV Obsessed" podcast, Bromstad explained his intentional approach to Pride, saying, "I celebrate it every single day because I'm in a position to help people understand that it's okay to be yourself and still be loved." 

Bromstad's been candid in the past that the concept of self-acceptance and coming out was difficult for him. However, the beginning of his TV career marked a pivotal shift. "Within 10 minutes of filming, I'm like, I'm going to be gay and I'm going to be okay. And I'm not going to be just okay, I'm going to thrive," he recalled on "HGTV Obsessed."