David Bromstad Was Facing Major Money Problems When He Stumbled Into Design

David Bromstad's sunny personality makes him a joy to watch on HGTV's "Color Splash" and "My Lottery Dream Home." His on-camera success has made him one of the richest HGTV stars, with a net worth of $2 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. However, early in his career, Bromstad encountered some serious financial setbacks. After he graduated from Ringling College of Art & Design in 1996, he worked for Disney, using his artistic skills to create eye-catching displays throughout their theme parks. However, because he was a contractor, he had less job security. Unfortunately, after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, his Disney contract ended abruptly. "Disney, for security reasons, was only using larger companies," he later explained to South Jersey Magazine.

Fortunately, Bromstad was able to channel his skills into interior design. "A week before losing my house and declaring bankruptcy, I met an interior designer at the gym," he recalled to Hart & Huntington Orlando. After this designer checked out photos of Bromstad's work, "He gave me a $2,000 budget to do this kid's room, and it turned into an unlikely, super-fun project for me."

Bromstad's Disney experience made him a natural, and he did a ton of kids' rooms for the designer. Although he knew just how to impress a young client, it wasn't particularly lucrative. "I ended up making only like a few hundred bucks because I put so much of my heart and soul into each room," he informed South Jersey Magazine.

As a lark, David Bromstad signed up to become a "Design Star" contestant. "I didn't know interior design, I knew art," he told Hart & Huntington Orlando. However, he was pleasantly surprised to discover that he had more design know-how than he realized. He applied everything he'd learned, and built up his skills even more on the show. "It was like boot camp for designers on steroids," he recalled to SRQ Backlot. As the episodes went by, his perspective shifted and his self-esteem increased. His fellow contestants were highly credentialed and experienced, and winning the competition affirmed his new career path as a designer.

Beyond the prestige, however, Bromstad wasn't automatically guaranteed decades of TV stardom. Fortunately, his expertise and fun-to-watch demeanor led to multiple seasons of "Color Splash." Since then, he's rolled with the opportunities provided by HGTV, including "My Lottery Dream Home." Even though it's not as design-centric as his previous shows, he brings personal experience to the participants' rapid shift in fortune. "I won 'Design Star' -– that is what I consider my lottery win, because I was living paycheck to paycheck," he explained to WGN Radio. "I definitely relate to everyone who's winning the lottery, mine was just in a very different way." The HGTV star adjusted to this windfall and worked to maintain his financial success. Bromstad now lives a lavish life, and his quest for his own dream home even became its own HGTV special.