You may know him as a talented artist, a colorful TV host, a renowned designer or an all around nice guy, and you would be right, across the board! David Bromstad is the real deal in the design world. And if you happen to be in the Miami area this weekend, you could come face to face with this incredible guy. Swing by Capital One’s Banking Reimagined Tour, and you will not only have the chance to see David, but you will be immersed in an interactive demonstration, helping you forge a better path with your finances. David said the tour has made personal finance less intimidating for people, which it should be, because life is truly all about fun! When I asked David what his best “money advice” is, or what he would have told his younger self about finances, he said simply, it would be to put your money into the the place you most want to get out of it. For him that was his happy place, work. And the best way to invest in that, and grow his future, was his artists studio.

I know I am thankful he invested his money, and his time, into that studio! I have loved watching David from day 1, when he was first on HGTV’s Design Star. He had a great eye for design, and what I loved most was his love of and fearless use of color. Of course that would later land him his own show, Color Splash, which I was a big fan of as well. I love color in my space. It makes me a happier person, and David proves you can do it in many ways, no matter where you live. I asked him what he would say to someone in say rural Indiana who says “I live in the middle of the country, I can’t have pink walls.” You know what David said…”WHY?” He said people should never worry about using color, no matter what. Don’t think about stereotypes, whether that’s the age of your home, where it is located, the style, etc. He said “stamp your place as yours, and stamp it hard!” I don’t think there could be a better interior design motto, do you?

If you don’t know much about David (you probably have been living under a rock, or at least without HGTV!) let me give you a little background. He grew up in Minnesota and moved to Sarasota, Florida to study art and animation at the beautiful Ringling College of Art & Design. I actually recently visited the Ringling, and we of course chatted about this because the campus is gorgeous and very inspirational. A perfect place for art students! You can imagine that after going to school there, he fell in love with Florida and has been there ever since. After college, he moved to Orlando to work for Disney. While at Disney, after doing visual design, he got his interior design bug. He started working with a model home-stager, mainly designing the kids bedrooms. He loved doing this because kids bedrooms can be more wild and fun, and with his Disney background, you can imagine how over the top wonderful he made those rooms. He truly believes a home should be a happy and fun place, and one that makes you smile when you walk in. He could do this easily with the kids bedrooms he was designing, and down the road he learned how to translate that into adult spaces. Pictures of his designs during this time landed him on HGTV’s first season of Design Star.  Of course he won, and life in the design world took off from there!

Knowing that a lot my readers live in the city in small spaces, or in rentals that you can’t completely renovate, I talked to David about tips he has for someone decorating a small space, or one they can’t drastically change. We also talked about doing this on a budget, since after all, he is working with Capital One to teach people about being wiser with your money. I loved his advice! He said you can actually redesign a space for literally no money at all. He told me a great story about his earliest design memories. When he was a kid, he would rearrange his bedroom about every six months. He said that just by moving around his furniture, toys and stuffed animals into new configurations,  he felt excited, like he was walking into a brand new space. This is something all adults can do too! When you get comfortable, change it up. Not only is this cost efficient, but if you live in a small space or a rental, and feel the need for a change, but are out of rooms to change or can’t make drastic ones, just move things around. Make a brand new space out of what you already have. And if you want new things, start small. Even changing out the throw pillows on your couch can make a big difference.

All this talk about money got me interested in one of David’s current gigs, hosting  HGTV’s  My Lottery Dream Home. I love watching the show, and dream of the day I am on it…I mean, who wouldn’t want to be on it, that would mean you won the lotto! (You never know, I might get that lucky scratch off ticket.) I was curious what David has observed with these lottery winners, who often come from very little money into a lot all at once. He said he has been truly humbled and inspired by all of these people. They really see their winnings as a way to better their lives. It doesn’t change who they are but helps make their lives more comfortable, and can speed up the process of hitting their goals. It’s nice to learn that newfound millionaires can be so conservative and smart with their money. And David believes, that even without winning the lottery, if you are passionate in life, you will succeed.

Now of course, I could not talk to David without getting some great tips from him! We talked about spring trends, design trends, and blogging, because he has one too. As far as blogging, he just said to keep things organic and be authentic to yourself. Honestly, that rings true to your design style too, and life in general. As for those design trends to watch out for, here is what David sees on the radar for spring…

– Romantic Colors: These are everywhere right now, from the furniture store to the runway. Blush and bashful colors with pastels, like lilac or gray, will be all over this spring.

– Metallics: Think beyond your traditional gold and silver metallics. They now come in a wide range of colors on a wide range of products. If you like the look but worry about it overwhelming your space, start small, with a pillow or lamp, to incorporate these into your home.

-Texture: Used in ways to play off each other, it can add a lot of interest. Think rough and smooth, fuzzy and silky.

Well guys, do you feel inspired from David’s wise words, design philosophy and money tips? I know I did! It was a pleasure to talk to such a nice man and to learn so many fun facts, design tips, and well, really just life lessons. And remember, if you are in Miami this weekend, stop by the Banking Reimagined Tour for your chance to meet David. (If you can’t make it to Miami, find the tour at a location near you.) Now go out and enjoy this weekend and live life in color, like we know David does!

Signed with Style,