The Transformation Of David Bromstad

After his various artistic roles and contracts with theme parks in Orlando, Florida, David Bromstad found himself designing children's spaces in model homes for an area homebuilder, where he used precision combined with fun and color, elements he previously practiced at his Disney gig. He blended his creativity and optimistic nature to start a company dedicated to creating fun, fantasy-themed bedrooms for kids. "The big lesson from designing so many kids' rooms? The wow factor," Bromstad said in a 2011 interview. "A kid wants to run into their bed-room and yell 'This is the coolest bed I've ever seen!'"

It was only a matter of time before the rest of the world saw the talent Bromstad possessed. His experience designing kids' bedrooms and working for Disney was perfect for HGTV. He successfully auditioned for "Design Star," which premiered in 2006, and became the winner of the show's first season, landing his own show, "Color Splash," as a result. The opportunity was a learning experience for him. "The big lesson I took away from that experience was to just be myself," he said in the same interview. "Being gay wasn't a great idea to present on TV at that time. But I had to be me. And that ultimately is what made all the difference. I learned to trust my gut and not second-guess myself."  Being his true, authentic self also became his ticket to a long-term gig with HGTV.