Design Star's David Says There's No Crying in Design!
By Jacki Garfinkel
Be sure to check out Jacki's latest interview with David about his new show Color Splash!
David Bromstad
David Bromstad, 32, is in the final two on HGTV's reality show Design Star. Speaking with David was like speaking with someone I had been friends with for years. He had me laughing the entire time. In fact, there were times in the interview where I could barely type because I was laughing so hard. Below is an edited transcript of our conversation.
Jacki: Your rooms on your website are awesome. What inspires you?
David: I'm an artist so I'm really inspired not just by creating a room, but a fantasy, a complete environment...I make the bed first, then the mural, then side tables, and wherever else I can expand it to... This is my first time doing interior design. The stuff I'm doing on the show is all firsts for me. The living rooms, kitchens, and the glass house that we just did are all new to me. I'm kind of just winging it, and having a great time doing it.
Jacki: So if this was all new to you, did you think you would get this far?
David: When I answered the show, I just wanted to go in and have a good time and really do my best, and focus on each challenge. I never thought ahead, never thought 'what if' or 'could I.' The only thing I didn't want to do was get eliminated first. That was my goal throughout the whole season.
Jacki: Why did you decide to do the show?
David: I'm an artist and I'm barely making ends meet paycheck to paycheck. I'm really blessed I get to work as an artist and finally get appreciated in what I do. I really needed a life change and if it wasn't going to happen, I was going to go insane.
Jacki: Would you have liked to incorporate your kids' room ideas into the show?
David: Of course I would have loved to do a kids' room challenge. But with the time constraints and budget constraints, it would have been really hard to take the rooms I do and bring them to the level I do as far as the murals and construction of the really out-of-the-box beds.
Jacki: If you get your own show, would you like to do kids' rooms?
David: I've been tossing that around for the past few months. I'd love to do a kids show. I love doing other things as well. I love doing adult rooms and I just really love spaces. I wouldn't want to limit myself to just doing kids' rooms. I love doing complete environments for kids and adults and hospitals and rec rooms... I don't want to limit myself to just kids' areas. I like bringing a room to completion with art or geometry or color or combining all of those. I like bringing it to a level where it's very different. Outside of the box. That's just me.
Jacki: How did you feel when Tym was eliminated and you found out you were in the final two?
David: I felt fantastic. It was such an overwhelming, amazing feeling. Definitely one of the best moments of my life. We had worked our buns off that whole month and it was just all worth it. It was awesome.
Jacki: When it was down to the final three, did you think you'd stay?
David: I was very scared. Tym and Alice were so polished in front of the camera and I wasn't. I get a little nervous, I get caught up in my head, I have high energy, and that's just who I am. As far as hosting skills go, I definitely could have been sent home. It could have been either Tym or I going home that day. I was not confident.
Jacki: What distinguished you from the other nine contestants?
David: There were so many great people, great architects, people from freakin Harvard. There was a wide variety of people. I think because I could create a lot of my own things by myself, and I have a good construction background - I was self taught - I could actually make things that other people couldn't. I'm an artist really. I was the only one doing artwork. You couldn't buy art at all, which is why there was never any on the walls. It was a huge advantage that I could create my own art and create it pretty quickly and create it pretty well. Since I'm not an interior designer I'm not bound by the laws of interior design. I just look at a space as a piece of art. I really leave no corner untouched.
Jacki: Between the filming of the show and the Bryant Park challenge, were you able to return to normal life?
David: They should have a post reality show clinic. I mean, really, it was such an adrenaline rush for such a long time. Coming off that was really weird. It was really hard to concentrate the whole summer. Alice and I knew we were both in the final two and there was one more challenge to be had. It was hard to work and focus when you knew hopefully something was bigger on the horizon. I never truly returned to the normal life I had.
Jacki: Was it hard for you to not tell people you were in the final two?
David: It was the easiest thing ever! I loved watching people in my family sweat. I wouldn't give them any clues. I'd make them more nervous by saying things like, "You have to watch it. It's really intense!" They went crazy. To me it was more fun. It was a game to play with these people.
Jacki: Have you noticed a change in your career since the show has been on?
David: Now as the show has gone on, yes definitely my career will never be the same. For one, people notice me, which is weird and great. They'll scream, David, we're rooting for you! You got my vote!" And I think, "Who are these people?" Haha it's so strange but so great. I really enjoy it. As far as my career, I don't think it will ever go back. People can finally see me for what I can do, or a little bit of what I can do. They're finally respecting my craft, which is such a great feeling. Everything is only amazingly perfect.
Jacki:What was it like for you having people watching you in Bryant Park?
David: It was great. It was weird. It was so great they came out. It was such an awful weekend with the rain. I wouldn't have gone. Ew, who wants to stand in the rain and watch these people work? It couldn't have been less exciting, and yet they were rooting for me and for Alice. It's something that's indescribable. It's a really cool feeling. Bizarre and weird, but great.
Jacki: How are you dealing with that fame?
David: I always wanted to be well known as far as my craft. I never thought I'd be famous, but known. Yes we're on a TV show and yes I'll be noticed, but you can't ever prepare yourself for really being noticed. You can't. You could take classes upon classes but still when someone comes up to you and says something fun and great, you don't prepare your emotions for that. I haven't gotten any negatives... yet. Of course with the positives always come the negatives.
Jacki: Do you read the messageboards?
David: I won't go there and I don't want to go there. I strongly believe that positivity should emanate into your life all the time... One negative comment will take out 800 positive ones. Alice had said when we were up there filming, she had read the messageboards and walked away crying. It was good advice from her not to read them.
Jacki: Do you feel like you were portrayed well?
David: I do. I feel like I was portrayed exactly who I was. That made me happy. You just don't know how the editors are going to edit you. It's always a huge concern, but if you're true to yourself and if you're just who you are, they really don't have a choice but to edit you how you are.
Jacki: Did you have any expectations going into reality TV?
David: None. I knew it's a whole genre that's just huge and there all these reality stars that are doing pretty well for having absolutely no talent. You know like hanging onto a stump for 18 hours to get to the next round. I mean, sure, it's a cool game. I was hoping since it was a design competition it would be based on actual talent, and it would be a good positive to further your career.
Jacki: How did you feel about the reality of the challenges?
David: You need time crunches. On TV time is money. I liked the time crunches... The time constraints and budget constraints are really accurate when you have your own show... Of course who doesn't want longer ? Who doesn't complain? We all did. As far as the pet shop one... Was that realistic in design? No. But does it strike your creativity? Absolutely. Design doesn't just have to be functional. Design is design. You have to make things look good. You wouldn't go to a pet store to decorate your house or a beauty store to decorate your house.
Jacki: But I think what you did looked awesome.
David: That's the risk I took. People were all doing things that were really functional. Hello, why would you do something functional when you can do something that looks really great?
Jacki: What were your feelings on the drama?
David: It was inevitable when you're that tired. I personally didn't get involved. I was in the middle, literally, between the two women fighting. I found it kind of lame. We were there to design, not to carve each other's characters down or their personalities. No one going to be portrayed well when you're arguing about being stupid. This is a design competition. It's not about who gets along better than whom. I got along well with everybody. The final two really kept our heads level and kept out of arguments. I really enjoyed everybody there. America's not going to see drama when you have your own TV show.
Jacki: So many people on the messageboards are saying they want you and Alice to host a show together. While that probably won't be the case because it is a reality competition, if that could happen, would you want to do it?
David: Alice and I complement each other so well. Our styles are so different. She's a little bit country. I'm a little bit rock and roll. And, we're best friends. That's the funny thing about it. It's so bittersweet. If win I crush her dreams and vice versa. It's tough. I'd love to have a show with her. I think it'd be great.
Jacki: What was your most memorable moment?
David: My most memorable moment was definitely getting to the final two. I was crying! I'm not a cryer! There's no crying in design. I did. It was the most emotionally charged moment for sure. The best moment of the competition for sure.
Jacki: Worst moment?
David: It was dealing with Donna and Temple when we were doing the second challenge in the kitchen. It was awful. Awful. Not one good thing coming out of the experience at all. I love both of them, don't get me wrong. It was funny because when work was done, the drama was done. They never brought it back into the house... I'm glad they left it at the workplace. If they didn't I would have been furious. It was definitely the most disappointing part of the competition... but it made great TV!
Jacki: What will you do if you don't win?
David: If I don't win I'm just going to see what happens. I'll see what opportunities lie for me in other places. I'm not really afraid of not winning. I feel like I've already won. I made a best friend I'll have for the rest of my life, and I did work I'm really proud of.
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