HGTV's David Bromstad Won't Be Designing For An Audience Again Any Time Soon: 'I Have Nothing To Prove'

David Bromstad is potentially done designing for America. He purchased his dream home in Florida in 2021 and filmed the design process for an HGTV special called "My Lottery Dream Home: David's Happy Ending," which aired in 2025. In a June 2026 interview with Barron Designs explaining his design process (via YouTube), Bromstad said how the aesthetic of his home evolved through his mental health journey. "It's been so long since I've done any sort of design in front of America, right? And I'm an artist," the "Design Star" Season 1 winner said. He explained that he enjoys hosting "My Lottery Dream Home," but it isn't the same as designing, a skill and process he loves doing. 

The whole design process took about four years, and Bromstad had to start over again when a disastrous storm destroyed the home, leading him to destructive behaviors like substance use. He told Barron Designs how focusing on his mental health inspired him to rethink his design process the second time around. In the beginning, he recalled thinking, "This is the first time, this is probably the first and last time I'll be designing in front of America," and feeling the pressure of that. 

Once he decided to focus on his mental health, he realized something important. "I have nothing to prove to anybody but myself," he declared in the interview. His home now reflects his unique personality. It's full of the color pink, has sci-fi inspired touches, and features unique shapes and arches inspired by Greek architecture.

David Bromstad discussed his substance use and mental health journey in December 2025 while promoting "My Lottery Dream Home: David's Happy Ending." Bromstad explained to People that he was so "emotionally attached" to his home that he felt like he was experiencing what it was experiencing. So, every stressful layer added to the renovation process was a catalyst to his substance use. "Using substances has been ... it's a real easy escape to take yourself out of a stressful situation," he said. 

He took a break, and a trip to Norway was the beginning of his journey to a more healthy lifestyle and peace of mind. In a 2023 post on Instagram, Bromstad shared that hiking a mountain called Reinebringen and reaching its peak was a turning point for him. "The dread turned into accomplishment which in [turn] made [me] cry," he wrote in the caption. He described allowing himself to cry and continued, "Letting go of [past] mistakes and regrets. Letting [these] moments pass [through] me has given me a intense clarity ... Feels good to be present, sober and living the life I was intended to live." It's another chapter to add to his transformation story.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).