Kristan Cunningham

Before becoming a judge on HGTV's '$250,000 Challenge,' Kristan brought her accessible and affordable design ideas to viewers as host and lead designer of HGTV's Design on a Dime. Kristan, who believes that everyone deserves to "live a little lovelier, encourages people not to be intimidated by a lack of funds or do-it-yourself knowledge when it comes to creating their dream spaces. A schooled interior designer, but self-taught do-it-yourself enthusiast, her energy and can-do spirit encourages people to roll up their sleeves and tackle projects on their own. Kristan studied interior design at the University of Charleston in West Virginia before moving to Los Angeles in 1999. After running showrooms and working with several well-known designers, she landed at a small upscale firm in the heart of Los Angeles' design district. In 2001, a friend invited Kristan to partner up and compete on HGTV's Designer's Challenge and has since become one of HGTV's most recognizable faces. In 2009, she formed a partnership with the third fastest growing U.S. furniture retailer, Raymour & Flanigan, where she serves as a design consultant, developing programs aimed at informing and educating consumers on ways to turn any decorating dilemma into an achievable reality.

In addition, Kristan also can be seen regularly on the Emmy Award-winning Rachael Ray show as the program¹s design expert. When she is not traveling the nation working on design projects, Kristan resides in Venice, California with her fiancé Scott and their dog Floyd.