(Getty)
The Great Christmas Light Fight is brightening up our living rooms this holiday season.
Dazzling designer Sabrina Soto visits families across the nation to judge their decorations.
Here’s what you know about her.
1. She Got Her 1st HGTV Job on Craigslist
(ABC)
She told NBC, “I woke up really early because I couldn’t sleep. I looked on Craigslist, and they wanted someone with design and real estate experience. It was amazing!”
She’s hosted multiple HGTV shows like Bang For Your Buck, House Hunters, Buying & Selling Secrets, HGTV’s Green Home, Clean Freaks and Real Estate Intervention.
Now, she’s the host of The High Low Project, which helps people design their home on a budget.
Although she never completed college, she is living her career dreams.
However, there is still one job she would love to have- talk show host.
She said, “My dream come true would be to host a talk show…I love to talk to people about everything. My ideal job would be Kelly Ripa — I think she has the best job in the world — and then me.”
2. She’s Cuban
She’s a first generation Cuban-American.
Her father was a television news producer for the Today show.
Her mother was a decorator, and Soto started working for her, which launched her future career in design.
3. She Lives in NYC
Her apartment, which is located in the Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan, with views of Central Park, was featured in this video above.
The Huffington Post also printed pictures of the penthouse.
“I’m very much a homebody– I love just vegging out. I spend more time in my house than anybody in this world,” she told NBC.
4. She Wrote a Book & Just Started an Office Line
In 2012, she penned Home Design: A Layer-by-Layer Approach to Turning Your Ideas into the Home of Your Dreams.
Barnes and Noble explains the book in this way:
…each chapter represents one decorating “layer,” such as color or furnishings. Following along with the chapters , you’ll build a design component by component. Packed with useful and time-tested tips and shortcuts like those Sabrina features on her TV shows and website, the book also shows you how to save money, time, and effort without sacrificing style.
In January of 2015, she will launch an office supply line at the craft superstore Michaels. Every item in the collection is under $10.
She told Design & Trend about her penchant with office supplies starting at a young age:
I’ve been obsessed with office supplies since I was a little girl. I used to collect all of the pens in my house and write down a list of what we had in “stock” and how thick the point of each pen was. I am an office supply nerd. I really love stationery! I also believe that when you have a colorful and fun workspace, you will be less stressed. There is no reason to sit in a gray cubicle all day!
5. She Gives Holiday Tips
Starting on December 1, Soto takes to her Twitter and Instragram pages and sends her fans a unique holiday tip to make their month brighter.