Before Pinterest boards and TikTok DIYs, there was “Design on a Dime.” Now, 2019 public relations graduate Maddie Scalzi is bringing the 2000s HGTV show back to life, one DIY and thrifted find at a time.
For nearly six years, Scalzi has built a career as an interior design content creator through her brand, Tulips for the Table. When she first started creating content, she balanced her growing platform with full-time work at various media agencies, using the public relations skills she developed at Kent State University.
Scalzi noted that while Kent State has an incredible interior design program, her focus at the time was on strategic communication.
"I majored in public relations, and I think that whether I knew it or not at the time, that was really strategic on my part,” Scalzi told Kent State Today.
In February 2026, Scalzi decided it was time to take Tulips for the Table full time.
Just weeks later, an HGTV casting agent reached out and asked her to submit a casting tape.
After several interviews with producers, the opportunity quickly became a reality. From the time Scalzi was cast to the day production began, she had just five weeks to prepare.
“The show is so iconic, I think anyone who’s a big HGTV fan probably remembers it from the early 2000s,” Scalzi said, “I was really honored and excited that they wanted to work with me.”
The pilot is loosely based on the original “Design on a Dime,” a show known for transforming spaces while working within a limited budget. While the concept remains familiar, Scalzi and the production team reimagined the idea through a different lens.
“The concept is the same, but we kind of get to put our own spin on it and really bring the idea to a 2026 world with the resources we have today,” Scalzi said.
