From a very young age, Kristan Cunningham had an astute eye for design. She received a scholarship to study interior design at the University of Charleston in her home state of West Virginia. After college, she headed west to Los Angeles to enter the "glamorous world of design". She kicked off her career landing a job at one of L.A.'s premiere furniture showrooms, climbing the ranks from sales associate to buyer, where she quickly earned a reputation for her furniture designs. In 2001, Kristan became a resident designer for a renowned kitchen design firm in L.A.'s hip and trendy Design District.

After an appearance on HGTV's popular series Designer's Challenge, Kristan was asked to join the HGTV family. In 2003, she became the host and lead designer of Design on a Dime, the hit show with a fresh approach to budget conscious style. She was also given the challenge of designing and executing a couple's dream wedding on Design on a Dime's first primetime special. Her on-air appearances include popular design segments on Today, The Wayne Brady Show, Life and Style, Tyra and Live! With Regis and Kelly.

Kristan hit bookstands in 2003, featured in the best selling book Design on a Dime: Achieve High Style on a $1000 Budget. It was quickly followed up with the equally successful Six Steps to Design on a Dime. Other books featuring Kristan's designs include HGTV's Kitchen's, and HGTV's Bathrooms. Kristan is also a contributor and Lifestyle Expert for Redbook magazine's Marriage Institute. In 2004, Kristan and her fiancée Scott Jarrell, purchased the home of renowned modernist architect Conrad Buff. Their extensive two-year renovation was documented in a five part series featured in Better Home and Garden's DIY magazine.

In 2013, Kristan and her husband Scott founded Hammer and Spear. Launched as a showroom and full service multidisciplinary design studio, it's comprised of a team of interior designers, architects, and product designers.