The premiere of HGTV's 'Design Star' debuts tonight at 9 p.m. on HGTV and we caught up with the three African American contestants to give you their tips to designing on a budget.

Recycle Old Items

Alisha "J" Allen of Chevy Chase, Maryland studied interior design at Howard University and has 11 years experience, she suggest D-I-Y designers get creative by recycling old furniture. "Think outside the box; an inexpensive table runner or place mats can make a really striking statement when mounted on a wall as art. Finding aesthetic alternatives for many inexpensive household items is my secret to keeping cost low and interest high," she said.

Minor Fixes Make Major Impact

Former New York news reporter who won five Emmy Awards, Cathy Hobbs, followed her passion and started an interior design and staging company. She described her experience on the show as "awesome" and according to her, the kitchen and bathroom are the spaces most people begin remodeling.

To start your kitchen remodel on a fixed budget she suggests replacing flooring with affordable materials like linoleum and counter tops with quarts as well as switching out cabinet knobs, retiling of backsplashes and repainting. To update your bathroom she suggest making minor updates like new flooring, a new sink, faucet or toilet to provide a quick change.

Thrift Away

"I think design has the stigma of being for the rich or the elite" but it's really for everyone, said Douglas Hines who worked as a graphic designer for top New York advertising agencies before opening an art gallery in Atlanta, Georgia. He suggests you look into thrifting if you haven't already done so. "The biggest resource that I think people underestimate is thrift stores. People think it's for lower income people or it's just people's used trash and it's absolutely not. You can find gems in thrift stores."