Kelly Hoppen talks interiors

Renowned British designer, Kelly Hoppen is the pioneer of a simple but opulent style that has permeated interior design. She has designed apartments, houses and yachts for an international list of clients and also undertakes commercial comissions including houses, restaurants, offices and aircraft interiors. Her latest project, however, is the one that she considers to be her most successful yet: the renovation of her own Notting Hill home. This 2,500 square foot classic Georgian townhouse features her trademark neutral colour scheme throughout and took just five months to complete.

So where does Kelly get her inspiration? What are her interior dos and don'ts? And how can those who can't afford her get the Kelly Hoppen look? The Good Web Guide steals five minutes with the designer herself.

My mother says... that I have been moving furniture around the house since I was a little girl and from the age 16, I've wanted to do nothing other than design so I've been interested forever really.

Anything can inspire me... Traveling and experiencing new cultures and cities are often a great source of inspiration.
 
As successful interior comes from... someone who can fuse different styles effectively in order to keep the interior looking fresh all year round. I also always say that, to design well, you have to be sympathetic to the architectural style and age of the building itself and I get to know my clients and try to get inside their heads. When it comes to designing someone's home I try to mirror the house on the person, their lifestyle and personality.
 
I don't think that there should be strict rules... when it comes to design but guidelines. A useful example, when you're designing a large room, you need large-scale objects that fill the space and make it appear more intimate. In small rooms, introduce a few over-scaled objects because they will trick the eye into believing the space is bigger than it is. If you want more top tips, read through my book "Kelly Hoppen Style: The Golden Rules of Design".
 
I always begin a project by... presenting a new client with a questionnaire that runs over pages and which gives me an idea of how they live, what they love and what they desire from their home. As mentioned, I get to know my clients and try to get inside their heads.

My most successful project has been the... renovation of my "new" home. I loved designing it so much that I'm seriously thinking of putting it on the market and doing another one in the same area!

My style is... classic, timeless luxury.
 
My big break was the... Andrew Martin award and the success of my "East Meets West" book.

(Image: Kelly's gym is provided by Technogym and includes a jogging machine and Kinesis Personal Vision)

The bests piece of advice I've ever been given is... "Success is Not a Day Job" by David Zelman.

I follow a muted colour scheme because... white walls and neutrals are much more harmonious and are a great base to style the house with furniture and accessories.

The biggest mistake people can make is... using bright and bold colours. Red won't last forever. It's not that I don't believe in colour, I just think you should use it with accessories that can be changed easily when you get bored.

I don't have... pets of my own, but I do love my daughter's dog, Lottie.

To keep my home looking fresh... I make seasonal changes. For example, in winter I hang huge sumptuous silk curtains, but in the summer months I change them to linen. It is exactly like pulling out your summer clothes after the long winter!
 
My all time favourite interiors designer is... Ralph - he owns who he his and creates an experience you want to live in.

My favourite website is... www.modenature.com is a fantastic one. That's where I bought my sofa from as well as my Boffi kitchen's six white leather chairs surrounding my Modenature wenge table.

If you want to achieve the Kelly Hoppen look... there are many great products you can buy on the high street and in markets, which can help you. Also, if you visit my website there is a get the look feature on some of my designs. Check it out at www.kellyhoppenretail.com.

Emily Jenkinson

9th July 09