SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2011|000

perspective

Kelly Hoppen unravels her home decor secrets, and tells us how respositioning existing objects can breathe

new life into spaces

NEWOldand

inside

I recently completed a beautiful property in London for a gentleman with an absolute love of art and antiques. His collection is astonishing–from antique books and Persian carpets to stunning old masters and pieces of sculpture. Each item is what I would call a “star piece” in its own

right, all a reflection of my client’s passions. They therefore had to be the defining factor of my design for his home. The challenge for me as the designer was to figure out how to pull all of the items together in a modern and elegant way. You are accustomed to seeing items of this nature hung in huge, bare, clinical gallery spaces where nothing can detract the viewer away from the piece, allowing you to fully focus on what the artist is trying to convey. How can you still keep this feeling alive and at the same time create a comfortable home where you can kick off your shoes at the end of a hard day and relax?

PLAN OF ACTIONThe main scheme that I developed for the home was very simple, textural, complementary and, above all, neutral. Black-stained oak floors running throughout the property give it a clean contemporary feel and plain white walls are balanced with the addition of waxed taupe specialist plaster. As the client’s collections were so eclectic, varying in colour, shape, style, period and size, it was essential that calm and simple fabrics and furnishings were chosen so as not to conflict with the wonderful pieces that we had to work with.

We had access to the inventory of the client’s international art collection, which meant we could simultaneously design the space and re-curate the apartment so that both worked in harmony. Some of the art displayed in the apartment before we began the project was not positioned in locations that showed it off to its full potential, so it was wonderful to be able to design the space with the new locations

(Clockwise from left)BACK TO THE FUTURE The reinvented living room; the dining room features the client’s art and ceramic collection, and antique chairs that have been given a contemporary makeover; wall-mounted glass shelving allow the tones of the book spines to contrast with the walls’ waxed plaster finish; the multi-level lava stone ledge.

(Opposite page)FINE FIGURE A white female bust adds drama to the master walk-in wardrobe.

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inside< we had in mind. For example, the existing niche in the living room which faces the entrance and is the first thing you see as you enter was the perfect location for a stunning painting from the client’s private collection. A modern television set discreetly in the wall offers a harmonious juxtaposition between the contemporary and the traditional. The result is a practical and modern space with a subtle bow to the client’s aesthetic taste.

PAGE TURNERAntique books are a work of art in themselves, from the faded colours of their distressed covers to the texture of their bindings. I wanted to showcase them in their full glory. I designed a selection of custom-made glass bookcases–both floating and shelving styles–to accommodate the collection. The clean glass lines of the floating, lit bookcases act not only as objects of display in their own right, but also as a division between the next zone of the space–the dining area. The cases also allow for a 360-degree view of the books, displayed to maximum effect.

The wall-mounted glass shelving allows the tones of the book spines to be displayed in contrast to the waxed plaster finish of the walls with all colours working in complete harmony. As a contemporary touch, I designed an alternating height ledge that

runs through the length of the living room before forming the step up to the summer living space. The ledge allows my client’s various artefacts to be displayed in a varied and interesting way. The ledge is made from a rare polished lava stone; its modern simplicity creates a real connection between the old and the new within the space.

TABLE MANNERSThe dining room is a testament to the client’s collections, combining displays of art and ceramics. Furniture designer Tim Gosling and I created the dining room table and we decided to give the client’s antique dining chairs a contemporary makeover, by lacquering the frames in black and re-upholstering them with a fabric that ties into the rest of the scheme. I wanted to make a real feature for the client’s staircase, so we removed the existing staircase and had it replaced with a dramatic glass-and-timber design I created especially for the client. Hanging centrally down the apex of the stairs is a custom-made crystal spiral chandelier that complements the sweep of the new stairs perfectly.

BETWEEN THE SHEETSAs the bedrooms are much smaller areas, it was essential that simplicity and a sense of calm reigned here in comparison to the more eclectic atmosphere in the main living rooms. For this reason I decided to use predominantly new furniture with clean lines, modern lighting and neutral-toned fabric throughout. The only exception to this rule was a valuable bureau, which the client wanted to retain in the master bedroom. In order to tie this in with my new design, I chose a contemporary chair with the same wood finish as the bureau wrapped around the back. A small selection of art, ornaments and books in neutral tones were added at the end to lend finish to the spaces and retain the calm. Modern comforts such as televisions have been concealed in custom-made units at the foot of the beds.

The client had some beautiful sculptures that we had to incorporate into the scheme. We found perfect spaces for some pieces while we were designing the house–such as a white female bust which looks so dramatic against the simple lines of the custom-designed master walk-in wardrobe–whereas other pieces were planned into the design right from the start: the dancing female nude in the master bathroom, for which the marble stand

and lit niche were designed at the client’s request.

A great tip that I constantly give students at my design school is that as a homeowner it is very easy to forget just how wonderful some of the pieces that you own are. Simply taking your art from your walls, taking the ornaments off the shelves and repositioning items into new spaces, new rooms or even new homes can make you fall in love with your collections all over again.

(Clockwise from top left)PERSONAL SPACEThe dancing female nude in the bathroom; the dramatic staircase; the bedroom has a selection of art and a custom-made unit to conceal a TV at the foot of the bed.