The A-Z of Interior Design - H is for Hoppen

The Queen of Taupe

South African born, Kelly Hoppen rose to the top of the interior design industry although she has no formal training. In 2009 she received an MBE for services to interior design. Hoppen, who is dyslexic, began her career at 16 years old when she designed a “family friend’s” kitchen, who happened to be a famous racing driver, and moved on to design interiors including Gary Rhodes‘ restaurant, the Beckham’s LA home, hotels, ski chalets, yachts, private jets and celebrity homes around the world. Actor Martin Shaw was one of her first clients.


Hoppen, who has never undertaken a project for less than £300,000, is all about luxury. Her website flaunts her opulent, taupe and beige product range.

"The detail in our projects is so couture it's like going to Chanel for a gown. I fly my florists around the world, too. I worry about carbon footprints, but what can you do?"

A typical Hoppen interior using black, white and taupe...

Gary Rhodes', London, W1 restaurant interior designed by Kelly Hoppen...

Kelly's design at the Hotel Murmuri, Barcelona...


One of Kelly Hoppen's previous homes...

Hoppen gutted her Notting Hill Georgian house: “I gutted it because, while I loved the house’s Georgian shell, I wanted to put my own stamp on the interior. It is now very modern. Every room has a sliding door with a six foot vertical door handle running from the top to the bottom. I’ve used a lot of black wood and neutral colours and have gone for concealed lighting wherever possible – with shafts of light coming up from behind walls.”

Asked which rooms in her home Hoppen feels are special to her she replies: "All of them – because they all have a particular character. Although if I had to choose one, it would be the living room. It’s very seductive: all dark wooden floors, a big black glass fireplace, chandeliers, vintage furniture, silk curtains and big photographs on the walls."

Hoppen has a daughter, Natasha, from her first marriage to Graham Corrett, and two stepdaughters, Savannah and Sienna Miller, from her second marriage to Ed Miller. She lives in Notting Hill, London, and has a country house in Oxfordshire.