LIVING THE DREAM
A historic auction house in London is transformed into the home of designer Kelly Hoppen
倫敦歷史拍賣屋成了設計師Kelly Hoppen的開揚家居
For most of us, our dream home remains steadfastly that: just a dream. For Kelly Hoppen, however, that dream became a reality when she stumbled upon a disused auction house. The British designer has achieved celebrity status over her 40-year career and presides over an interiors empire that includes furniture collections, roles in TV shows and a library of books she has penned to help people on their own design journeys. Her most recent tomes include Kelly Hoppen Design Masterclass, published by Jacqui Small, and House of Hoppen, which will come out later this year.
When Kelly was hunting for her new home, she knew she was looking for "something vast, light and open-plan, which, I admit, is quite hard to find in London". Luckily, she found it after a long and protracted search. "As soon as I walked into the auction house, I knew it was something special," she recalls. "The space was perfect and unique, and although completely derelict at the time, I was sold immediately. It’s not every day that you come across a property with such an incredible history."
In a former life, it was an auction house for Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers. The previous incarnation had left it as one vast, open space with an army of columns but no walls, and just one floor. It was an empty vessel waiting to be filled – and Kelly was just the woman to take on that task.
對我們大部分人來說，夢想家居畢竟也只是一個夢想。但對Kelly Hoppen而言，看到拍賣行一刻，這個夢想即能幻化成真。這位英國設計師擁有超過40年光輝事業，並已榮登星級寶座，其室內設計王國更已拓展至傢具系列、電視節目角色和著作出版，當中記下她協助人們開展自家設計之旅的過程。最新作品包括Jacqui Small出版的Kelly Hoppen Design Masterclass，和本年尾將出版的House of Hoppen。
Kelly物色新居時，她知道自己要個「偌大、輕盈和開放式的空間，但誠言，這在倫敦不好找。」可幸地，經過長時間努力尋覓，終於找到理想地。「走進這間拍賣行，我就知道它的過人之處。」她回想道：「空間完美獨特，那時雖然破舊不堪，但卻教我即時著了迷。這種擁有豐富歷史的物業絕不常見。」
這兒前身為Bonhams Fine Art Auctioneers & Valuers拍賣行，四處空無一物，只是一整片偌大空出的位置、多道柱子、無牆壁並只有一層。它只是個靜待被填得滿滿的皮囊，而Kelly就是最適合接受是次任務的女主人。
"I think the history of the auction house adds to what it is today and I wouldn’t change it for the world," says Kelly. "Of course, such history comes with challenges. One major thing we had to work around was the huge columns at the core of the structure. These keep the whole building up, so it was paramount to keep them where they were. I decided to build arches around these. This frames the room and adds monumentality to the space, creating a grid from above and across the room."
From there, the flow of space came together, featuring an open-plan living, dining and kitchen area with soaring ceilings, six bedrooms, bathrooms and walk-in wardrobes, a gym, a flower room and more. In true Kelly Hoppen fashion, the space is a blend of woods and metals, neutral shades, and plush materials set against marble and other stones. The colour palette is based in beige, white, grey and taupe, with punches of bright colour: orange, bronze, nickel, rose gold, peacock blue and emerald green.
「拍賣行的歷史成就了今天的它，我不會對此作任何改動。」Kelly表示：「那當然，如此歷史也意味著前路的挑戰。首當其衝就是在結構重心的巨柱周圍創作。它們支撐著整個建築，故必要留在原地，我決定在柱子四圍建起拱門，勾勒出房間面貌，並注入宏偉氣派，從上方及橫跨整個空間角落建起格網。」
此舉讓空間流動得以連成一體：包括配合高聳天花的開放式客飯廳和廚房範圍，還有六間睡房、浴室和衣帽間、健身室和花房等。空間也一如Kelly Hoppen的真我風格，各處揉合木材、金屬、中性色彩，並以豪華物料襯托大理石和其他石材。色彩組合以米、白、灰和褐灰色作底色，再配上鮮艷色澤：橙、銅、鎳、玫瑰金、乳雀藍和翡翠綠。
The dining room is dramatic in dark greys and blacks, with a linear, sculptural light fixture suspended above the six-metre table, giving the space a theatrical feel. Kelly designed the contemporary chandelier herself; it took a full six months to produce. Next door is the living room, where sofas in white and dove grey are surrounded by armchairs. Pendant lights – all designed by Kelly – hang low between the sofas, creating a cosy environment that invites intimacy.
Kelly conceived much of the furniture and lighting in her London home herself. Some of these pieces have found their way into her new furniture collection, Retrospective, which is available through Resource Decor. The range celebrates Kelly’s 40 years in the design industry and "is heavily inspired by my new home. This is a collection of 100 pieces that is a complete embodiment of my vision," says the designer. "I was able to really let my imagination run wild and design what I had always wished to see on the market."
飯廳沉浸在一片深灰和黑色調中，氣派過人，再加上懸在六米長桌上方的線性雕刻燈飾，令空間更見顯赫。Kelly親自設計出當代吊燈，並需時6個月生產。接下來便到客廳，那兒的白灰色沙發伴著扶手椅而立。所有吊燈均出自Kelly之手，低垂地掛在沙發之間，造就出一處舒適宜人的溫暖空間。
Kelly為自己的倫敦家居親自構思出大量傢具和燈飾。部分作品更成了她下一個新系列Retrospective的成員，並於Resource Decor有售。系列產品慶祝Kelly在設計界渡過了40個年頭，並且「深受我
In her own space, Kelly has mixed her creations with items from brands and designers she loves, as well as art and vintage pieces sourced over the years. Her obsession with vintage is most apparent in her generous dressing room; here, you will find rack upon rack of beautiful clothing collected over decades, as well as chairs in velvety taupe. These sit beside two India Mahdavi stools, which are used here as side tables.
There are so many items that have their place here – and a place in Kelly’s heart, so much so that she finds it hard to pinpoint what she loves best about the auction house. "I simply can’t pick a room or a piece, as every last detail is perfect to me," she says. "The natural light is also spectacular; I am so lucky to have such a vast space that is flooded with light every single day. My new home is very representative of me and where I am at this stage of my life – and I couldn’t be happier." //的家居啟發而成。系列包括100件產品，完完全全是我的目光寫照。」這位設計師表示：「我讓自己的幻想和設計自由奔放，打造出自己一直想在市場上遇見的元素。」
Kelly在私人天地內混搭自家出品與來自心愛品牌及設計師的作品，還有多年搜購得來的藝術品和古董作品。她對古董的熱愛著迷可見其精彩的衣帽間中。你可找到一列又一列數十年來珍藏所得的衣飾，還有數張絲絨灰座椅。旁邊兩張India Mahdavi凳子則充當邊桌。
奪目元素各就其位，並在Kelly心中佔有特別位置，要選出最愛角落實在困難。「每項細節也是如此完美，實在選不出單一房間或作品。」她表示：「天然光最出色；幸運地我可以擁有一處每天陽光普照的偌大空間。我的新居就是自己和此刻階段的寫照——實在不能再更滿足愉快了。」//