‘There is no crying in design’
STYLEMAKER SPOTLIGHT: HOLLY KOPMAN
It was two of Holly Kopman’s great passions — music and design — that brought the St. Louis native to the Bay Area nearly 20 years ago: She moved here to follow the Grateful Dead, as well as study interior design at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Kopman owes her interest in the latter to her uncle, who was an interior designer. “He taught me the importance of a well-designed house and how a home affects a person’s outlook on life,” she says.
Kopman worked at Rebecca Bradley Interior Design in San Francisco before starting her eponymous firm (www.hollyakopman.com) in 2000. On her website, she writes: “The process of interior design should be fun. There is no crying in design.” The phrase is one she did indeed utter to a client who had burst into tears after a dining table the client purchased didn’t pan out. Fortunately, Kopman’s collaborative approach to design can serve as the antidote for such situations. “The most enjoyable aspect of my job is working closely with my clients and vendors to create custom lighting and furniture that fits my client’s needs,” she says.
Longtime and repeat clients are not uncommon for Kopman. She has been working with one homeowner since 2005. “Every year we decide to add another dimension to their house,” she explains.
“It is such a pleasure for me to see how a house can evolve with a family.” Forging close relationships with her clients is a winwin: “They completely trust my design aesthetic, which makes the design process so much smoother because they let me handle the details and they just sit back and reap the benefits.”