I’ve Been Doing This For A While

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Interiors

PicturedDan Hopwood | April 1997

PicturedLiving Room | April 1997

PicturedApril 1997

«It is twenty three years ago since I set up my own studio»

It is twenty three years ago since I set up my own studio. I thought that it might be fun to have a look back at some of my early projects and see how styles have changed. Here is the first one.

This early project does look quite grand but is in fact only a 60 square metre flat. It is on the first floor of an early Victorian terraced House in Bayswater which had been a council flat since the war and was stripped of all its architectural details.

Early interior design projects – Daniel Hopwood – reclaimed chandelier from a London Mayfair hotel — The chandelier was reclaimed from a hotel in Mayfair that was about to be demolished. It is hovering over an original recency dining table that is set in the middle of the room. The armchair is by Lutyens covered in black horsehair fabric.

Inspired by the Regency and with the classical knowledge that I gained from studying with the Prince of Wales Institute of Architecture, I put the flat back to how it should have been. I concealed daily requirements so that it looked like the rooms were part of a whole house.

I had some fun with it while staying to period, the colours are all correct but slightly clashed and the furniture is all Regency style but from different periods and countries. The result is quite playful and it could be because its only a pier de tere. Having seen the flat recently, after all these years, nothing has changed.

Early interior design projects – Daniel Hopwood – concealed kitchen — The entrance to the kitchen is concealed behind a bookcase, inspired by Sir John Soane, but made in MDF and painted to look like mahogany.

Early interior design projects – Daniel Hopwood – French chair — French chair painted, gilded and upholstered in Napoleonic Busy Bee fabric.

Early interior design projects – Daniel Hopwood – customised sphinx — Customized Sphinx with gilding and faux Lapis Lazuli.

Early interior design projects – Daniel Hopwood – chateau double doors — Double doors reclaimed from a chateau opening onto a hallway with a small cupboard concealing a radiator. Door to bedroom again concealed as a jib door.

«The furniture is all Regency style but from different periods and countries»

Early interior design projects – Daniel Hopwood – bedroom bath tub — A little daring at the time, the bath is sitting under the window in the bedroom. The doors behind are the wardrobe.

Early interior design projects – Daniel Hopwood – silk and gold bedroom — The bedroom is barrel vaulted with the bed placed in an alcove lined with silk and gold lamé hung in a Roman style.

Early interior design projects – Daniel Hopwood – tie back — Parsementerie is the proper way of describing this tie back which is holding back some over sized, pooling on the floor, old curtains.

Written By madebysix

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