Hello and Welcome!
Hello and Welcome to Hannah Hopkins Interiors!
This is my first blog post and so I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and tell you more about my story and what you can expect to see from HHI.
How it all began
I have had a love for interior design for as long as I can remember. My favourite subjects at school were art and design technology, which is what led me to do an interior design course at university. After graduating with a 2.1 degree, I did not go straight into working in design as I found it was a difficult industry to get into without any work experience. I spent over 5 years doing other things before I realised that interior design is what I really wanted to be doing. I Iove being creative and using my skills to bring an interior space to life. This is when I began working in kitchen and bathroom design where I was able to work directly with clients from the concept design stage right through to completion. I spent 3 years working in this industry and it was during this time I realised my dream was to have my own interior design business working on full house designs to create bold and beautiful homes. This is when I decided to sign up to Jo Chrobak’s interior design business school and 3 months into this programme I was able to leave my full-time job to officially launch HHI.
A little bit more about myself and my journey
I bought my first house at the age of 23, it was a new build which I was lucky enough to buy off plan which meant I could choose what went in the interior including kitchen cabinetry, wall and carpet colours and any extras I wanted to add to really make the house feel like a home. I knew straight away I wanted to add character, so it would instantly feel inviting and homely and not just a typical new build that lacked any kind of personality. It was only a small house, but it was mine and somewhere I could put my own stamp on. I lived there for over 2 years before buying my second home which was a Victorian terrace (my absolute dream!). This was not a big project as it did not need anything major doing to it, but it needed to be fully re-decorated and new flooring, together with the re-arrangement of furniture. I really felt at home here and I loved the character this property had including the bay window, the different floor levels, and the original fireplaces in the bedrooms.
It was not long after this my partner (Tom) and I bought a Wesleyan chapel to convert it into a family home (our first home together). This was a project I had never thought about doing before but the opportunity to buy this chapel came up and we decided we would give it a go (I make it sound a really simple project here but believe me it was anything but simple!). I had just finished the Victorian terrace transformation and then dived headfirst into a chapel conversion. A lot of people thought we were crazy, but it really is the best thing we have ever done! I do not think either of us quite realised the amount of work involved at first, but it was such an exciting project and we certainly learnt a lot from doing it. We decided to project manage the conversion ourselves (whilst both working full time), we designed the whole layout, Tom did a lot of the work himself and I did all the interior design. It was hard work and challenging for us both, but it was my first full house design project I could really get my teeth into. It took us 3 years in total until we moved in and we were able to call it our home. It is still not completely finished, but I am so proud of what we managed to achieve and what we learnt from the whole experience. The interior design was a real challenge as I wanted to make best use of the whole interior which meant creating spaces that were not quite symmetrical and a little bit quirky.
I documented the whole process through my Instagram account, and it is through my loyal following and being able to inspire others I knew for sure I wanted to build my own interior design business. After everything I had learnt through this chapel conversion and my other slightly smaller house projects, I realised I wanted to help others create the home of their dreams!
More about my style and specialities
It was during my time at university I really got to understand my style and what I love most about interior design. Growing up in the countryside in South Lincolnshire and coming from a farming family, I have always had a love for English country design. As well as this I have always felt passionate about traditional British architecture and in particular 18th & 19th Century architectural design which includes Georgian and Victorian house styles. I believe that what makes period properties like these so interesting and beautiful is the history and character behind them. This is why I really enjoy re-designing period properties to suit a more modern way of living but to also restore original features wherever possible to reflect the history and charm of the property.
HHI was born out of a passion for modern traditional design that is bold, classic and refreshing. I love the idea of creating modern family homes with traditional and elegant design styles to form beautiful homes that stand the test of time. I specialise in transforming homes in need of being restored or renovated and creating custom interiors for new builds that lack character and personality. One of my favourite things about the design process is exploring different layout options. I believe that beautiful interior spaces start with a functional and efficient layout to suit your way of life. This is why I enjoy exploring different options to work out which layout will work best before starting to pull together colour schemes, styles of furniture, window treatments, lighting and styling.
What else can you expect to see from my blog
So now you know a little bit more about myself and my style I will continue to keep updating you on projects I am working on including some ‘behind the scenes’, my top tips and how-to’s, design inspiration and ideas, design trends and FAQs.
I am so excited to get started on my new year projects and I really hope this helps give you a snippet on what is to come…
Hannah x
