Designer Spotlight - Jonathan Hopp

As a full service firm, Jonathan Hopp Interior Design curates the selections for clients so they can make intelligent decisions in furnishing their homes. Their greatest goal is to have their clients enjoy a space not only when it is first completed but for many years to come.

About Jonathan Hopp Interior Design and how we work:

My brother thinks I have a “knack” for interior design. I imagine that after 30 years as a design professional I suppose I do. What started off as a keen interest in interior design as a kid many years ago has blossomed into a passion for interior design, architectural renovation and the appreciation of many styles of furniture. It is often said that a good designer walks into a room and knows immediately what needs to be done. While there certainly is an innate ability (the knack my brother referred to) there is also 4 years of training at a University and 25 years of work within the design industry to reach that level where I know what to do when I walk into a space.

Actually it’s an exciting experience. The process of meeting a client and listening to their needs, goals and aspirations for a room and then creating a solution that will work for their wish list. To be clear, there are priorities, timelines and budgets to consider, yet the excitement of starting a new project never diminishes. It’s the opportunity to create a solution that drives me as a designer. Those design challenges can be anything from a room that echoes too much; to outdated furniture; to a bathroom that is outdated and cramped. The challenge is in the imagining the solution. The joy is seeing it to completion.

Having worked in the interior design industry in everything from lighting design, furniture manufacturing, home remodeling and interior furnishing selections has created a knowledge base to address any project. For every room there is a solution. Sometimes they just take longer to create. Because of the vast experience in lighting design it is the one area to which I pay a great deal of attention. What’s the point of a beautiful space if you can’t see it? Moreover, lighting is so easily controlled and adds more than most clients realize. I still am surprised when I walk into a room that doesn’t have something as simple as a table or standing lamp. That little item can make a huge difference in a room. Often I can change a room by adding a table top dimmer and my clients look at me in astonishment.

Ultimately my goal as an interior designer is to create a solution for my clients; aid them in making informed choices and alleviate the stress of the decorating and design process. If that is a “knack” then I will happily embrace it.

What is your professional design aesthetic?

The joy of the interior design business is to work in many different design styles. I’ve worked on cottages and mid-century homes; as well as condos and Mediterranean houses. Each client has their specific wish list and their personal style. Anymore we are influenced by design everywhere. It may be a hotel we visited, a magazine article we’ve read, or perhaps the style of home where we were raised.

My job as a designer is to sort through the list and create a solution. I usually give my clients homework to find 5 pictures that reflect their personal style. It never fails because people often say that they don’t’ know what they want, and when they tackle this assignment its very clue that they do. In the end, it’s about seeing the clues in those photos to help me create the home that they desire.

What I love about design is working in many different styles. As a designer it makes it more challenging to look at a structure or space to determine what is the most appropriate tile and cabinets, window treatments, furniture or lighting for a given space. I think the client’s personal style is the most important determining factor in design and the joy is in making it happen.

What made you decide to get into this field?

I was always interested in design. I grew up in Spokane, and often haunted antique and vintage shops with my mother. We may not have had much money, but my home growing up always felt put together and comfortable. I think my design aesthetic comes from my childhood home. For my personal style I go for a masculine “shabby chic”. Things don’t’ match, they are collected from various trips, and I avoid buying anything precious for myself because then I will worry. Everything I select has to be as low maintenance as possible because I have dogs and think they should be allowed on the furniture. I have always liked “stuff” and the real challenge is to not let it get out of control. Fortunately I live with someone that keeps me in line! I subscribe to the same advice as I give my clients – my space is about who I am – it is designed to be comfortable, easily maintained and it brings me joy every day. Isn’t that what “home” is all about?

What do you enjoy to do in your spare time?

Interior design is my full time passion. When I am not working I love to cook. Cooking to me is the ultimate creative process. It has gotten so much easier now that we can search for recipes on our iphones, but I used to subscribe to bon a petit magazine. While I am happy to have a PB&J for dinner, I like nothing better than to make something special when we have friends to the house. Food, wine, cocktails and friends… there is nothing better!

My favorite past time when I am not cooking is travel. I have family that lives in Europe and last year 6 of my 7 siblings made it to my sister’s birthday party in Geneva. From there we shared a small apartment in Venice and it was one of my favorite vacations of all time. I have traveled in Europe more than the United States. My next goal is to explore Charleston and its grand homes, and I would love to go to Cape Cod in the near future.