How to make it Hoppen: Interior designer KELLY HOPPEN has brought her signature neutral style to her Cotswolds bolthole

Design is never just about what you see, it's about how it makes you feel,' says Kelly Hoppen , the multi award-winning British interior designer and author.

That philosophy has stood the 65-year-old in good stead, as she has been designing beautiful spaces and making people feel happy about their homes for 49 years. Her style is synonymous with a fusion of East and West aesthetics and, as the Queen of Taupe, her devotion to a neutral palette.

With an A-list client base that includes the Beckhams, Hoppen's design projects take her around the globe, so it's understandable she often craves the peace of country living.

She fell in love with the Cotswolds 25 years ago. 'My friend Jo Malone rented a home on the Blenheim estate. I loved it so much I did the same for many years,' she tells me. 'Now my daughter Tash [Natasha Corrett, chef and food writer] and stepdaughters [actress] Sienna Miller and [fashion designer] Savannah Miller live in the area, too.'

Hoppen lives in London with her partner, retired businessman John Gardiner, but spends as much time as possible in the Cotswolds. 'Coming here is downtime – we have amazing weekends and holidays, and I get to see my grandson,' she says.

Her horseshoe-shaped home, built around a courtyard, was originally a lambing barn. 'It was a shell when we started the renovation in 2020 and began piecing it together stone by stone. Then the pandemic struck and work stopped.'

The project was completed in 2022 as a flowing 250sq m space flooded with light. The downstairs is devoid of doors and has a large kitchen, dining room, living room, snug and gym. Upstairs there are four double bedrooms and bathrooms. 'I knew I wanted to create something cosy and comfortable, versatile yet stylish,' Hoppen says.

'The starting point was the colour of the original exposed wood beams, a kind of honey shade,' she says. 'I then went for grey, white and black, and kept fabrics to a minimum.'

The décor includes vintage pieces that Hoppen has collected over the years. 'I've layered lots of texture,' she says. 'The ceramics are powder-coated and matt, and I've added vintage mirrors, and oversized art and photography, as the ceilings are high.'

This month, she launched a collaboration with Marks & Spencer. 'I'm passionate about everyone having a wonderful home and this has enabled me to create a beautiful yet affordable collection,' she says. 'M&S has been in my life for ever – my stepdaughter Sienna Miller created two collections with them this year, so it feels right.'

The 75-piece range is unmistakably Hoppen. The ceramics have the matt finish she loves, while the luxurious bedding features geometric satin jacquard designs. 'And I've created a beautiful off-white for the bedlinen,' she says. Its name? 'Kelly's Cream.'

KELLY'S HEROES Give your home the designer's touch with pieces from her M&S collection

Double bedlinen set, £99. All M&S x Kelly Hoppen, marksand spencer.com

Candle holder, £5

Cushion, £29.50

Vase, £29.50