British singer Boy George’s eclectic London home hits the high notes with its heady mix of classic and modern design elements, accented by his collection of vibrant artworks
Even as a young man living in London’s Woolwich neighbourhood in the eighties, pop superstar and deejay Boy George would draw glances for his flamboyant style: an intoxicating, experimental fusion of various cultural references, glamour and androgyny that made him a leading figure in Britain’s emerging New Romantic movement. Inspired by the glam rock stars of the 1970s, this underground subculture was characterised by eccentric fashion choices that underpinned its aspirational, escapist bent.
“It didn’t bother me to walk down the street and to be stared at. I loved it,” the Karma Chameleon singer, who was born George Alan O’Dowd in 1961, once said in an interview. “I think being individual in showbusiness gives you life and longevity.” George’s signature style would go on to permeate all aspects of his life, including the design of the stately three-storey gothic English mansion he has owned for nearly four decades.
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Hoppen reveals that George had become smitten with her own breezy West London home after a visit, and requested her to redo his six-bedroom home so it would look like hers. “I was flattered, but it wouldn’t make sense for his house to look like my house,” she says. “We needed to understand the history of the building, and George’s life in it. So, I took into account his way of life, his aesthetic, his art and his beliefs, and intertwined his style and mine. I felt like we were in each other’s heads throughout the process!”
One of Hoppen’s first tasks was brightening the dark home. Giles Moulder, a partner at London-based F3 Architects, had previously designed a modern kitchen addition with a glass wall to bring in more natural light; the designer worked to open up the abode’s dim interior and myriad rooms even further with the liberal application of taupe and beige hues.
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