Meet Dawnella Hopper | Interior Designer/Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dawnella Hopper and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dawnella, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I’m originally from Sacramento, California where I spent the majority of my life. My background definitely was very humble and challenging at times. We grew up in a small house with six children, one mother and low income. I was raised to create success from very little and remain as independent as possible. It really made me thrive for more and take what little I had and grew it to what it is today.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My creativity came from my father and grandfather who were both artists in their day to day. My grandfather especially influenced me by his beautiful artwork in oil painting landscapes. I started painting when I was in my mid twenties and liked to think I had a small fraction of his talent. Although this was a hobby and a therapeutic outlet, I began my destined work when I was just a child. I was playing more with Barbie’s house by rearranging the placement of the furniture more than I was playing with the actual dolls. It was a natural thing for me to draw a blueprint of my bedroom and scoot the furniture around without any help when I was in high school. My mom would walk in to my newly designed bedroom and probably think to herself “how in the heck?”

Photography and design go hand in hand so I naturally started my photography career in 2018 helping family and businesses get great photos, but my passion was larger than that! In the summer of 2023, I turned a vision of renovating homes into a reality when I started my own interior design company. Moving walls, restyling rooms and making a space more functional was my lifelong passion and I had to start fulfilling it. In doing so, I’m so glad I decided to make the plunge and trust my talents and instinct. Over a short time, I’ve had multiple fulfilling design jobs and have helped people love their spaces again.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When my sister, Leandra, who’s my best friend comes to visit me from California, we love going sight seeing, visiting Elvis’s mansion and going to random musician museums like the Tina Turner Museum in Brownsville. One of my favorite destinations is in Nashville. The Gaylord Opryland Resort is hands down my favorite short vacation and I can’t wait to take my family members to see all what Tennessee has to offer.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I wouldn’t be who or where I am if it weren’t for a few influences in my life. First I’d like to talk about my mom. She was a hard working mother of six as I previously mentioned who didn’t have the choice but to do well enough to take care of us. She was strong, independent and always had a good giggle that you would never forget. To this day, we talk often and make each other laugh, even in the worst circumstances. She taught me what laughter was one of the best medicines. I also have had some amazing sisters as mentors. I believe having them was a huge guidance throughout my life and I’ll never take them for granted. It was almost like have two and three moms in addition to my own. I thank God everyday for them and I consider them friends for life.

Website: www.DreamBoatDesign.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/DreamBoat_Dawnella

Facebook: facebook.com/DreamBoatDawnella

Other: Design: DreamBoat Design (www.DreamBoatDesign.com) Photography: DreamBoat Photography (www.DreamBoatPhotography.com)