• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GO TO EXPAT LIVING SINGAPORE
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Hong Kong HomepageExpat Living Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Hong Kong.

Menu
  • Living In Hong Kong
      • Living Here
      • Where To Live
      • Schools
      • For Guys
        • Traditional festivals in Hong Kong - Dragon Boat FestivalTraditional Festivals & Events in HK
        • Junk boat rental and catering companies in Hong Kong - Charter JunksA guide to junk companies & caterers
        • 5 Reasons to Use a VPN in HK
        • South Lantau - moving to Hong KongGuide to Pui O Village, South Lantau
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things To Do
      • What’s On/Calendar
      • Competitions & Offers
        • Public swimming pools in Hong Kong - Tung ChungBest public pools for families
        • Traditional festivals in Hong Kong - Dragon Boat FestivalTraditional Festivals & Events in HK
        • Top beaches in Hong Kong - Stanley BeachTop 35 Best Things To Do In Hong Kong This Weekend
        • What to watch this month – Netflix & more!
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Activities & Things To Do
      • Education & Enrichment
      • Health & Wellness
      • Mums & Babies
      • Podcasts
        • Public swimming pools in Hong Kong - Tung ChungBest public pools for families
        • image of family for story on advice for expat parents raising third culture kidsAdvice for expat parents
        • Filling the learning gap in the COVID recovery
        • Cambridge education at CDNIS - Students on the summer learning programmeGet a Taste of a Cambridge Education in HK!
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Décor
      • Readers Homes
        • Stanley Home - outside area with ocean viewSee inside this stylish Stanley home
        • Children's books author Bhakti Mathur in hr home on the Peak Hong KongA writer’s retreat on The Peak
        • Asian furniture and home décor - Altfield swirl vases7 must-have Asian classic pieces
        • Causeway Bay apartment home makeover - Christina Standaloft and partnerSpace-savvy Causeway Bay home makeover
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Short Breaks
      • Further Afield
      • Travel News & Offers
        • Junk boat rental and catering companies in Hong Kong - Charter JunksA guide to junk companies & caterers
        • South Lantau - moving to Hong KongGuide to Pui O Village, South Lantau
        • Mount KinabuluClimbing Mount Kinabalu in Sabah
        • Top beaches in Hong Kong - Stanley BeachTop beaches in Hong Kong
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Recipes & Groceries
      • Bars & Restaurants
        • Middle Eastern restaurants in Hong Kong -Maison LibanaiseTaste Test: Middle Eastern Eats
        • Harbourside Grill5 Dining discoveries in Hong Kong
        • Salted Vanilla Caramel Ice Cream Balls Recipe
        • Baan Thai restaurant in Hong Kong, Thai foodTaste Test: Thai food in Hong Kong
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • Skincare anti-ageing products, overnight creams, face and eye serumsTried and Tested: Anti-ageing Products 
        • Best foundationsFab foundations for hot climates
        • Tried and Tested: Lip glosses and lip liners
        • Teenager having a facialWhen is it time for your first facial?
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Medical & Dental
      • Fitness
      • Wellness
        • The benefits of exercise for breast cancer
        • Menstrual cupsHave you considered a menstrual cup?
        • 6 stages of life where family medicine matters
        • pregnancy - for web article on common problems in pregnancy and how to relieve symptoms10 common problems in pregnancy & how to help
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
      • Magazine
      • Advertise With Us
        • March-May2022
        • March-May2022
        • March-May 2022 Issue – $36 (Free Shipping)
        • SALE! ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION PRINT & DIGITAL BUNDLE – $128 (USUAL $192.00)
      • View all
    Close

4 Smart Ways to Refresh Your Home

6 June, 2020 by Expat Living 3 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/indigo-living-hong-kong-summer-home-interior-design-tips/

For some, a refresh means surrendering to a full redesign. For others, it’s time to be conservative and deliver that sense of change in smaller, smarter ways. Who better to guide us through these challenges than JOHN MCLENNAN? He’s the founder and executive chairman at Indigo Living, a brand recognised by you (our readers!) with a slew of top gongs in our Readers’ Choice Awards 2020: Best Interior Design, Home Stylist, Living Room Furniture, Dining & Tableware and Home Accessories.

#1 First Impressions

Looking to make a striking first impression on guests? John’s recommendation might surprise you. “Scent is one of the first things you notice when you enter a person’s home – and it’s an easy solution. It shouldn’t be anything overpowering; just having something subtle in the background works. Use a scented candle or reed diffusor to create the mood – and stick to one scent.” He also shares, “Another way to create a great first impression is a signature piece of art or furniture in the entryway. Visually, it’s the first thing a guest will notice.

indigo living - living room

#2 Bedroom Bliss

We spend so much of our lives in our bedrooms. Refreshing a bedroom can make an impact on our wellbeing by resetting our sleep routine. John says, “Having the right bedding is the key – and layering is the trick. Start with the bed linens – they should be 100 percent cotton and soft to the touch. A light and fluffy duvet not only makes the bed inviting before you get in at night but also nearly impossible to get out of in the morning! A few accent pillows for colour and a throw at the bottom of the bed will transform your bedroom. I also like to have a reed diffusor in the bedroom as it provides a welcoming scent when you walk in for the first time before going to bed.”

#3 Statement Lighting

Statement lighting can be tricky to achieve in Hong Kong’s smaller spaces. John shares his advice: “In small spaces it’s hard to have any statement overhead lighting unless it’s over the dining table. Remember to keep the size of the light proportional to the size of the table; hanging it at the right height is important as well. Get it wrong and you can find it uncomfortable to sit at the table as the room can be dominated by the lighting.”

indigo living living room 2

#4 On-trend Textiles

Soft furnishings are an easy way to invite a seasonal trend into your home. John highlights two such trends that are emerging in home textiles. “The stronger one is a palette of muted colours – think wines and berries and subtle textures, with limited tone-on-tone patterns. The second trend is more colourful, but again, with a muted palette of softer colours and hues – pale yellows, burnt orange and chalk greens, for example. With this season’s textiles, the overall feeling is one of warmth, craftsmanship and natural materials.”

indigo-living.com


Like this? See more interior design tips in our Homes section:

Design tips, trends and what to avoid!
Kids’ bedroom inspo: beds, rugs and more

This article first appeared in the June 2020 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.

Categories: Home Décor Homes Tags: Furniture Home Decor Home Furnishings Indigo Living Shopping for home

Get the latest events, stories and special offers
sent to your inbox.

By signing up, you'll receive our bimonthly newsletters and offers, which you can unsubscribe to anytime.

You May Also Like

Transforming an old Hong Kong junk

Home Showcase: A Country Park Escape

Two seasonal trends from Indigo Living

Primary Sidebar

  • COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Expat Living Hong Kong, All Rights Reserved.