We take a look inside NANCY KUPFER’s Plantation Road home on The Peak in Hong Kong. Her home is a treasure trove of antique furniture, unique pieces collected on her travels around the world and gorgeous decor that fills the Hong Kong flat with colour.
Born and educated on the East Coast of the US, Nancy has spent over half of her life overseas, including five years in Singapore, a four-year stint in Switzerland, and 23 years in Hong Kong.
“I came here to work for a US law firm, but I quickly left to work for Marriott as one of their in-house attorneys,” she says. “I far preferred this, as being an in-house attorney gives you much more insight into the business end of things.”
Nancy would go on to become Vice President and Assistant General Counsel for Marriott, which has its headquarters for APAC here. She recently retired, which could potentially be a difficult adjustment for someone who’s been in such a busy role.
“I love retirement and highly recommend it! I do volunteer legal work for some NGO’s here, as well as enjoy hiking and doing yoga. Also, I try to spend several months a year travelling, mostly in the US and Europe.”
A place on The Peak in Hong Kong
When she’s not on the road, Nancy lives in a flat on The Peak – she’s been there for the past couple of years. This was after living first on Kennedy Road, and then for “16 very happy years” at the top of Magazine Gap in the striking Art Deco-style Cameron Mansions.
The views were the main attraction of this new home, naturally, and they’re enhanced by having a balcony. “It’s a delightful space all year; it’s covered, so even in the summer it’s very useable. In the spring, we get fog inversions, which are gorgeous: the fog line is below us, so the tops of the buildings rise up out of the fog in an eerie gloom. Quite mysterious and beautiful.”
Another quirk of the property that appealed to Nancy was the working fireplace. “It’s unusual to see, and probably my favourite feature after the view.”
There was a more personal connection, too, which made it inevitable that this home was “the one”. “When I saw it, I realised that I had been in the flat about 30 years before – the aunt of a friend of mine had lived in it,” says Nancy. “I spent a year travelling around Asia in the early 1990’s after the law firm I worked for in Singapore closed. When my friend brought me to the flat, I remember thinking that if I could one day end up back in Hong Kong and be successful enough to have a place on The Peak like it, I would feel I had achieved something.
Of course, when she saw the Hong Kong flat again three decades later, she had to take it. “The universe has been making connections like that for me all my life – but you must learn to listen to them! (And hard work plays a part of course.) All sorts of things are out there if you pay attention, whether it’s a future home, or your soulmate – your destiny awaits!”
A Hong Kong flat makeover
Nancy took the opportunity of the move to a new residence to update her furniture and soft furnishings. “I decided to basically start over with the living room and bedrooms as most of my furniture was over 20 years old. I chose all the pieces and fabrics and arranged the rooms myself, but I did have excellent expert advice from both Avant Garde Design and Altfield Interiors.”
In particular, these two companies helped Nancy to be a bit bolder in choosing fabrics, especially prints, as in the past she had tended more toward solids. “Doris from Avant Garde custom-made the gorgeous yellow guest bed, and spent hours cutting the fabric so that the flowers ‘grow’ up the sides!”
Others contributed to the final look, too. “The team at OMOS Home were able to make the daybed in another guestroom from a photo I sent them of a bed I saw in the US, including all the cane work. And Coltex made the two rugs in the living room from a photo of an antique rug I found online. The craftmanship available here in Hong Kong is really incredible.”
Pieces with a past
Elsewhere in the home is a noteworthy mix of antique furniture and decor, artwork and other items that Nancy has collected over the years. “I like to be surrounded by things that mean something to me, either from my travels, from my own past or from the historical past,” she says.
Among these things is a beautiful “dragon” robe from the Qing dynasty, which would have been worn by a Mandarin official for formal occasions. “It has symbols sewn into it, such as endless knots, which are said to guide one to happiness, peaches for longevity, and pearls for wisdom and truth.”
It’s an eye-catching one-off piece that provides a contrast to Nancy’s collection of ephemera – more everyday items from the past, including vintage printed pieces that were designed for temporary use, but which she now cherishes. These include travel posters from Switzerland from the 1920’s and 1930’s, and a colourful and humorous hand drawn map of Beijing from the 1920’s. “I also collect vintage hotel labels from famous hotels worldwide, which I’ve either stayed in or have historical significance.”
There are memorable pieces of furniture, too – not least the antique Indian charpoy daybed, which sits in front of a large picture window in the living room. Nancy says it’s one of her favourite places in the home. “I filled it with cushions, and it is so comfortable – I call it my ‘perch’. I like to prop myself up there at all times of day, but most especially at sunset to watch the lights come up over the harbour and city.”
Out and about on The Peak in Hong Kong
While it must be tempting to while away the week in this spot, Nancy enjoys hitting the neighbourhood trails for a hike near her Hong Kong flat. “Hiking and walking have been a long-time favourite of mine, and they still are – I try to get out at least twice a week. Here on The Peak there are so many good trails, such as Stage 3 of the Hong Kong Trail and High West. And the Severn Road/Plantation Road loop from my front door is a scenic, easy walk that only takes about an hour.”
Further afield, she says that Lantau is a personal favourite – “especially Stages 3, 5 and 12 of the Lantau Trail. And the Pat Sing Leng ridge trail in the New Territories is a stunner!” The Peak is superbly placed not just for hiking but for whatever other hobbies and pursuits Nancy chooses to follow away from home, too. “You’re only 10 minutes from all that is available in Central and other parts of Hong Kong. It’s really ideal and spoils you for living anywhere else. I am grateful for it every day.”
Nancy’s recommendations
Home makeovers and antique furniture
- Avant Garde Design (“fabrics – Doris Yeung”) | 102 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai
- Altfield Interiors (“fabrics”) | Suite 1101, Nine Queen’s Road, Central
- Indigo (“furniture and lighting”) | Horizon Plaza & Prince’s Building
- Crack & Anecdote (“vintage items and antiques”) | Horizon Plaza
- OMOS Home (“bespoke and ready-made furniture”) | Horizon Plaza
- Oriental Home (“Chinese antiques and reproductions”) | Horizon Plaza
- Coltex (“bespoke carpets”) | North Point
- “In Singapore, two excellent shops are The Past Perfect Collection for antiques (pastperfect.sg) and Hacienda Blue for bone inlay furniture (haciendablueshop.com).”
- “For household goods (china, glassware, kitchen, wok implements, hardware – they even sharpen knives) my go-to for the last 20-plus years has been King Tak Hong Porcelain at 128 Queen’s Road East (closed Sundays)”
- “For almost anything else, I visit the Wan Chai Market stalls.”
Restaurants
- Aqua/Hutong (“for views and food, perfect for visitors”)
- The Peak Lookout (“get the Hainan Chicken and sit out on the back terrace”)
- 22 Ships (“delicious tapas, an oldie but a goodie”)
- Roganic (“never disappoints!”)
- Under Bridge Spicy Crab (“down and dirty, but finger-lickin’ good”)
- Restaurant 131 (“worth the trip out to the New Territories, great for occasions”)
- Pomegranate Kitchen (“the best caterer I have found in Hong Kong”)
Follow Nancy on Instagram @nskhkgrl or contact her via LinkedIn.
Photography by Michael Perini
This article about a Hong Kong flat on The Peak filled with antique furniture and fab designs first appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of Expat Living magazine. Subscribe now so you never miss an issue.
