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POK FU LAM SHOWCASE
21
Jun-Jul15
J
ohn McLennan is enthusing
about Ping Pong 129 Gintoneria,
a new specialty gin-and-tonic
bar in the up-and-coming
neighborhood of Sai Ying Pun. It’s a
funky little spot melding old-world Hong
Kong with a modern Mediterranean
vibe: a curious mish-mash of cultures,
influences and aesthetics that has
resulted in a hip place with unmistakable
style – and apparently the gin and tonics
are also a must!
It’s little wonder John feels at home
there; as a long-term expatriate he’s had
more opportunity than most to sample
different cultures, and the roomy Pok
Fu Lam apartment he shares with wife
Jen and children Jameson and Kelsey,
bears witness to his twenty-year stint
in Asia. There are imposing pieces
of colonial furniture from Sri Lanka,
delicate antique filigree and wooden
doors from India, quirky artworks from
Cambodia, an altar table from Beijing.
But combine these carefully curated
Asian pieces with McLennan’s passion
for contemporary interiors, and the
apartment décor suddenly takes on an
interesting new dimension.
“I keep the basic pieces, but I change
the look and trends every season,”
explains the affable Canadian, who is
the founder and creative director of
local home and lifestyle company Indigo
Living. “I’m always adding new pieces of
furniture, whether it’s a cushion, a lamp
or even a sofa; I’m always testing, trying,
seeing what works. So it’s never perfect
and it’s never finished, but it’s always
comfortable!”
Relaxing in style
Comfort is John’s mantra – something
he applies to everything sold at Indigo
Living as well as his own home – and
his living space is indubitably mellow
and relaxed. “You don’t want to walk
into a home and be afraid to touch or
sit on anything,” he explains. “Instead,
you want people to feel instantly relaxed,
be able to put their feet up on the coffee
table and enjoy a glass of wine. Furniture
is to be used; it shouldn’t strictly be a
showpiece”.