At home with Indigo Living founder John McLennan

Award-winning home furnishing retailer and interior design provider Indigo Living has offered its services across Asia and the Middle East for over 40 years. With 12 stores, in-house furniture design and design consultancy, it is the go-to provider for home goods that are unique, on-trend and long-lasting. 

The firm’s mission is to inspire lives through beautiful interiors. With the events of the past year forcing us to stay indoors for an extended amount of time, our homes play an important role now more than ever. John McLennan, founder and executive chairman of Indigo Living, tells us about Hong Kong homes and how they have changed in the wake of a pandemic.   

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“Homes here have had to become more multifunctional,” he begins. “In addition, with increased time inside, people are rethinking how they balance work and play in their space. They know they will be home for a long time, so they are trying to make them more comfortable and relaxing, for example by adding some spa-like elements.”  

He references his own home as an example, noting that many of his furniture pieces are now being used for multiple purposes.   

“Our dining table is mainly an office during the day,” he says. “Then, in the evening, we clear all work aspects out of the living and dining rooms so we can then relax as a family.”   

For Hongkongers who are trying to navigate the extra amount of time at home, McLennan deviates from the usual advice of cleaning and decluttering. He recognises that these are not normal times and most of us are under immense pressure.    

“Everybody says to keep it tidy, keep it clean, keep it simple, but I think everybody is different. If you live in a small space, it’s about how you live. Not everybody can live with very simple furnishings and have everything put away. I know our house is always a mess, and I always look at other people’s homes that are so clean and I wonder how do they do it. “Just make your home comfortable, make it your own, have some of your own personality in there.”    

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As a business owner, McLennan has had to work harder and smarter with the market slowing down. But the past year has also been good for Indigo Living in unexpected ways. With people focusing on sprucing up or even just taking better care of their homes, the furniture retailer’s design consultancy team has stayed busy during the worst of the pandemic.   

There have also been positive takeaways from a personal perspective. Schools are closed, which means McLennan has been able to spend quality time with his son, who is home from university.    

Of course, there is no denying that the pandemic has uprooted his family’s routine. Before Covid-19 struck, McLennan would take frequent flights back to Canada and the US, where his extended family resides.    

“I met my wife here, my kids were born and grew up here, so Hong Kong is home for us,” he says. “But during the pandemic, it’s been difficult not being able to see ageing parents, family and friends. We usually go to Canada and the US twice a year, but we haven’t been back for almost a year and a half now.”    

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To make things more enjoyable in Hong Kong during this time, McLennan is reading more books, watching more movies and generally ticking off his to-do list. “I’ve been exploring the country parks and outlying islands, things like that. As a family, we’ve become closer and tighter, though we are looking forward to a trip to visit our extended family overseas.”    

So what’s new for Indigo Living? McLennan teases some new releases that we can look forward to in the coming months. “We’re working on a big project in a neighbourhood called Meydan in Dubai, refurnishing over 400 homes, so it’s quite exciting for us. In Hong Kong, we’re working on a new brand, directed towards small apartment living. It will be younger, edgier, more affordable, and aimed at an underserved market.”

As Hong Kong and the world slowly recover from the tumultuous events of the past year, McLennan is looking forward to tackling 2021 with fresh thoughts and ideas. “I’m excited to bring the Indigo spirit to our new ventures.”