It was always a little ironic that quiet luxury, the hushed aesthetic built on restraint, became such a loud, viral trend during the run of the hit television drama, Succession. But fashion does what it does, and people had no sooner pinned the holy trinity of Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana and The Row on their mood boards than the trend was declared over. In the world of interior design, however, quiet luxury continues to be held in the highest esteem, perhaps because it is simply an investment in the beauty of our everyday lives.
At home, quiet luxury lives in the heft of a dining table, the tactile detailing of an embroidered chair back or a soothing palette borrowed from the expansive view beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows—as seen in this Shawn Henderson-designed waterfront townhouse, perched above Tai Tam Bay in the south of Hong Kong Island.
The New York-based interior designer secured this project halfway around the world thanks to a former client, for whom he had designed two homes: first in Aspen, Colorado, and subsequently in Hong Kong. Word travelled quickly, as it often does in ‘a small, big city’, and Henderson was introduced to an American-Hong Kong couple, who were friends of that client, when they required a designer for their holiday home in Park City, Utah. With a shared design language already established, alongside a high degree of comfort and trust, they asked Henderson to take on their new home in Hong Kong next.
The brief was refreshingly simple: create a functional, comfortable home base for the family of four, while accommodating the city’s high humidity. Apart from those parameters, the designer was effectively given carte blanche. “She loves design and it was one of those special relationships where she embraced me, my process and my team,” says Henderson. “A dream client.”
To give the family a distinct experience, Henderson consciously departed from the aesthetic of their Utah project, taking his cues directly from the coastal surroundings. “There are amazing views of the water, and, to be a little on the nose, I wanted to bring that colour palette into the main space,” he says.
Shaped by the homeowners’ passion for collectible design and contemporary art, Henderson approached the house with his usual curatorial precision to create a discreetly luxurious refuge. Outside, verdant mountains fold into a brilliant blue bay, with palms leaning into the light. Inside, the design takes its cues from this very vista, resulting in a stillness that feels astonishing for a city known for sensory overload.
Anchoring the main living room is a serene light-blue rug that draws the sea indoors. Against the wall stands a prominent custom sofa inspired by a vintage piece Henderson had fallen for at an antique fair, flanked by a pair of Peter Lane ceramic table lamps referencing the rocky shoreline. At either end of the honed Belgian blue slate-topped Duran coffee table sit two curvaceous lounge chairs by Svante Skogh, the Swedish designer best known for his mid-century collaborations with Seffle Möbelfabrik. Henderson feared he had lost them to other buyers when the project paused during the pandemic; when work resumed six months later, he was relieved to find them still available, thinking: “Well, we have to get these now. It’s meant to be.”
Another favourite piece is the Campana brothers’ custom Detonado buffet. The Brazilian duo are not usually celebrated for subtlety, but this particular design—crafted from freijó wood and reclaimed wicker from Thonet chairs rewoven with nylon to create camouflage-like caning panels—offers a muted visual nod to the organic urban chaos of Hong Kong.
Also referencing the city’s frenetic energy is Bernard Cohen’s 2017 artwork, ‘Shade’. Its labyrinthine lines sprawl across the canvas, creating a colourful stained-glass effect that offers a striking contrast to the soft, understated furnishings. Although Henderson did not curate the artwork specifically for the home, his visual expertise guided the couple in displaying their personal collection. “I don’t believe in decorating a room to fit a piece of artwork,” he says, “but you do need to find the right space for the things they love.”
This quiet sitting area is Henderson’s favourite corner of the house, not least because it accommodates a pair of “extremely rare, absolutely fabulous and incredible” 1937 Gio Ponti armchairs positioned so the detailing on their backs remains in full view. A custom sofa styled in the manner of the Italian master completes the inviting seating arrangement, alongside Swell Studio’s glowing alabaster Chunk Squared side tables, Eric Schmitt’s 2021 black patinated bronze bout de canapé Ilion and Hun Chung Lee’s ceramic planter, which together bestow a grounding yet balanced weight to the space. Henderson sums up the composition with a phrase he embraces: “controlled eclectic”. Nothing competes; rather, “there’s that nice combination of materials that speak to each other”.
The same instinct for subtle contrast continues into the dining room, where Francesco Faccin’s Serial Planks table stretches long and dark, its surface reminiscent of weathered driftwood. Sourced from Milan’s Nilufar Gallery, the table is cast in solid bronze using a mould that replicates wood grain. “I love things that appear to be something else,” Henderson notes.
Its elemental weight grounds the airy room, balanced by 1955 chairs by Italian designer Carlo Hauner and Austrian architect-designer Martin Eisler, founders of Forma—a prominent studio during Brazil’s Modernist movement. To introduce warmth and a touch of whimsy, the dining chair backs feature custom embroidery of protea—one of Henderson’s favourite floral motifs—crafted by Villa Savoia. Overhead, a rare 1958 Stilnovo light fixture floats like a cluster of opaline buds.
Upstairs, the primary bedroom softens with blush-pink textiles and a pickled-teak bed by Metrica, featuring a porthole-motif headboard aligned with the bay view. The two sons’ rooms were designed with equal intent: a cerused-oak games table invites screen-free evenings playing backgammon in the family room, while one teenager’s bedroom incorporates a dedicated studio area with a drum kit and electric guitars.
Throughout every space, Henderson’s approach remains consistent: pairing rare finds with custom pieces, and vintage acquisitions alongside new additions. Life moves quickly in Hong Kong, making home the essential sanctuary to reset. To do so in such a tranquil enclave is indeed a rare luxury.
