ABOUT
Design as judgement, not decoration.
Shibui Collection is a design practice focused on making clear, deliberate choices – fewer things, done properly. We work on residential and commercial interiors for clients who value calm, clarity and lasting quality.
Our work centres on proportion rather than ornament — modern minimalism that is comfortable rather than stark, elegant rather than showy and textural rather than decorative. Spaces are shaped through architecture, flow and light, with materials, furniture and objects carefully selected and placed to suit how the space is used.
Shibui Collection focuses on the underlying structure of interiors – refining architecture, flow, light, materials and arrangement so spaces feel coherent and comfortable.
What we mean by taste
Taste is often described as personal preference or style. For us, it means something different. Taste is the ability to recognise what belongs — and just as importantly, what doesn’t.
Good taste is rarely loud or trendy. It tends to be consistent, measured and easy to live with. It allows a space to feel right without feeling overworked, and prevents a design from drifting simply because more options exist.
Taste is not innate. It can be developed by paying attention — to form, colour, material, proportion and atmosphere – and from understanding how these things can change according to context. At its best, taste is knowing when something feels appropriate.
Consistent thinking, not a fixed look
A strong position doesn’t mean everything will look the same. Shibui’s work is consistent in how decisions are made, not in how projects appear. Each project is approached on its own terms, shaped by the architecture, the brief, the budget and how the space will actually be used. We have a house approach rather than a house style.
That doesn’t mean certain ideas can’t recur if they’re appropriate. They just don’t do so by default. The consistency we aim for is in the process and the level of attention, not in repeating a recognisable look.
Value in restraint
We work in a world of excess — objects, images, options and inspiration are everywhere. The challenge is rarely finding something to add, but knowing when to stop and when something is enough. More options look safer than fewer, but don’t always lead to better outcomes.
Complexity is not competence and simplicity is not boring – just less obvious.
We don’t view restraint as meaning doing less for its own sake, but as deciding what elements matter most and allowing them to not have to compete for attention. The result is that a space can feel calmer and more composed.
Objects & Notes
We pay attention to design beyond interiors alone. Architecture, landscape, furniture, art, cars, boats, clothing and everyday objects all inform how we look and how we think. Writing is part of that process. It gives us a way to discuss what we notice and why certain things continue to hold our interest.
Objects focuses on individual pieces and their makers — things that are elegant, understated and well-made.
Notes takes a wider view, looking across other disciplines where the same ideas recur, work that lasts is often the result of clarity and confidence rather than constant novelty.
Both are extensions of the same curiosity that informs project work. They allow ideas, materials, places and objects to be explored outside the constraints of a specific brief.
Some items written about in Objects may later be available through the site, but the writing comes first. It’s a way to explain what we value, give credit and share context — not to sell.
Referencing Kinari Design
Shibui Collection is an evolution. Much of the interior work shown on this site was carried out under the name Kinari Design, an independent studio working internationally across residential and commercial projects. Shibui Collection builds on that experience to develop a broader mix of interior work, writing, and objects under a different structure and name.
Shibui is rooted in London, where Kinari Design was established and where much of the work has been carried out. The practice is now based in Hong Kong and draws on the experience of Doug Atherley, gained through living and working across London, Hong Kong and New York, alongside projects completed throughout North America, Asia, the Caribbean and the Middle East, including show residences for a Ritz-Carlton development in Chicago. This broader perspective increasingly informs both project work and an understanding of how people acquire, adapt and live in homes across different cities, cultures and property markets.
