December 02, 2015
DESIGNER GEORGIE LECKEY
Georgie Leckey always wanted to be surrounded by beautiful product. After studying textile merchandising at RMIT, she worked in the buying departments of Laura Ashley for many years followed by time in Georges Decorating Department and Wardlaw fabric houses. However, it was after she married a farmer and moved to the country that Georgie started experimenting with bedhead designs on the farm’s wool shed. At first she created them for family and friends while working as an interior designer and eight years later her business Heatherly Design has a working showroom and manufacturing space near Melbourne with five upholsterers and a team of ten.
Which five words best describe you? Determined, honest, perceptive, loyal, protective.
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? Following a course in textile merchandising, I was offered a position at Laura Ashley in head office in their homewares buying office for five years. From here I went on to Georges Decorating Dept working with leading fabric house and antique dealers. My passion for fabrics was fuelled when I was offered a role at Wardlaw fabric house who represented fabric houses Designers Guild, Nina Campbell and Osborne and Little. I was surrounded not only with beautiful fabrics but inspiring decorators who knew how to dress a room. My marriage to a farmer took me to the country two hours north east of Melbourne. After having children it was here that I started making bedheads for our home with a staple gun I found in the machinery shed!
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? To always back your instincts.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Hard to pick one, actually. Always a thrill to see our designs featured on The Block, House Rules and Reno Rumble; Alex Perry phoning to personally order a bedhead for his home; our designs placed in Sheridan bedlinen stores nationally; and meeting bloggers like Chyka and Bec Judd who visited our showroom and have their own Heatherly Designed bedrooms at home.
What’s been your best decision? Surrounding myself with a team of experts in their fields and accepting that I cannot do nor manage everything.
Who inspires you? My son Hugh for knowing he wants to be a farmer from the grand age of five thus ever since living and breathing everything farming; my daughter Eliza for being so determined to jump great heights on her horse and succeeding; and Princess Mary for grasping a new language and culture whilst having the eyes of the world watch.
What are you passionate about? My children Eliza and Hugh, my gorgeous husband Will, Heidi the labrador, boating, our garden, interiors and the colour blue.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? The Pope to suggest he move with the times.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? So many travel dreams including Croatia, sailing the coast of Italy, India, and taking my daughter Eliza to New York.
What are you reading? Smoke and Mirrors by Robin Bowles.
images courtesy of heatherly design