Inside the apartment of HD founder, Georgie Leckey [Apartment renovation ideas]

HD Founder and Director Georgie Leckey’s design experience is on full show with her recent inner-city apartment renovation. Located just a stone’s throw away from the Melbourne HD flagship showroom, the apartment acts as a base while travelling between her family’s farming property near Alexandra and the Glen Iris showroom.

The brief:

Beautiful design, on a budget. “It just shows the benefit of being in good hands (with contractors), because I wouldn’t have considered what we ended up doing,” Georgie says. Working with the existing floor plan and kitchen joinery ended up being the secret to Georgie’s cost-effective reno.

Before & After: The Kitchen

The Art Deco-era two bedroom apartment had cupboard doors removed and powder coated, immediately transforming the look of the kitchen. Wall cabinets were replaced with floating shelves to give the illusion of more space. Dulux Tranquil Retreat paired with matte gold cabinet pulls and tapware created warmth while the stone benchtop elevated the kitchen with a touch of luxury. The shutters provide privacy and consistency throughout the residence, with the same window application in the bedrooms and bathroom.

Proof that thoughtfully considered design can not only be beautiful but budget conscious, perfect for anyone looking for a budget apartment renovation.

Floating Shelves finished in the same stain as the floors are functional and stylish

Before and After: Dining/Living

Custom apartment renovation design:

Working with her strengths, Georgie added soft furnishings and warm tones to create a cosy, relaxing atmosphere. The round table offers flexibility without making the space feel too closed in. A bench seat with custom seat cushions in tan trench leather was designed and handmade by Heatherly Design for the unique space. Selecting custom furniture in apartments or small living spaces can provide a luxurious element while being functional and durable. The premium leather can be wiped clean, and adds a textural element that the space was missing.

Amanti Chair (by Heatherly Design)

Sitting in front of the original fireplace is one of Heatherly’s latest chair designs, the Amanti curved boucle chair. Cocooning you in comfort, the Amanti is finished in a cloud-like snow boucle. Boucle, an on-trend yet classic fabric, has been used in multiple areas of the home to provide warmth and comfort after a long day. The curved back chair is a modern take on the classic armchair design and is the sister design to our curved Amanti wingback bed head, also available in boucle fabric.

The bedroom:

Ever wondered what bed the ‘bedhead queen’ has?

Embracing the unique round window, Georgie selected the custom Marcel curved bedhead. “I’m a blue girl,” says Georgie, selecting two harmonious shades of boucle with the blue tone covering the body of the bedhead. The wider design and curved edges elongate the small space, drawing the eye across the room. Bold velvet bolster cushions are a minimalist way to finish your bed, for the cushion lover who doesn’t want “too many” cushions. Tieing in the kitchen and living areas, a trench leather Tate footstool sits quietly in the corner of the room, subtly repeating the traditional deep buttoning from the dining area.