Our Stories
A Day in the Life: Interior Designer Georgina Jeffries
At the heart of Georgina Jeffries' design practice is a focus on emotional connection—bringing together nostalgic references and modern influences to create nurturing spaces that elevate daily life.
For the last 10 years, the interior designer has operated under her eponymous studio to develop considered interiors imbued with a sense of romance and intrigue.
We recently visited Georgina at her home in Lorne to shoot our latest campaign, while uncovering a day in her life as an interior designer.
Can you begin by telling us a little bit about you?
I grew up in Melbourne, Australia, with creativity instilled in me by parents who both had careers in fashion and defined my upbringing within the artistic space. This influence led me to study interior design at RMIT and after six years in the industry, I launched Wonder, a design studio with a friend. After three years as a partnership, I set out alone to establish Georgina Jeffries and have been operating under my namesake for the last 10 years.
Based in Lorne and Prahran, my small yet dexterous team of multi-disciplinary design professionals offers a tailored client experience across residential and retail interior design and decoration. Our inclusive and collaborative spirit honours the unique perspectives of each participant to enrich built outcomes. My interior design practice is anchored by a belief in the emotional capacity of design to enhance liveability.
Embracing the unique narratives of coastal, country and city living, our work is unified by enduring materials, quality craftsmanship and a refined response to detail, crafting authentic, place-specific interiors with romantic inflections.
Each project is highly bespoke, blending inspiration from architecture and interiors that can be layered over time. The studio's unique approach combines intimate, personalised design processes with a focus on practical family living, catering predominantly to residential clients.
What does a typical day look like for you?
There is very little consistency to my working days, which are divided between Melbourne and Lorne. When I wake up in Lorne, everything is sweetly a little bit slower.
My alarm clocks (six-year-old and a dog) will jump into our bed around 6ish, and then we're off and running. I will do school drop-off and if I don't have an early meeting, will get a coffee and take our dog Tarki to the beach for a walk. My studio is in Melbourne, so I meet staff online and we will chat through our daily tasks.
We manage around 10 full-scope projects at any given time, and they are all at differing stages so my time may be spent sketching floor plans, visiting makers, researching how to turn a newly designed element into a reality, or selecting furniture and objects.
My favourite part of the process is visiting the site. It's also the most important phase to ensure all the elements are coming together as planned. I will chat to my team throughout the day, reviewing drawings and presentations that we are working on.
Family meals are important to us, so we do our best to ensure the three of us are together for an early meal around 5.30pm, and if the sun is shining we will head out for an after-dinner walk to the beach. Once I get Dusty to bed, I will try to get on top of my endless stream of e-mails or have a quiet drink and catch up with [my partner] Troy.
What led you to interior design?
Growing up in a creative household with both parents in the fashion industry, I was raised with respect for art and design. I was always very driven, and as a teen started working part-time jobs around school hours. I spent my money on vintage finds from local markets and second-hand shops to style my bedroom. I've been interested in design for as long as I can remember, and as soon as I finished school, I discovered there was a course that allowed me to make it into a career.
What's something about your role that might surprise people?
When I was studying at university we were told that design is only partly “really hard work”, it also requires socialising, and you can't have a successful career without working the two. I now understand this. Aside from generating clientele, achieving successful outcomes requires that you understand people, how they want to live and experience spaces. Spending time with people and learning how to make them feel comfortable around me is a skill that is really important in my role.
Can you tell us about your approach to interiors? How would you describe your personal style?
Ever inspired by travel and my local surroundings, our interiors are interwoven with contextual references and points of intrigue. I naturally connect with my team and clients, bringing warmth and humanity to the craft. My personal style is understated, refined and classic, with a twist of vintage so probably a true reflection of my interiors. Finding delight in considered details and playful material pairings as vehicles for expression, our interiors offer emotive resonance; elegant yet effortless, pragmatic yet poetic.
It's so important to stay curious. Visiting new places, trying new things and exploring methods. Our many makers and artisans that we work with are a constant inspiration, learning from them as they perfect their craft. Travel is a wonderful way to experience design through a new lens.
