Hegi Design House
Husband and wife duo Nelli and Juri Hegi from Hegi Design House are driven by their mutual passion for sculptural and minimal designs, which are made sustainably and with intention.
Photography: Nic Gossage & Michael Boyle
Husband and wife team Nelli and Juri Hegi from Hegi Design House. Photo: Michael Boyle
H&F: Hi Nelli and Juri, tell me about your backgrounds?
Nelli: Hegi Design House was founded in 2020, by us, Nelli and Juri Hegi. We design together, and all our pieces are handmade in Gerringong, on the South Coast of NSW. Our passion is creating sculptural minimalist pieces sustainably and with intention.
Juri and I were born in Kazakhstan and grew up in Germany. In 2013, I was offered an 8-month internship in Australia, and here we are almost 10 years later running a business we’re both so proud of, and with the most wonderful team supporting us in the workshop. Juri is largely self-taught in metal work, and our family’s hands-on approach informs our craftsmanship. While our path into the profession has been non-traditional – I’m not a professional product designer, nor is Juri a professional welder, but he is a professional joiner. Our work is refined, resolved and unique.
How did you manage the transition from an idea to a business?
2019 was the breakthrough, we had been thinking to take a workshop and just try, to do It! We remember being scared, as it’s a huge step, but we did it! We hadn’t felt inspired and happy in our jobs and believed that it was time to try something new.
What does a ‘normal’ day at the studio look like for you both?
My day looks very different to Juri’s. My average day involves lots of planning from social media content to new opportunities, logistic planning in between mindset training, meditation and creative work, for example sketching an idea I had overnight! On other days, I may get to work on tasks I don’t like so much, like accounting! Ha.
Juri’s day starts with a team meeting, and organising everything that’s missing in the workshop, delegating work, and making sure everyone knows what to do. Juri is working on new challenging projects where he must develop and engineer the design from scratch and while the team is focused on our collection pieces.
Is there a common misconception people have about high-end furniture?
Avoid buying expensive furniture if you have kids. Many people believe they should avoid expensive furniture if they have young children. They fear their children’s playfulness and inquisitive nature will lead to damaged furniture that requires replacing. As such, they tend to purchase cheaper furniture. In reality, high-quality furniture is built to last and is durable. Therefore, it’s more sensible to invest in a piece of high-quality furniture. Cheaply-made furniture can be easily damaged, and you will find yourself replacing pieces often, which may turn out to be more expensive in the long run.
Bling Bling chair - Hegi x Pietro Franceschini. Photo: Nic Gossage. Styling: Kerrie-Ann Jones
Bling Bling ottoman - Hegi x Pietro Franceschini. Photo: Nic Gossage. Styling: Kerrie-Ann Jones
“We both have the same dream and understand our business values; we both know how and when to encourage each other when we feel down and unmotivated.”
Urania Waldo chair - Hegi x Pietro Franceschini. Photo: Nic Gossage. Styling: Kerrie-Ann Jones
‘We’re inspired by nature, architecture, fashion and forms – experimenting with unexpected materials is our specialty,’ says Nelli Hegi. Photo: Michael Boyle
Urania Lavinia desk- Hegi x Pietro Franceschini. Photo: Nic Gossage. Styling: Kerrie-Ann Jones
Sphere collection table by Hegi Design House. Photo: Nic Gossage. Styling: Kerrie-Ann Jones
What’s your creative process like – how long does it take from initial idea of a product to the finished design?
It varies depending on the complexity of the designs. We’re inspired by nature, architecture, fashion and forms – experimenting with unexpected materials is our specialty.
Our Urania collection was designed by Pietro Franceschini in collaboration with us. These designs took a year from design concept and another 6 months in developing the pattern and making the pieces. The Underline collection was a less complex design therefore the design process was around 3 months and 2 months for the development and making process.
Do you think your backgrounds have influenced how you work today?
I believe our upbringing influenced us to fight for our dreams. Our parents and grandparents lived with very little, with no cars and no television… their focus was on providing a better life for their children, by moving continents. It must have been a challenge to move into the unknown, to leave their country and start from scratch. I believe this is where our motivation and influence comes from.
How do you balance the work/life juggle?
This question made me think twice – we are still working on the work life balance. Knowing when to stop and knowing when to reset, in order to keep going. We’ve learned many life lessons in the last two years, one of them was to have time off and force yourself to have a break, even though you feel like you have not done enough. These little breaks will make you feel more alive and motivated and want to achieve more.
What are the benefits of working with your partner?
Working together has many benefits but also some challenges. We both have the same dream and understand our business values, we both know how and when to encourage each other when we feel down and not motivated. I highly recommend to find an incredible mentor to help you to overcome all the mindset struggles.
What’s the most important piece of advice you would give someone turning their dream project as a furniture designer into a full-time job?
We will be publishing an online course which will cover all aspects, from finding the niche to how to create a successful design studio. One pieces of important advice is: don’t let tools or other limited beliefs stop you from starting a business… opinions are subjective and with the right mindset and step-by-step guide anyone can start an incredible business and be successful.
What’s coming up for Hegi Design House this year?
We’re working on new collections and testing new approaches and ideas, we will design with our IG community together. There will also be some great collaborations, which is something new for us, an online course and workshops are also coming. We’re so excited about what’s to come and can’t wait to share more soon!
