Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Gordon.
Kelly, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have always had a love for creating and making things beautiful since I was a child. Family friends would ask me to design their storefront windows at a young age in my childhood hometown of Tifton, GA, so from the time I was about fourteen, I was working and surrounding myself in the design and retail world. With the love and passion I had for design, I decided to pursue my dream of being an interior designer with the hope of having my own small boutique and office in the future. I graduated from the University of Georgia in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Science in Interiors and Home Furnishings. During college, I participated in a summer study in New York City, focusing on managing a design business and explored different mediums of art. I began my design career with an internship in 2005 with Nina Petronzio, lead designer and owner of Plushhome on Melrose Avenue in Los Angles, California.
After completing college, I married my high school sweetheart and we moved to Charleston, South Carolina, where I gained valuable experience working in the design industry with Ethan Allen as a designer, visual merchandiser, and Project Manager. In 2008 I joined Elizabeth Stuart Design in Charleston and worked with designer Elizabeth Faith for five years. The opportunity and knowledge I gained at ESD was a huge turning point for me personally. It helped shaped my love and passion for what I love to do! In the summer of 2012, my husband completed dental school and matched for a residency in San Antonio, TX. The next journey would be a fun one and it presented another avenue of the design industry to me. I continued to do design work but I also joined KBK To The Trade, an agent showroom in San Antonio. It was a great experience working on the wholesale side of the business. In 2015 we moved back east to Perry, GA and I continued to commute back and forth to Texas for four years buying and helping run the KBK showroom.
In the fall of 2019, a space became available for rent in downtown Perry and I knew it was the perfect space for me to create what I had always wanted to do. October 4, 2019, I opened Massey Gordon, a boutique shop curated of all things that I love and have a passion for. My interior design office Massey Gordon Design is also located at MG. The past few months have been a world wind but it has been such a rewarding experience personally and professionally. Every day is fun, not work. I truly love what I do!
Has it been a smooth road?
The journey has not been a smooth one but one that I don’t think I would change the path it took me to get where I am today. Taking a step back for my husband to complete his dreams of dental school and orthodontic residency was a priority after we got married and so my dreams had to be put on hold. But the wait and journey has helped shaped me in so many ways. And the reward of the achievement seems even sweeter than had I just started right out of college. Had I not had the past ten years of experiences, the valuable knowledge gained and the personal growth I would not be where I am today. Looking back over the past ten years makes me think of the 10,000-hour rule that author Malcom Gladwell writes about. And I often think of this quote…
“Practice isn’t the thing you do once you’re good. It’s the thing you do that makes you good.” ― Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers: The Story of Success
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Massey Gordon – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Massey Gordon is not just a boutique but a full-service interior design firm that can help with every aspect of your design project. I love working with all styles of design, using my experiences and expertise to combine an aesthetically pleasing mixture of furniture, lighting, fabrics, accessories, and textures. I love to travel and my travels bring so much inspiration for what I do at MG. The shop is an extension of all things that I love, a curated collection of unique garden, gift, clothing, jewelry, shoes, fine art, furniture and lighting.
I am most proud of creating MG out of nothing. Taking the space and creating a shopping experience that evokes emotion for those that visit. I love keeping it small and keeping it fresh, so each time you come in, there are new treasures to be found. I believe I have a unique eye for timeless design and style but with a fresh modern feel. This is what sets MG apart from others.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
MG is located about 100 miles south of Atlanta. So I love day trips or even long weekend trips to the city. Atlanta offers so much from great restaurants, shopping, concerts, and outdoor venues to enjoy. I love visiting the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and music concerts they host. Its a great city but I would have to say the traffic is the one thing I don’t love about Atlanta. It’s a vibrate city and we are lucky to have all that it offers.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1019 Ball Street
Perry, GA 31069 - Website: masseygordon.com
- Phone: 478.224.3377
- Email: masseygordondesign@gmail.com
- Instagram: @masseygordon
- Facebook: Massey Gordon
- Other: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=i7x5Zr5aTYi&ts=1
Image Credit:
M. Farmer Photography
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