Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly O’Neal.
Kelly, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a small town boy, born in Anna, Texas pop 736. I always remember that sign because it seemed like so MANY people as a kid. My ancestors settled the town and to say I had a charmed upbringing would be an understatement. A family of farmers and educators gave me a healthy respect for all things in nature, including people.
From there I studied art and design at UNT, graduating (class of ‘85) with a BFA. I loved my time there and my mom says I really “blossomed” as a student. I can’t say I was an exceptional student, but once I hit the core of my major I was an incurable creator. The art department in the 90’s was stellar, filled with fashion and design majors who dot the North Texas landscape today. I can’t swing a cat without discovering a former classmate or fraternity brother (Sigma Nu).
I mention the frat because I feel they get a bum rap today and can honestly say I wouldn’t be the person I am today without that important experience which brought me lifelong friends and taught me to appreciate different types of people. At any rate, after school, I managed and bought for a small chain of stores owned by a family member called “Jo Kelly”. It was ethnic ladies wear and introduced me to lots of crafters and fashionistas in the industry.
After a few years there, I wanted to get more into my field of design and opened a home furnishings store called Legacy Trading Co. That store caused my Interior Design career to blossom and is where I met many of the clients I still work with today. I closed Legacy Trading about 5 years ago as my partner (wisely) wanted to focus more on the wholesale industry. Retail is a 7 day a week job and although I can’t say I get a lot of time off with three businesses to run, I do manage to get some family time and travel in. Legacy began as a wanderlust of sorts, the concept being I would travel the world and bring home its oddities.
Thanks to an important happenstance with what is now a close friend from India (Dallasites Arun and Anu Agarwal) I was introduced to importing and product design.
Life changed forever as I both fell in love with the design aspects AND India and feel very fortunate to call them friends still today. I should mention here that I started painting again about 8 years ago out of a need for artwork to compliment a furniture division we launched. My friend Nancy Price, a talented Mississippi designer, pushed me to do more and to date, I’ve sold over 6,000 works. I’m about to sign a gallery deal and hoping to see the value climb as a result. The Design community has been incredibly supportive of that work.
Leon Goetz of the Goetz showroom here in Dallas and Donald Mcevoy of the eponymous showroom here as well were instrumental in forming the Design Legacy brand. I learned so much from both. My mom, the educator, instilled a strong interest in learning and my Grandaddy Bill a strong work ethic. Both characteristics I think are important to success as owning your own business is hard as hell and requires constant learning.
Has it been a smooth road?
Oh hell no. Ask anyone who is successful and doubtful they will say the same. The most difficult part of every day for me is focus. I have so much opportunity at this stage and I have a hard time saying no. At this point, I’m trying to reign in and focus. It’s all moving very quickly, so that’s a challenge.
The worst setback was not one, but two thieving employees/business partners who almost ran me out of business. I’m past that thankfully now, and Rene has been a driving force to get me through it. He is the business manager and handles the most god-awful part of the businesses: all things financial.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Design Legacy, Kelly O’Neal Interiors, and Kelly O’Neal Artist – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Design Legacy is a wholesale manufacturer or to use a more timely term “maker” of home furnishings, textiles, and artwork. We began almost 30 years ago making clever phrase pillows. We haven’t made those in years but “Love me, love my (insert rooster image here)” still comes up with long-term clients.
My Interior Design firm flies under the radar as I thankfully don’t really have to take new clients. I work with a handful of my now close friends who have been my clients for many years. I just finished a private residence and retreat for the Toyoda (the western enunciation is “Toyota”) family, and it was really fun to be exposed to a new cultural way of thinking. I love that challenge creatively and my years of travel and invention I think to give me unique opportunities to incorporate features others cannot.
My art is holding its own. I’ve placed art with some really high profile clients in a very short time and really love the creative freedom allowed. I sell to really almost every high-end designer you can name and a few years ago signed a licensing deal with Leftbank Art, a California wholesaler. They have placed my work in every major high-end retailer you can name so it’s fun to see the work reach all ranges of people. It’s very important to me that the work remain affordable thanks to my humble upbringings. Art shouldn’t be for the elite only.
We recently launched an exciting new textile collection based on my artwork, as well as collaborative collections of same with Dallas Designers (2015) Michelle Nussbaumer. And (2018) Denise McGaha. As Michelle famously said “google me” and be impressed. They’re both so talented and great friends to have entrusted that foray to us. We’re all really proud of the outcome.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
Best:
-The diversity. Being from a small town, I was always enthralled by those different from me. I think this comes from My great aunt and Uncle who lived in both Mexico City and Africa, always bringing home glamourous pics of people of all persuasions, cocktail in hand. (They also brought lots of foreign treasures!).
– The food! I’m a Tex-Mex addict and I have the belly to prove it.
– Our museums. I constantly pop into one when I have a spare hour or so.
– Our design district is the best on the planet. Although it’s being rooted out by apartment city, it’s core to our creative communal souls.
– The proximity to my family. I’m right in the middle (and right across the street from one cousin!).
– Opportunity: Dallas has this in spades.
Worst:
-I’m a half-full kinda guy, but the traffic here has compounded in recent years. But I know my way around, so I’m not giving up easily!
Contact Info:
- Address: 2200 Big Town Blvd, Suite 140 Mesquite, Texas 76149
- Website: www.design-legacy.com (trade only) and www.koneal.com
- Phone: 2147485118
- Email: kelly@legacytrading.com
- Instagram: @design_legacy or @officialkellyoneal
- Facebook: Design Legacy by Kelly O’Neal or Kelly O’Neal Artist
Image Credit:
Big Little Lies (Nicole Kidman in foreground)
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
