Inside the Montana Motor Supply building – tucked unsuspectingly behind main street in downtown Bozeman, Montana – you’ll find Abby Hetherington and her team. This team consists of designers, saleswomen, operators, project managers, stylists, a token illustrator, a Paul Bunyanesque character that lends muscles to hoist furniture and arrange the showroom floor, amongst others that contribute their unique talents, skills and craft.
For those new to following, Abby Hetherington Interiors (AHI) is housed with its sister company, the Architect’s Wife (AW). Think of AHI as the back of house designers while AW is the the front of house curators.
Here, we share some of the faces behind AHI & AW along with a bit of their backstory. Today we're highlighting a long-time friend of the shop, our creative director Seth Neilson. Seth's artistic approach to problem solving and design have made him an invaluable team member and someone we turn to for smart design and creative solutions that help us tell our story. Whether it's a photoshoot on the floor or at the warehouse, custom illustrations for our holiday campaign, or helping sort out a problem with Adobe InDesign, we're glad to have his talents in the shop—even if he's currently working remotely in Idaho! Scroll on down to get to learn more about his story!
How did you land at AHI/AW?
Abby and I had crossed paths here in town through church, and I stepped in from time to time to help with art installations and some one-off marketing and brand projects. All those one-off projects then turned into a more consistent flow of opportunities, and four years later, here we are!
What is your role?
My title as creative director encompasses all things marketing and communications, which means I'm helping wrangle everything from social media to print and digital communications to in-house design projects. We're always looking at new ways to tell the AW story and get people excited about the shop and what's on the floor.
Where do you find design inspiration?
I really love wandering through bookstores and galleries and taking notes on colors, type, patterns, and photographers or artists to check out later. When AW first opened, I was working for a local ad agency and would stop by to browse the floor and do the same thing—eat the free snacks and absorb the colors and textures from the furniture and random one-of-a-kind treasures. I also take a lot of inspiration from just spending time outside on a ride or run. Solvitur ambulando, folks.
What was your first job?
On my 13th birthday, my parents gave me a lawn mower and a stack of business cards.
Favorite book of all time?
Too many to count. It's a constant rotating stack of options on my nightstand and on the floor by my desk or on the window sill... If I'm reading it and digging it, I like to have it close by to return to and find more dots to connect with whatever else I'm working on. Books all over the place and they're all a fave for one reason or another.
What's your guilty pleasure song?
My wife and I have really enjoyed the whole Avett Brothers catalog over the last decade or so, and they seem to be our go-to sing-along option on long road trips...
What's something one might not know about you?
I worked on a llama farm in high school, and speak fairly awful Swedish (but love it).
If you could have a dinner with someone who is alive or dead, who would it be and why?
I'd love to grab a burger with my Grandpa Gene. He passed too early and I'd love to learn more about his life and introduce him to my family.
What have you been up to during this great pandemic?
Working on some new posters for my ongoing side project — My Outdoor Alphabet. Nearly ready to launch Surfing, Running, and Mushroom alphabet posters!
If you were to pick two things to take home with you today from the Architect's Wife showroom, what would they be?
Gotta love that Marshall Stanmore Speaker and Moran's field sketch of Tower Falls. Stunning.
