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. Let us introduce you to Jeff – whose main responsibilities include "heavy careful lifting, art hanging, fixing, mending, installing, general handyman work, being the mule boy and bad jokes". While Jeff is a man of many trades, he has a true sense for aesthetics at his core (whether it be throwing pottery, scaling the walls to curate a gallery wall of found pieces, or property caretaking on the side). It is a delight to have Jeff's energy in the showroom and for the record – we all willingly laugh at his bad jokes.
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How did you land at AHI/AW?
My buddy Brian got me hooked up working on installs and showroom flips over a winter when I’m usually scrapin’ around for work.
What is your role?
Main responsibilities include heavy careful lifting, art hanging, fixing, mending, installing, general handyman work, being the mule boy and bad jokes. Mostly bad jokes.
What was your first job?
An old farm Called Serendipity Farms back in Wisconsin. Guy named Hippie Tom. 16 buildings filled to the brim with antiques and junk.
What have you been up to during this pandemic?
Enjoying dark beer, setting up a massive tipi in my back yard, listening to obscure vinyl from the 60’s & 70’s, riding my 70’s style chopper motorcycle, hanging with my two children and beautiful wife.
Favorite book of all time?
In Watermelon Sugar by Richard Brautigan
What’s your guilty pleasure song?
Possum by Phish. Any live version will do.
What's something one might not know about you?
I have a rusty object collection and perform a full moon ritual every time one comes around. You know, for good luck.
Where do you find design inspiration?
Old farms & Neil Young. Anything rustic, rusty and falling apart.
If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be and why?
Neil Young. He doesn’t sell out and is still rippin' harder than any other musician his age.
If you were to pick two things to take home with you today from the Architect’s Wife showroom, what would they be?
Montana Forest scented candle, any of the numerous curated antiques
