Certified Rad: Amy Hadley, Hey Now Interiors
Shelfology sat down with Austin’s own Amy Hadley, of Hey Now Interiors, to talk about her design vision and the bright bold palette brought to life in her Kinney Avenue project. From graphic wallpapers to strong linear shelving, this colorful and cheery design is an ode to Amy’s signature style.
Shelfology: Tell us about your background and your company.
Amy: Hey Now Interiors was founded after nine years of denial. That’s how long it took to admit to myself that interior design is what I wanted to do. I feared it was a frivolous career path: helping people buy stuff. But home is such a powerful place; a support structure for ourselves and our family. At Hey Now we believe our surroundings impact how we think, feel, and act, so we design spaces to inspire joy, connection, and creativity.
Shelfology: What's your favorite type of project to take on? What type of design gets you excited?
Amy: We love solving problems to make life easier and happier. That starts with clever space planning and storage solutions, then lots of colors! We work largely with families. Kids add so much fun and energy to life, and so much need for organization! We’re really good at solving for that.
Shelfology: Give us an overview of the Kinney Avenue project: What were your goals for this space and your thought process behind the solution?
Amy: We had the pleasure of helping a playful family create a home that felt like “them.” Three of the rooms were especially fun: the two boys’ rooms and the den.
After sharing for years, the tween brothers were ready to have their own rooms. It was fun to design to each of their interests and incorporate as much play as possible. The older brother loves Pokemon, octopi, and adventure. So we built what we call the Octo-Nook: a cubby hidden in plain sight in the wall above his bed, within a giant octopus wallpaper mural. We also gave him a Swedish ladder for climbing and swinging, and a round table for games with friends. The younger brother loves legos, reading, and lounging. So we gave him a hammock over his bed. We made use of a niche in the corner of his room by building a small loft, anchored by a floor-to-ceiling bookcase.
As if those rooms weren’t fun enough, we converted the guest room into a family den we named The Snug. It’s a small space, but we went BIG on play. We took the closet out for more space, and designed a custom super-loungey sectional that is the size of two twin beds, so it still doubles as the guest room. Rolling coffee tables can get pushed out of the way (or ridden), and an acrylic disc swing is a kinesthetic spot to wiggle while hanging out.
Shelfology: What were the challenges?
Amy: All of these rooms needed to serve many purposes: cuddling, sleeping, playing, building, reading, and crafting. We found room for everything by creating zones and using vertical space.
The Snug in particular was a tricky space to solve. It started as a sad, forgotten room, and we wanted to magnetize it. It was a puzzle figuring out how to create a family hangout that could still fit overnight guests. A pull-out sofa wasn’t really working, so when we realized two twin beds fit in an L, we unlocked it. We designed the sectional to the same dimension as twin mattresses, with removable back cushions, and storage in the platform for linens. We worked in planes with color: hot pink on the ceiling, yellow + black and white on the walls, turquoise on the sofa, and multi-color FLOR carpet tiles on the floor. It’s also a tall room, so we had to figure out how to add weight and balance to the walls. Tromso shelves and Wexel acrylic frames create interchangeable storage and gallery space. The mom says she used to go into this room and lose her thoughts; now she comes in here to find them.
Shelfology: Favorite touches in the room?
Amy: We love how much play we were able to squeeze in: swings and hammocks and ladders and nooks. These are rooms that beg for fun, connection, and memories.
Shelfology: How did Shelfology come to play in your design?
Amy: Both boys have large Lego creations and collections that are really special to them, so each room got high Tromso Floating Shelves to display treasures up and out of the way of play space. They also both got a series of multi-colored Fat Lippie Picture Ledges for displaying all the things kids collect: figurines, books, Rubik’s cubes, and anything else they bring home in their pockets.
We always like distracting from TVs, so one of the biggest stars in The Snug is the Tromso Floating Shelves in Bananarama that coat the TV wall. The family has tons of books, games, and craft projects, so it was really fun to fill these babies.
Shelfology: Got any tips you'd like to share with other designers for using Shelfology in their projects?
Amy: We literally use Shelfology in every project. The powder-coated steel shelves and hooks add life and function to our designs, and our clients always love them! So many great colors to choose from make it easy to find the right fit for any of our color schemes. Our contractors are also big fans—they always comment on how easy they are to install. A win for everyone!
Thanks for sharing with us! Looking forward to seeing the next vibrant creation from the Hey Now team! Amy Hadley, You are Certified Rad!
See More of Amy’s sweet style here.
Shelfology + Amy Hadley: Certified RAD
From Austin to Prague and back again, Amy Hadley’s journey from news reporter to interior designer has led her to Hey Now’s foundational design principle: create warm, vibrant spaces that feel like “home.” Hey Now interiors never shies away from putting the “fun” first in functional, and incorporating bold unique elements far from cookie-cutter design. Follow Amy here at @heynowinteriors to catch her fresh vibe.
Get Amy’s look: FLOR tiles, Tromso Floating Shelf, Fat Lippie Floating Picture Ledge
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