Text by Jaime Walters
Images courtesy of Nickey Kehoe
Nickey Kehoe, an interior design firm founded by Todd Nickey and Amy Kehoe, thrives on the harmonious balance of their diverse design backgrounds—retail for Todd and hospitality for Amy. This dynamic partnership fuels their creativity, allowing them to seamlessly navigate between intimate residential projects and the faster-paced demands of hospitality design. Their early days in Los Angeles were marked by the challenge of building a trusted network of collaborators, a process that took years but now forms the backbone of their studio’s success.
Their design philosophy is rooted in the belief that every space should reflect the client’s personality while being warm and welcoming. Listening is key, as is creating timeless spaces that feel lived-in and thoughtfully curated. With a focus on lighting as the “jewelry” of a home and an affinity for incorporating vintage and antique pieces, Nickey Kehoe layers their designs with history and character, ensuring every project tells a unique story.
What sets the firm apart is their storefront (7266 Beverly Blvd), which acts as a creative laboratory where they can test ideas and explore new inspirations. There, the two are able to test-drive new products and see what’s resonating. This hands-on approach keeps their designs fresh while maintaining a timeless quality, often grounded in historical references. With exciting projects like a new outpost in New York and the unveiling of a new lobby design for Shutters on the Beach in December, Nickey Kehoe continues to evolve, blending past and present with thoughtful, enduring design. We sat down with Amy Kehoe to hear about what’s on tap for the burgeoning firm.
How did your diverse backgrounds—retail design for Todd and hospitality design for Amy—shape the vision and identity of Nickey Kehoe?
Being nimble, staying open, and continuing learning have all been facets of how we’ve worked since the beginning. During the early years, we were able to take on a wide range of projects, from residential to hospitality, drawing on our different backgrounds. Bouncing between the intimate nature of residential clients and the robust pace of hotel work invigorates the studio.
Could you share more about the early days of Nickey Kehoe? What were some of the
key challenges you faced when establishing the firm?
Building your team of trusted workrooms and collaborators is one of the backbones of success for any studio. There was some trial and error when we were new to Los Angeles. We have several collaborators whom we met 20 years ago and are still our most trusted partners. However, building that community took a long time, and we are very proud of the long-lasting relationships that we have established. Design relies on so many people, and finding the right ones can be one of the most challenging aspects.
Designs with history and character.
How do your individual design sensibilities complement each other when working
on projects?
We are in sync aesthetically, yet there are discoveries each of us brings to the table that surprise us both. This makes working together an endless inspiration. It’s akin to having another set of eyes in the world.
Just having the other person’s trusted, valued eye can bring enormous benefit to a project. There is a shorthand—we can walk into a design meeting or space and quickly offer a “what if the room was this” or “what if you moved this wall.”
How would you describe the core design philosophy of Nickey Kehoe?
We strive for our projects to feel like a reflection of our clients and for these spaces to be welcoming. Listening is a core value and helping our clients create long-lasting, unique collections.
What are some key principles you adhere to when transforming a space?
We say this repeatedly: lighting is the jewelry of the home (or space) we are working on. We focus a lot of our energy on lighting, from custom to vintage. After initial concepts, we begin with lighting as the main narrative while working in our key mood development.
Can you walk us through your design process when you first take on a new project?
Prior to taking on a project, it’s important that both the designer and the client are interviewing each other. Projects are multi-year and even longer at times. Having a strong partner is imperative, as is sharing values.
From there, we will work on initial research, including significant historical references or interesting location facts. We like to start with mood imagery to establish a narrative with our clients before moving into the design development.
Design development, or DD, is where all the details live, and drawings begin.
How do you select and integrate vintage finds and hand-picked goods to enhance the timeless quality of your designs?
Vintage and antique furnishings make up approx 50% of what is installed in our residential projects. For hospitality, we will source vintage lighting and case goods or tables, but we steer away from [vintage] seating due to the high traffic and usage. There is endless character in vintage and antique furnishings. We feel our projects need and benefit from these curated pieces’ patina and unique beauty. These unique pieces create layers of interest and tell stories for our eyes.
How do you ensure that your designs remain timeless while also reflecting current trends and client desires?
Looking to the past—our collection of books and magazines are constant reminders of interiors that stand the test of time.
How do you see Nickey Kehoe evolving over the next decade?
We are very excited about our presence in New York. We just opened a second location on 49 E. 10th Street.
What are some of the upcoming projects or collaborations that you’re particularly excited about?
We have a few historic homes we are working on in Los Angeles and, of course, Shutters on the Beach! It’s been a thrill to work on such a beloved icon.
