Designing with Heart: How Hidden Gem Design Group Turns Homes into Personal Sanctuaries

Amy Owens built her Las Vegas design firm on one simple belief: your home should look like you, not your neighbor’s Pinterest board.

On any given day in Las Vegas, Amy Owens can be found walking through a home that looks nothing like the one next door, and that is exactly the point. A pop of teal on a kitchen wall, a quirky family heirloom styled with purpose, a bold fabric pattern that screams confidence rather than conformity. These are the touches that define her work.

Amy, the founder of Hidden Gem Design Group, has made it her mission to bring personality back into people’s homes. “We specialize in something we call lifestyle design,” she said. “We allow our clients’ personalities to shine because what we’re really about is building, remodeling, and refreshing homes to make the individuals who live there stand out and love their space.”

Her designs are beautiful, but they also work in spaces that feel lived in, not staged. “The lifestyle part is that it’s functional, and the personality part is that it feels like home for them in the end,” she explained.

From Corporate Suits to Color Palettes

Amy didn’t start her career surrounded by fabric swatches and paint samples. Before she became one of Las Vegas’s most personable design voices, she spent two decades in corporate HR.

“I’ve known I wanted to be a designer since I was in the eighth grade,” she recalled. “But that wasn’t a practical choice in the mid-90s, before HGTV really took off. It just wasn’t a path that was available to me.”

So, she followed a different road, earning a degree in hospitality and climbing the corporate ladder. It wasn’t until 2016, when she earned her real estate license, that her design instincts began to resurface. While selling homes, she started staging her own listings. That led to requests from teammates, which led to referrals, which quickly turned into something much bigger.

Then came 2020. The world paused. Her corporate HR position was eliminated. But Amy didn’t see the setback as an end. It was an opening.

“We’re a COVID pivot business,” she said with a knowing smile. “When everything stopped, I finally had the chance to make the leap. I built off my staging work and moved right into design from there. There’s a lot of similarity between the two, and it was a smart way for me to start.”

By December of that year, Hidden Gem Design Group officially opened its doors. She took the risk, trusted her instincts, and has been building ever since.

Learning to Let Others In

Like most entrepreneurs, Amy quickly discovered that passion alone doesn’t sustain a business; people do.

“I had to learn the hard way that I couldn’t do it all myself,” she admitted. “Anybody who says they’ve built a business completely alone probably isn’t telling you the truth.”

The lesson didn’t come easily. In the early days, Amy did everything herself: client consultations, sourcing materials, managing projects, and even running the books. “It wasn’t that I was afraid to ask for help,” she said. “I just didn’t have it at first, I didn’t know the right people or have the resources.”

Her breakthrough came when she began to collaborate. Bringing in help, building a team, and fostering a sense of shared vision changed everything.

“It’s not by accident that I named the company Hidden Gem Design Group,” Amy said. “My intention has always been to have a team and to grow into something multi-faceted. Once I started bringing people in, I started seeing real growth. You just can’t do it all by yourself.”

Creating Homes That Break the Mold

In a world where every home on social media starts to look the same, Amy takes pride in designing spaces that don’t.

“In my opinion, people’s homes have become very homogenized,” she explained. “Because of social media, we see so many beautiful interiors online that we start replicating them even if they don’t actually reflect who we are.”

For Amy, this lack of individuality is exactly what she’s working to change. Her approach starts with deep listening, a skill she credits to her years in HR. “We work closely with each client to figure out who they are, what their personality is, what kind of vibe really suits them,” she said.

Sometimes that means steering them away from the safe neutrals that dominate design feeds. “It may not be the grays and whites we’ve been seeing for a decade. Maybe they want something bright and bold because they’re bright and bold. Helping them express that in a successful, balanced way is our sweet spot.”

Her clients have responded in kind. Many return for new phases of projects, often expanding from one room to entire homes. “We have long-time clients who just keep coming back,” she said. “That’s the best compliment there is.”

Design Meets Purpose

Amy’s creativity isn’t limited to aesthetics. She’s also a business strategist who understands how design impacts daily life. “People underestimate how much their environment affects them,” she said. “Your home influences how you feel every day, from the moment you wake up to when you go to sleep.”

That belief drives everything Hidden Gem does. Amy and her team balance creativity with practicality, ensuring every project functions as beautifully as it looks. The result is a design that feels effortless, the kind that enhances a family’s lifestyle without overshadowing it.

“Design doesn’t have to be a luxury service,” she emphasized. “There’s a stigma that it’s too expensive or unattainable, but that’s not true. There are so many ways to personalize your space that cost very little to no money. You owe it to yourself to think about how your surroundings impact your day.”

It’s this philosophy approachable, human-centered, and inclusive that has set Hidden Gem apart in a crowded market.

The Spark That Keeps Her Going

Behind the calm confidence and sharp eye for color is a woman driven by something deeply personal, the desire to prove to herself that she can do it.

“I really want this to be successful,” Amy said. “I left corporate HR thinking, I don’t know if I’m cut out for this. But I jumped in with both feet, and now there’s no turning back. What gets me out of bed every morning is wanting to make this everything I’ve dreamed of my whole life.”

That motivation, paired with genuine gratitude for her clients and community, fuels her workday. And while her Instagram feed may show polished interiors, the real story lies behind the scenes, a small team creating beauty one project at a time.

Building a Future, One Room at a Time

Hidden Gem Design Group continues to grow. In the next year, Amy hopes to bring on a full-time designer and expand into more full-home remodels. “We already work on a lot of projects with a lot of people,” she said, “but I’d love to do more whole-house transformations. That’s the goal for the next 6 to 12 months.”

Her client base, built largely through word of mouth, Google searches, and a validating social media presence, continues to expand. “Social media isn’t my forte,” she laughed, “but I know it’s important. Even if most of our clients find us through our website, they use Instagram to get to know us to see our personality. It’s how people do their research now.”

And while she’s modest about her online following, her digital presence mirrors her design style: authentic, approachable, and quietly inspiring.

More Than Just a Design Firm

Amy has built more than a business; she’s built a mindset. Hidden Gem Design Group isn’t just about creating stylish interiors; it’s about helping people feel at home in their own lives.

“Our goal is to make sure your home reflects you,” she said. “It should tell your story. It should make you feel good every time you walk through the door.”

For Amy, success isn’t measured in glossy magazine spreads or viral posts. It’s measured in moments when a client sees their finished space and says, “This feels like me.”

That’s when she knows she’s done her job.

To learn more about Hidden Gem Design Group, visit hiddengemdesigngroup.com or follow them on Instagram at @hiddengemdesigngroup.

This feature is part of The Business View Journal’s Local Spotlight Series — your trusted source for discovering the best small businesses in your community.