Residences Kitchen and Bath Design

Keith Rupp knows firsthand how the pandemic has affected careers: He opened Residences Kitchen and Bath Design in 2020 because he was laid off after 25 years of working for others. 

“Being an owner is different than working for someone else, but it’s been extremely rewarding,” he said. 

Because of the pandemic, Rupp said he is seeing more attention on home improvements.  

“A lot of times, people will remodel the spaces others come into,” he said, citing the kitchen as an example. “Now we’re seeing more time spent on remodeling bathrooms or home offices. Especially with open floor plans, people are looking for small areas where they can spend quiet time.” 

When it comes to kitchen trends, Rupp said he’s seeing larger islands, more concern for storage needs, more ergonomic cabinets and storage, more rack storage and better lighting plans. 

Bathroom trends include larger showers, zero-threshold showers and smaller tubs, if there is a tub at all. 

As for colors, he said gray and white still are popular. 

“But we’re seeing a move toward warmer colors and the use of natural wood, but not like the natural wood of the ’50s. It’s more of a driftwood color,” he said. 

“We try to focus on … staying updated on state-of-the-art designs and knowing when new products are around. We like to educate our clients on the possibilities.”