Kent Kitchen Works offers one-stop shopping for homes

KENT —After many years in the interior design business working in the hospitality industry and on corporate housing, Jeffrey and Trish Namm opened their own business, Kent Kitchen Works, in October 2008. This husband-and-wife team has a showroom that offers home owners one-stop shopping for designs and ideas for their kitchens and bathrooms. “Many places design kitchen cabinets only,” Jeffrey Namm said. “We took the position that the project is always more difficult than just the cabinets so we also sell appliances, countertops, tile, flooring, plumbing, lighting, paint, just about anything that goes into a kitchen or bathroom.” “Lighting is very important,” Trish added. “Once a project is completed, the lighting becomes an integral component in the total design. You could spend a hundred thousand dollars building a kitchen, but if the lighting is off, it just does not present itself well.”“Our clients appreciate the ‘one-stop’ approach,” she said. “We offer complete design services, including full architectural drawings. And we sell all the products needed to complete each project.”The Namms feel that one thing that makes their business unique is that they are not cabinet salesmen. Abigail Reames, who is a designer at the company, said they also sell what she calls “kitchen jewelry.” “Kitchen jewelry is those final touches that make the room come alive, like door handles, knobs, locks, countertop decorative pieces, et cetera,” Reames explained.The Namms said about 20 percent of their company’s business is appliance sales.“Many people are not remodeling, they’re just freshening up, so they come in to purchase a new refrigerator, a new countertop.” Then there are customers who come in to to purchase supplies for other rooms in the house. “Recently a woman came in who needed new knobs for some furniture and we were able to help her,” Reames said.As with all businesses, the home renovation business has been impacted by the economy. Many customers reduced the scope of projects they were working on. Showroom traffic has slowed. But the company’s bathroom business doubled this year from 2010. “That keeps us busy,” Trish said. “We are never without some project.”In fact, the bathroom portion of the showroom is expanding. One draw for many clients is that the company has a marketing partnership with Waterworks.“We make our clients feel comfortable with their projects and with us,” her husband noted. “For example, the architectural-type drawings we do for customers make them feel secure in what they are doing because even the smallest detail is visually presented.” “We take the guesswork out of projects,”Reames said.Designers and architects often come to Kent Kitchen Works to have kitchen and bathrooms done for a house. Many of these clients, and many homeowners, visit because of excellent word-of-mouth. “We usually have enough work that I have to work through the weekends,” Trish Namm said.Asked about style trends in kitchen and bath design, Trish Namm said, “We see a lot of Shaker-style kitchens here in southern New England, with their simpler, cleaner lines. And white kitchens are always popular.” Traditional kitchens are also popular, Reames noted, but said the firm has done some “super-contemporary kitchens and some that are transitional.” Trish Namm pointed to one of the model kitchens in the showroom to explain the idea of a transitional kitchen.“The cabinet style is very traditional but the knobs and the appliances give it a contemporary look,” she said. “If the knobs and appliances were changed, you could make it look very traditional.”The Namms began visiting Kent as “weekenders” in 1988 and became full-time residents in 1997. They felt the town had a very active business community and decided to open a business of their own here.The company also sells home furnishings including mattresses and box springs. And the showroom hosts community events, such as last year’s gingerbread house workshops. This year, on Oct. 29, they will host the annual Beer Fest to benefit the Kent Children’s Center. Details will be in The Lakeville Journal next month.Kent Kitchen Works is located at 6 Kent Green Boulevard. For more information, visit the website at www.kentkitchenworks.com or call 860-927-4855.

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