Mirroring the fragile but improving outlook for retail sales in Bermuda, there has been an uptick in purchases of kitchen items and entire kitchen suites at Baptiste Limited in Warwick.

The home improvements outlet on Khyber Pass has now recruited Susan Simons as its new kitchen and bathroom designer.

She has previous experience designing kitchens, and an extensive background in graphic design. She has also been involved in a marketing role with The Mid Ocean Club.

After many years doing office-based design work she is relishing the opportunity to work with clients face to face.

“My passion is working with clients and designing for them,” she said.

Customers can order an in-store kitchen design and have it installed immediately, or have Ms Simons custom design one, bringing together items and materials to their specifications.

“We have kitchens for every budget. You can have the in-stock option or we can come out and take measurements and let the client tell us what they want, and what type of finishes and countertops,” she said.

While the conceptual design work can be done in a matter of days, installing a customised kitchen might take up to 16 weeks depending on its complexity and the need for overseas ordering. The hardware and home improvement store works with carpenters to install kitchens.

When asked why a customer would opt for a professionally designed kitchen rather than just pick and mix from what they can see in the store, Ms Simons said: “You get a more custom feel and a more cohesive look.”

Sacha Bearden, owner of Baptiste Limited, added that people can make mistakes when they do it themselves, such as placing appliances or units in locations where doors or drawers are partially blocked due to space constraints.

In line with Bermuda’s current run of nine consecutive months of improved retail sales, year-on-year, the store has seen an increase in sales of kitchen items and entire kitchens. It is a piece of positive economic news after the retail sector’s many years in the doldrums following the economic downturn of the late 2000s.

Ms Bearden said: “Some people are getting their properties ready to rent out again.”

This year’s most popular trends in kitchens include the use of natural woods and white cabinets, according to Ms Simons.

Baptiste Limited has a display area with mock-up units showing a variety of kitchen cabinets and designs. It is here that customers can sit down with Ms Simons and discuss their needs.

“Our target market is women, and they want to sit down with someone who can help them make their choices,” explained Ms Bearden.

The store has a large warehouse-style hardware section, which tends to attract construction contractors, while women customers generally gravitate to the home improvements side of the business. This has led Baptiste to make its displays brighter and give greater promotion to colour selections, such as paints and tiles.

Ms Bearden said: “We are going to have more displays in here later in the year.”

Meanwhile, Ms Simons said she was enjoying her new role and was delighted to be playing a part in the store’s success.

“There are great people here, and great customers. And it has shown me how much I missed that interaction with customers,” she said.