a Red Bank-based Kitchen and Bath designer/retailer makes the “most important spaces in a home” its passion

by JENNIFER VIKSE • Photos By Robert Nuzzie

Ginny Padula was working as an interior designer, creating beautiful and functional spaces for clients throughout the state, when she decided to focus all of her energy on kitchens and baths.

“For me, the kitchen and bathrooms are the most important spaces in a home—the rooms that are most used and most admired by guests,” noted Padula.

So in 2008, the designer opened a 3,000-square-foot showroom in Red Bank—calling it Town & Country Kitchen and Bath.

“I chose Red Bank because I felt it was a central location for our clients, who are based in a variety of different areas, from Manhattan all the way down to Lavallette and Mantoloking Bay,” Padula explained. “I also like the feeling of Red Bank itself; it’s a wonderful area, and I simply fell in love with the character and design of our building. We have beautiful rustic wood floors, exposed pipes, vents, and brick. It served as a wonderful inspiration for our work.”

Padula aligned herself with manufacturers like Plato Woodwork and Rutt Handcrafted Cabinetry and stocked the space with numerous displays—designing several mock kitchen and bath set-ups so clients could envision what cabinetry would look like inside their homes.

“I wanted a place where people could see and touch the product before they purchased and installed it,” Padula said.

She hired designers Kaila Williams and Christine Bolton, and all placed a pronounced emphasis on customer service.

“With each and every project we take on, it is our goal to go out of our way to make sure that the end product is exactly what the client is looking for,” Padula said. “That’s why we use quality cabinetry, amazing designers, and installers to be sure that the job is perfect from start to finish.”

In addition to offering brands like DeWils Fine Cabinetry, Effeti, and Eastman Street Woodworks, Town & Country also designs its own custom line. Design services include kitchen, baths or whole-home projects.

“The process begins with a consultation in our showroom during which we will look at the client’s plans, measurements, or architectural drawings,” Padula said. “During that first meeting, we’ll talk about what they’re looking for and go over wants and wishes.”

A preliminary design comes next and during a second meeting, layouts and a price quote are presented. Measurements are made, door samples ordered, and more technical drawings are developed. Subsequent meetings are conducted for appliance, hardware, and backsplash choices.

According to Padula, the trending choices of the moment embrace the classic.

“The majority of our clients still choose a clean, white look, mostly because of their location,” Padula said. “Many of our clients’ homes are by the shore, so that look is a perfect fit. In the city, we do a lot of contemporary… a lot of walnut, but here in New Jersey, standard white dressed

“Every client is different and every space is individual, so each day at the office is brand new. And over the years, our clients have become like family. People call us back when they purchase a new home or hire us again to decorate or renovate their vacation home.”

up with different accents, hardware and fun colors of paint have been the look of choice for quite some time.”

There’s also an ongoing demand for wood and marble countertops, though many homeowners are now opting for manmade products like quartz.

“Granite is the easiest type of countertop to maintain, without question,” Padula said. “But other materials like wood and quartz only require a minimum amount of work to keep them looking fresh as well.”

For Padula, who estimates that her company handles about 25 to 30 projects a year, selecting and coordinating all of those materials is the most exciting part of the process.

“I love what I do. Every client is different and every space is individual, so each day at the office is brand new,” she said. “And over the years, our clients have become like family. People call us back when they purchase a new home or hire us again to decorate or renovate their vacation home. Each project is an opportunity to bring someone’s design vision to life.”

Town & Country kitchen and bath
25 Bridge Avenue, Suite 100, Red Bank
732.345.1441 / designs.com