Meet the Team: Keppen Kettering
Say hello to Keppen, our Interior Designer and resident Revit rockstar! She has over 17 years’ experience working in architectural interiors, providing design and document execution in offices, education, clinics, and mixed use developments.
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
What inspired you to become an interior designer?
Two big themes in my life led me to interior design. The first one being more of a personality type, I suppose. As far back as elementary school, I've done my best work when it was in a project format so with a clear beginning, middle, and ending with a deliverable of some kind.
The second reason is that I’ve always been super aware of and interested in how the built environment impacts us on a human scale. Growing up, I had a grandfather who I was very close with. When he was in his 30s (with a wife and three young children), he ended up contracting polio and as a result lost the use of one of his legs and part of an arm. I’ve witnessed firsthand how accessibility (and lack of accessibility) affects people’s lives in profound and simple ways. To me it’s so incredibly important to remember “the people” when we’re creating spaces for us ALL to inhabit.
What drew you to working at RoehrSchmitt Architecture?
What drew me to RSA is the same thing now as it was 6 years ago when I started here. The people! People who are interested in not only good design, but who also care deeply about the larger world and how we affect it. Plus, I love old buildings.
How do you want to make an impact on your firm?
I hope my biggest impact here is great results for our projects and clients. Bringing old buildings back to life is fulfilling work. The RSA team is really good at that work, and it’s exciting to be part of.
Favorite tool of the trade?
A computer drafting program called Revit. It’s the main communication tool I use to turn ideas into reality. It does everything from making beautiful renderings to producing our technical construction documents.
What would your perfect day look like?
That’s a hard one. I like variety, so a perfect day is hard to define. But maybe one with no stressful deadlines and some time spent outdoors? I also love to travel, so exploring a new place is super enjoyable for me.
Coffee or tea?
Coffee, but only a cup or two.
What’s one word you would use to describe your team? Explain why.
Resourceful—we will find a way!
What’s your favorite thing to do that isn't work-related?
Spending time with my husband and two kids. We love pool parties in the summer and sledding in the backyard in the winter. I also enjoy cooking and growing things inside and outside in my many gardens.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
It’s not advice that was given to me personally, but a saying that’s always stuck with me. Maya Angelou’s famous quote, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
I love seeing personal growth in people and in myself. No one has it all figured out (and if they say they do, they aren’t being truthful) so those of us who search for truth and beauty are on a more fulfilling path. Maybe not always the right one, but we’re allowed to change our minds and do better once we realize it. It’s an idea that’s useful on projects, useful when interacting with others, and useful for those hard times in life as well.