PLAN THE KITCHEN FIRST
Built by Design plans and builds custom kitchens for Kansas City and Johnson County homeowners, and the planning is what makes them work.
Why kitchens are different
Built by Design brings layout, cabinetry, and construction together for Kansas City and Johnson County homes. Start with how you cook, host, and move through the room.
Paneled refrigerator
Appliances integrated into the cabinetry.
Built-in ovens
Tall storage and appliances planned together.
Open circulation
A clear connection to the adjoining room.
What we build
Six connected decisions shape the scope. We plan them together around your home, your routines, and your priorities.
Layout + connection
Storage + appliances
Lighting + materials
Kristen guides interior design and selections. Mike coordinates construction. Your layout, finishes, and build scope develop through our design-build process.
Layout first
An oversized island or a poorly placed appliance can disrupt the whole room. Check the paths, door swings, and seating before cabinets are ordered.
Concept diagrams. Your home's measurements and appliance specifications determine the final layout.
Check two cooks, open doors, and people passing behind occupied stools.
Place prep space and storage near the appliances and tasks they support.
Coordinate outlets and task lighting with your coffee station, counters, and island.
We visit your home to understand what's failing, how you use the kitchen, and how it connects to the rooms around it.
Understand the home
Define the work, the must-haves, and where the investment matters most. A clear scope gives the design direction.
Agree on the scope
Coordinate the layout, cabinetry, and selections with construction costs while the plan can still be adjusted.
Connect design + cost
Resolve key decisions before demolition, then coordinate construction, finish details, and the final walkthrough.
Bring the plan to life
Kristen SchwartzInterior design & selections
Mike SchwartzConstruction & coordination
BUDGET, HONESTLY
Kitchens carry the widest cost swings in remodeling because cabinetry, appliances, stone, and layout changes each move the number in big steps. With a separate designer and builder, you often find out what the design costs after you've fallen for it. Because we're design-build, pricing sits in the room from the first sketch: every layout idea gets checked against real construction cost while it's still easy to change. You choose the tradeoffs on purpose. If you're budgeting, our guide on how kitchen remodel budgets shift is the honest place to start, and our design-build process page explains how one team keeps the plan coherent.
RECENT WORK
A Leawood kitchen rebuilt for open entertaining, with glass display cabinets, a hidden cabinet-front refrigerator, new appliances, and natural light everywhere.
A Lenexa kitchen with an opened-up layout, a blue-gray island, pantry storage, a bar area with a wine fridge, and brass pendants.
An Olathe kitchen and bath project with an open kitchen, island seating, and a remodeled primary bath.
We remodel kitchens across Johnson County and the Kansas City metro, including Overland Park, Leawood, Lenexa, Olathe, Shawnee, and Parkville.
Planning in Leawood? Compare local kitchen and connected-room examples in our Leawood remodeling guide to help decide whether your project stays in the kitchen or involves other rooms.
For a Lenexa home, compare the local kitchen and basement examples in our Lenexa remodeling overview to decide whether the next step is a kitchen project or a broader change to how the home works.
Build a scope, allowance, and exclusions worksheet before comparing totals.
Compare cabinet condition, storage needs, and layout changes.
Think through fabrication, sinks, and installation alongside cabinetry.
Coordinate hardware sizes, placement, and finish with the cabinet plan.
Resolve dimensions and specifications before rough-in and ordering.
FAQAnswers, by design
It depends on scope more than size: cabinetry level, appliances, stone, and whether walls move do most of the deciding. We won't quote a fantasy number here. What we'll do is price the plan as it's designed, so there's no gap between the kitchen you approve and the kitchen you pay for.
Scope drives it: a kitchen that keeps its footprint moves faster than one where walls come down and everything relocates. Cabinet lead times matter as much as construction time, which is why we lock selections early. Your plan comes with its own timeline before demolition starts.
Usually, with a plan for it. The kitchen's out of commission for a stretch, so the plan covers a temporary setup and the order of work before anything starts. You'll know exactly what to expect before demolition day.
Kristen Schwartz is the interior designer and Mike Schwartz leads construction and operations. They guide your kitchen from the initial scope conversation through the final walkthrough.
READY TO PLAN YOUR KITCHEN?
Share what needs to change. We'll respond within 24 hours to discuss fit and the next step, including whether to arrange a home visit.
