Kitchen Design & Remodel for 70 years
Armstrong Kitchens, our second generation family business, has been going strong for 70 years. I want to share with you a few of our accomplishments over time.
. We’ve supplied over 20,000 kitchens, from Toronto to Corpus Christi, each one unique, with most right here in Kansas City. The story of Armstrong Kitchens is very much that of the kitchen industry itself. In 1951, Mark and Betty Armstrong opened for business as the modern kitchen industry was beginning to grow. They built fine custom cabinetry for new homes, when the average price for a new kitchen was about $640, installed! (see the old invoice at left.) Those were the days… Our company provided so many local kitchens that today when we work in older area neighborhoods, we sometimes find Armstrong Kitchens already in place. Many of our clients are the adult children of our original customers!
We were a typical family business, with kids growing up right in the middle of it all, learning the ropes. Mark liked to be on the leading edge of new methods so we built one of the first factory finishing systems in the mid-west in the ‘60’s, and initiated a modern assembly line. In the recession of 1978-1981, (that’s the one where we were all lined up at the gas pump), He introduced the concept of “re-facing” existing cabinetry to the Kansas City market. It’s a familiar concept now, but in the beginning we had to do a lot of explaining!
In a daring move for its time, in the early ‘70’s we hired women as cabinet makers, with equal pay for equal work. As a teen, I was trained as a cabinet maker myself, giving me an unusual and valuable heritage that I still use every day as a CKD. When I went to college for Interior Design, it was an unusual choice for someone in my field at the time. Now, I have taught both Basic and Advanced Kitchen & Bath Design in the NKBA College Program at Johnson County Community College over the course of twenty years!
Things have definitely changed. Here is what hasn’t changed though: we are still a family business, with all the stability that brings. Our reputation and our own name still goes into every project. And so, to this day, the most important kitchen we are going to do is yours. When you talk over your kitchen remodel with us, you may get the feeling that we really understand what you want and that we can make it happen for you. You’ll be right.
We’re looking forward to meeting you.
Kristeen Armstrong-Scott, CKD (Certified Kitchen Designer)
Getting Started
Although a number of different processes work, here is what we recommend for best results. First, a face to face meeting- either by appointment at our beautiful Overland Park showroom or online with Zoom. At our showroom, see the variety of choices in cabinetry, counter surfaces, design and accessories first hand, and become acquainted with our knowledgeable designers. We can share a variety of resources here that help answer your questions on a wide range of topics-ranging from budget and product, to scheduling and maintenance. By Zoom, we can answer many of your questions, become acquainted and show power-points and videos on many helpful subjects. Using the information from our first meeting, we can follow up with a home appointment (observing such social distancing measures as may in place at that time). Our designers can apply the things you’ve talked about, seen and liked to your own home and needs. It’s a proven approach. In fact, all the terrific kitchens you see in our gallery started out just this way.
Our Policy for Design Services
To help you keep your decision making process affordable, we create an initial design proposal for you and provide estimating services at no charge. (There is a minor charge for some types of initial home visits.) Original designs then remain the intellectual property of Armstrong Kitchens and are released to you when a work order is engaged. This approach is fair and allows you to get to know us and to gain valuable knowledge for your project in a low key way.
Our Services
We not only design fashionable, functional kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms and other areas such as home offices and pantries, we can then take them through the construction process from start to finish as your single point of contact. Or if you wish, we can also simply provide design and products, such as cabinetry and their installation. If we provide installation, you can be assured that we are fully licensed throughout the area for general contracting work, lead paint abatement, mechanical and electrical services and that all work meets code requirements.
We can specify and provide a wide range of kitchen and bath products such as (but not limited to) cabinetry, re-painting, re-finishing, counters, tile, faux finishing, lighting, plumbing fixtures, ventilation systems and decorative hardware. We are also able to provide extended Interior Design consultation as part of our overall service.
