Cyndi Haines is the heart of Heart and Home Design Company here in Topeka. She grew up in the home rental business and learned to appreciate how simple design changes can completely transform a space. And the space that always called to her soul was the kitchen. “The kitchen is where everybody wants to be,” Cyndi said. “It is where family gathers, whether it’s to eat a meal, chit chat, do homework, play games, or feed the dog. It’s where everyday life happens.”
Cyndi worked for years for a local homebuilder as a project coordinator where she enjoyed helping clients make their interior selections. When she started a family, she took some time off to be a stay-at-home mom. About six years ago, she and her husband were building a new house. She was having trouble finding cabinetry. “Everyone I talked to said I couldn’t do this, or I would have to change that,” she explained. “No one seemed to care about my vision.” Then, one day while traveling through Olpe, KS, she spied Schmidt Custom Cabinetry.
“I was blown away by the quality of the cabinets,” she said.”I started talking with Tyler, the owner (a third generation carpenter) and he got it! He listened to what I wanted and we started exchanging ideas. I sent him my plans that day and he did all of the cabinets in my home.” Cyndi loved the experience so much that she was inspired to return to design. She started Heart & Home, partnered with Schmidt Custom Cabinetry, and grew her business strictly by word of mouth. In 2020, she opened her brick and mortar store in the Brookwood shopping center.
According to Cyndi, the biggest secret to designing a great kitchen is listening to the customer. “I like to get to know my clients and help them think through everything,” Cyndi explained. “We look at things like storage, traffic patterns, and lifestyle. Will they be entertaining often? Do they have pets? Do they drink coffee? Every family uses their kitchen in a different way.”
“I don’t just want to know how they want the space to look, I want to know how they want it to feel,” she continued. In a recent remodel of a mid-century modern home in Lake Jivaro, Cyndi knew her client wanted the view of the lake to be the main focal point. “Taking advantage of a wall of windows, we chose Eurocase Premier cabinets because they have a reflective quality,” Cyndi said. “The result was amazing. The view of the lake is softly reflected in the upper cabinets. It’s like the lake is part of the kitchen.”
Cyndi designed a kitchen for her friend, and local social influencer, Caroline Bivens. Knowing that Caroline wanted a large kitchen, they knocked down a wall and removed a pantry to open the room up. The result was a huge kitchen that flows naturally into the adjacent living room. “Removing the wall really helped the kitchen transition into the living room and connected the two spaces seamlessly,” Cyndi shared. “It makes all the difference in their everyday life and entertaining.”
Her biggest tip for kitchen remodeling is to take your time. “Be willing to not rush the process,” she cautioned. “These are high-dollar items and you want to be sure about your choices. That’s why I take the time to listen to what is important before jumping into the design plan because I don’t want my clients to like their new kitchen, I want them to love it!”