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The Founding Cohort begins October 26.

Enrollment closes Sunday, October 4$2,497

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Before you renovate your house, come inside our Design Office.

Grace Kaage walking through The Workshoppe in a pink suit

The Design Office

  • Seven weeks live
  • Founding Cohort begins October 26
  • $2,497
Enroll Now

Come on in!

Seven weeks Seven decisions Taught live Weekly office hours Major renovations + custom homes

For seven weeks, I’m going to show you how I approach a house, from recognizing its potential to making the design decisions that shape what it becomes.

And along the way, I’ll teach you how to go from knowing what you like to knowing what to do.

Is this the right project? What could this house become? Who do you need on your team? How do you make thoughtful design decisions, understand your budget, and protect your vision as it’s being built?

Because knowing what you love is one thing. Knowing how to bring it to life is another.

The Design Office

Learn to see the potential in a project, understand how I approach design, and make the right decisions, in the right order, to create a home that’s entirely your own.

Seven weeks. Taught live, virtually. Weekly Office Hours.

Enroll Now

Seven live sessions

One decision a week, in order

Learn from anywhere. Join live classes, virtually. One real question a week, in the order it comes up on a real job. You watch me work through it the way I would on any house, then go do the same thinking on your own.

See the seven weeks
A finished Kaage kitchen in oak and marble

The Executive Binder

It arrives before class does

Printed, tabbed by week, and mailed to you before the first session. It arrives ready to fill, not already full. Each week you’ll download that week’s resources, print them, and add them to the matching tab, so your binder grows along with your project.

Weekly Office Hours

Questions submitted in advance

I teach every session live. Then every week there are Office Hours (45 minutes, with the whole cohort). Submit your questions in advance, and I’ll prioritize the ones that will help the most people in our cohort.

Grace at work in a Kaage butler’s pantry

Where this usually starts

Maybe you’ve been talking about renovating for three years.

You know the kitchen needs to change. You’d love a mudroom. There is a wall you are fairly certain should come down, although at least one person has told you absolutely not.

You have saved approximately 400 kitchens, 27 pantries, 11 staircases and a deeply unreasonable number of laundry rooms. You know what you like. You know your house could be so much better. You just have no idea what you are actually supposed to do next.

So you start calling people. An architect tells you one thing. A builder tells you another. Someone asks what your budget is and you realize you have no idea what this project should even cost.

  • Should you renovate the existing footprint?
  • Add on?
  • Build?
  • Move?
  • Do you hire the architect first? The designer? The builder?
  • And how are you supposed to know whether the plan someone puts in front of you is actually any good?

This is usually the point where people call us.

So here is what this is

The Design Office is what I wish I could hand every homeowner at that exact moment.

I co-own a design-build firm and co-lead a real estate team. Which means I spend my days looking at houses and asking some version of the same question.

What should this house actually become?

  • Sometimes the answer is obvious.
  • Sometimes the smartest thing we can do is leave half the house alone.
  • Sometimes one wall changes everything.
  • Sometimes the addition everyone assumed they needed turns out not to be necessary.
  • Sometimes the very expensive idea is absolutely worth it.
  • Sometimes I would tell you to save the money.

And before we ever get to the pretty part, we have to figure all of that out. That is what I want to teach you.

Not how to become an architect.

Not how to become an interior designer.

And definitely not how to become your own contractor.

I want to teach you how to think about your home from a designer’s perspective, and understand how the decisions you make along the way shape what eventually gets built.

When you understand the design process, everything changes. You know what questions to ask, what needs to be decided, and why the order matters.

You can look at a floor plan and understand what you’re seeing. You can make selections with confidence because you understand how they relate to the rest of the house. You can communicate your vision to the professionals bringing it to life, and recognize when something isn’t quite right.

You don’t need to know how to do everyone’s job. You need to understand how the pieces fit together so you can participate confidently in creating a home you love.

And the actual point

Because the goal is not just to survive a renovation. It is to end up with a really beautiful house.

  • A house that works for the way your family actually lives.
  • A kitchen where the layout makes sense before you choose the marble.
  • A mudroom that solves the actual problem instead of just photographing well.
  • Cabinetry that looks like it belongs in the house.
  • Lighting that lands where the furniture is going.
  • Rooms that feel connected to one another.

The stone, the millwork, the arches, the plumbing, the hardware, the paint. All of those things matter.

But here is what took me years of doing this professionally to really understand. You cannot make 100 good individual decisions and assume they will magically become one good house.

  • The floor plan changes the cabinetry.
  • The cabinetry changes the lighting.
  • The appliances affect the elevations.
  • The stone can change the entire material palette.
  • The budget affects all of it.

And if you make those decisions in the wrong order, you either redo them later or live with them.

That is why I created The Design Office. For seven weeks, I am opening up the process we actually use at Kaage Homes and walking you through it from the beginning.

You will see how we go from

  1. The house we have now.
  2. The house we think it could become.
  3. The plan we are actually willing to spend the money building.

And you will learn how to do the same thinking for your own house.

Then we can talk about becoming the CEO

Become the CEO of your renovation.

Whether you hire an architect, designer, builder or all three, there is still one person who has to know what she wants and ultimately make the call. You.

Not because I think you should run the jobsite. Because this is your house, your money and your family.

You do not need to know everything. But before you spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, you should understand enough to know what matters, what comes next and when a decision in front of you is actually a good one.

Enroll Now

What the seven weeks actually look like

The whole life of your project, in the order it actually happens.

One real question a week, in the order it comes up on a real job. That order is most of the value. So many of the expensive surprises in a renovation come from a decision made before the thing it depended on had been settled.

Each week is accompanied by the actual resources we use, for you to download and use out of the box.

First, learn to see the project.

Week 1

Identifying the Right Project

Is this the right house, and the right project?

Before we design anything, I want to teach you how to evaluate the opportunity in front of you.

Maybe that means rethinking the home you already own. Maybe it means buying a house with potential. Or maybe you need to understand whether renovating, adding on, building, or moving makes the most sense.

I’ll show you how I evaluate properties and renovation opportunities through both a design and real estate lens. We’ll look at how to recognize potential, identify limitations, ask the right financial questions, and think critically about where your investment might be best allocated.

I’m not going to tell you what your renovation should cost or whether a particular house is a good investment. I’ll teach you how to approach those questions, what information you need, and which professionals can help you answer them for your specific project and market.

By the end of the week

You’ll understand how to evaluate your options and ask better questions before committing to a project.

A house being assessed before any design work

Then design it.

Week 2

Defining the Vision & Building Your Team

What are you creating, and who do you need to help you create it?

Once you’ve identified the project, it’s time to figure out what you actually want it to become.

We’ll talk about defining your priorities, understanding how you want your home to function, and translating the things you love into a vision that can guide the people working on your house.

Then we’ll get into the team. Who do you call first? Do you need an architect? A structural engineer? A builder? An interior designer? A realtor?

I’ll explain what these professionals do, how their responsibilities overlap, and how to think about assembling the right team for your particular project.

Because getting the right people involved at the right time can make an enormous difference.

By the end of the week

You’ll understand how to articulate your vision and identify the professionals you may need to bring it to life.

A Kaage plan taking shape
Week 3

Designing & Planning Your Home

How does a design become a roadmap for construction?

This is where I’ll pull back the curtain on the design process.

I’ll walk you through the documentation that takes a home from an idea to something that can actually be built, from architectural plans and space planning to interior elevations, lighting plans, and detailed specifications.

We’ll talk about what each document communicates, why it matters, and how all those drawings work together to give the people building your home a clear direction.

You’ll learn how to look at plans with a more informed eye, recognize questions worth asking, and understand why so many important design decisions need to be made before construction begins.

By the end of the week

You’ll understand the different types of design documentation, what they communicate, and how to participate more confidently in the planning process.

Cabinetry and millwork detail in a Kaage interior
Week 4

Choosing the Right Design Materials

How do you choose materials that belong in the same house?

I’ll show you how I approach selections, from stone and tile to cabinetry, flooring, plumbing fixtures, hardware, and lighting.

We’ll talk about creating a cohesive design language, understanding how materials relate to one another, and recognizing where a special material can make an impact.

I’ll also teach you how to think about where to invest boldly and where to show restraint, depending on your priorities, your budget, and the house you’re creating.

The goal isn’t to tell you which marble to buy. It’s to give you a better framework for making those decisions yourself.

By the end of the week

You’ll understand how to approach material selections thoughtfully, evaluate your options, and make decisions with greater confidence.

Marble selected for a Kaage project

Then make it real.

Week 5

Pricing the Project & Understanding Your Bid

How do you know what you’re actually being quoted?

A construction bid is only useful if you understand what’s included, what’s missing, and what assumptions went into the number.

I’ll show you the tools and methods I use to organize pricing, compare bids, and identify questions that need to be answered before moving forward.

We’ll talk about allowances, exclusions, scope differences, contingencies, and why two proposals with very different numbers may not actually be pricing the same project.

I won’t be estimating the cost of your renovation. Construction pricing varies enormously by project, location, and scope.

Instead, I’ll teach you how to read the information you’re given, ask informed questions, and evaluate whether you’re comparing like with like.

By the end of the week

You’ll understand how to review construction proposals, identify gaps, and have more productive conversations about your budget.

Documentation for a Kaage build
Week 6

Ordering Materials on Time & in Order

When does everything need to be decided, ordered, and delivered?

A beautiful selection isn’t particularly useful if it arrives three months after the contractor needs it.

This week, I’ll show you how I think about procurement and the order in which materials need to be selected, purchased, and delivered.

We’ll walk through the relationship between design decisions, lead times, purchasing, delivery dates, and the construction schedule.

You’ll learn why some materials need to be selected long before they’re installed, how to recognize the decisions that can affect a project’s timeline, and what information to request from your team.

We’re not turning you into a purchasing manager. We’re giving you the context to understand why timing matters and how to participate in those decisions.

By the end of the week

You’ll understand how material lead times and purchasing decisions relate to construction sequencing, and what questions to ask to help keep your project moving.

Stone and tile staged for a Kaage project
Week 7

Protecting the Vision While It’s Being Built

How do you make sure the design is actually being implemented?

The last week takes us into construction.

I’ll show you how I approach design oversight, from reviewing shop drawings and confirming material installations to checking critical details before they’re concealed by finished construction.

We’ll talk about why something as simple as verifying the location of an electrical junction box before drywall can prevent an expensive correction later.

You’ll learn how to recognize important design checkpoints, understand what your team should be reviewing, and communicate when something doesn’t appear to match the approved design.

This isn’t a lesson in managing trades or supervising construction. It’s about understanding how design decisions are carried through to the finished home.

By the end of the week

You’ll understand the role of design oversight during construction and how to participate in protecting the vision you’ve worked so hard to create.

A finished Kaage interior

You are not expected to finish designing a house in seven weeks. You are expected to leave understanding the whole system, and knowing how to approach your own project for the next two years.

Seven weeks Seven decisions In the order they happen
The resources we actually use Ready to download
Your house Your vision Your decisions, in order

Where the teaching comes from

This is not theoretical.

Everything I teach comes from doing this work every day. Not textbook theory, and not tips pulled from the internet. You will see how I actually think through a house, including the ideas that do not make it.

The ideas that get rejected are usually more useful than the one that gets built. A finished room teaches you taste. Understanding the options it beat teaches you judgment.

A Kaage room finished in black lacquer
AFTER
A Kaage butler’s pantry with blue cabinetry and hand-painted wallpaper
BEFORE

The pretty part

What you will start noticing.

This is the part nobody ever explains, and it is most of why you saved 400 kitchens in the first place. None of it is magic. Once somebody shows you what to look for, you cannot stop seeing it.

A Kaage pantry with hand-painted wallpaper

  • Why the range wall works.

    It is almost never the range. It is that everything around it was drawn to hold it.

  • Why one cabinetry elevation feels architectural and another feels stuck on.

    Usually proportion, and what the millwork does when it meets the wall and the ceiling.

  • Why the stone sometimes has to go first.

    When a material is that strong, everything else is answering it. So you do not get to choose it fifth.

  • Why one arch belongs and the next one feels like a costume.

    Either the house already speaks that language or you are borrowing it from a house that does.

  • Why the ceiling changes how the cabinetry gets drawn.

    Nine feet and ten feet are not the same room, and the uppers are where you find out.

  • Why lighting follows the furniture, not the middle of the room.

    A fixture centered on the room instead of the table is a decision somebody made months earlier without realizing it.

  • Why the best rooms have one clear star.

    And a lot of quiet, well-behaved things supporting it.

  • Why four beautiful materials can make a room worse than three.

    At some point they stop agreeing with each other and start competing, and the room reads as expensive rather than considered.

Designers call this judgment. Mostly, it is knowing what to look for.

When I walk into a room, this is the order of the questions in my head. Not a formula. Taste does not reduce to six steps. But the questions do, and nobody has ever shown you the questions.

  1. FunctionWhat does this room actually have to do, and how do you live in it?
  2. ArchitectureWhat are the bones? Plan, proportion, openings, ceilings, millwork, scale.
  3. AnchorWhat is this room organizing itself around? A room with two anchors has an argument in it.
  4. PaletteWhich material is leading, and what is every other one answering?
  5. LayerLighting, hardware, metals, wallpaper, textiles. Is this completing the idea or competing with it?
  6. EditWhat comes out? Something always does. Is this room finished?

We come back to these questions again and again, and they are what I want you reaching for whenever a room stops working and you cannot say why.

Let us talk about the money

The part most people are too polite to ask about.

I co-own a design-build firm and co-lead a real estate team at Compass. So when I walk through a house I am looking at the design and the investment at the same time. That combination is unusual, and it is most of the reason this program exists.

Money comes up three times, for three different reasons. In Week 1, we talk about how to think through whether a project makes sense at all. In Week 5, we talk about how to read what you are being quoted and whether the bids are actually comparable. In Week 6, we talk about how timing can change the number. Here is the kind of thing we get into.

  • Renovate, build, or move

    What this house can hold, what to find out before you compare it to a different one, and how to weigh your options honestly instead of emotionally.

  • When the addition earns its cost

    Sometimes it clearly does. Sometimes you are spending six figures to solve something a better plan would have solved for far less.

  • What an allowance actually covers

    And why they so often run out. Allowances are the single most misunderstood line on a proposal, and the easiest place to be surprised later.

  • What drives cabinetry cost

    Door style, materials, finish, hardware, how it is built and who is building it. Two kitchens that look similar can be very far apart.

  • Appliance tiers

    What you actually get moving up a tier, and the places where the jump is worth it versus the places where nobody will ever notice.

  • Plumbing, lighting, stone, flooring

    What drives the cost of each, and which of them quietly eat a budget when nobody is watching.

  • Contingency, for real

    What it is for, what it is not for, and what happens to a project that does not have one.

  • Reading two bids

    When two builders hand you numbers that are hundreds of thousands apart, they are usually not pricing the same project. We will find out where they differ.

  • Trading off on purpose

    You will not get everything. Deciding what gives, deliberately and early, is completely different from finding out in month seven.

On our projects, sometimes the expensive thing was worth every penny, and sometimes the smartest move was to keep the money. I will show you how I think about which is which, so you can ask better questions about your own. And to be clear, I can’t predict your market, estimate your project, or promise a return. This is education, not financial or professional advice for your specific project.

Who this is for

If you have said any of these out loud recently, you are in the right place.

  • We bought the house. We know it needs work. We do not know where to start.
  • We have been talking about the addition forever.
  • Our architect has started drawings and I want to understand what I am looking at.
  • We are building from scratch and I do not want to make 200 decisions in a vacuum.
  • I am interviewing architects and builders and I would like to understand the process before I hire anyone.
  • I know exactly what I like. I just cannot turn all the pictures into one house.
  • I’m a realtor or designer, and I want to guide my clients through this better.

And who it is not for

  • You want a decorating class. This is not one, and I would hate for you to be disappointed.
  • You are refreshing a powder room. This is considerably more program than you need.
  • You want to learn to be your own general contractor. That is a different education and I would point you elsewhere.
  • You are hoping I will design your house during the cohort. I will teach you how it is done, but the work on your project stays yours.
Grace Kaage in a pink suit

Hi there, I’m Grace!

Meet Your Instructor

I co-own Kaage Homes, a design-build firm, and co-lead Kaage Homes Property Group, a real estate team at Compass. That combination is the whole reason I can teach this.

Real estate is the family business, three generations of it. So I have walked a lot of houses with a buyer’s eye, and I have learned to notice what tends to hold its value and what quietly does not. Then we design them. Then we build them, historic restorations and new construction both. And we run The Workshoppe, which means I spend an unreasonable amount of my life with cabinetry, stone and hardware.

Most of the people you hire see one slice of this. The architect sees the drawing. The builder sees the schedule. The designer sees the room. The agent sees the comp.

I have had to see all of it at the same time, because we are the ones responsible when the pieces do not line up. That is the perspective I am handing you for seven weeks.

From Kaage Homes clients

  • “They educated us every step of the way. We always knew why we were doing what we were doing.”

    James

  • “They took meticulous care to understand our vision and brought it to life 10x over.”

    Kinjal

  • “An awkward, long, narrow kitchen turned into an inviting, functional space.”

    Emily

The offer

The Design Office

Founding Cohort

$2,497

Seven weeks live · Begins October 26

Enroll Now

Have a promo code? Enter it at checkout.

The Design Office is an educational program. Enrolling does not create a client relationship with Kaage Homes or Kaage Homes Property Group, nothing in it is financial, legal, or professional advice for your specific project, and results are not guaranteed.

What you get

  • Seven live sessions, taught by Grace.
  • Weekly group Office Hours. Questions submitted in advance.
  • Recordings of every class and Office Hours session.
  • The Executive Binder, printed, tabbed, and mailed before we begin (US addresses only), ready to hold the resources you print each week.
  • Each week’s resources to download, print, and use out of the box.
  • How I think through a plan, including the options that do not make the cut.
  • Classes, recordings, and resources all live in our private online community, which opens October 16.
  • Bonus: The Kaage Sourcing Guide. The showrooms, suppliers, and makers we actually use, organized by category.
  • Enrollment closes Sunday, October 4 at 11:59 p.m. Central.
  • Seven live teaching weeks, October 26 to December 17.
  • For a major renovation, an addition, or a custom home.
  • Thanksgiving week off. Class schedule shared in advance.

Questions

Things people ask me.

Do I need to already have an architect or a designer?

No. In fact, before you hire anyone may be the best time to take this. We spend the first part of the program figuring out what your house actually needs, what you want it to become, and what you should have worked out before you hand the project to an architect, designer, or builder. If you already have a team, that works too. You will simply be applying what you learn to work already underway.

What if we have not actually decided whether to renovate yet?

Then Week 1 may be the most valuable week for you. We look at renovating, adding on, building, and moving side by side, and I’ll teach you how to think through each option: the questions to ask, the information you’ll need, and which professionals can help you answer them for your house and your market.

I can’t tell you what your project should cost or whether it’s the right investment, because every project is different. But I would much rather help you think it through clearly before you spend the money than six months into it.

What if our project is already underway?

It can still be a great fit, with one caveat. If you are already deep into construction, some of the early decisions will obviously have been made. But if you are in architecture, design development, selections, bidding, permitting, or the early stages of construction, there is still a tremendous amount ahead of you. You can use the program to understand the decisions your team is making now, catch things earlier, and prepare for what is coming next. If your cabinets are installed and you are choosing throw pillows, this probably is not the program you need.

Is this only for enormous luxury renovations?

No. The examples I teach from lean high-end because that is the work we do, but the decision-making process is not exclusive to luxury homes. Floor plans still affect cabinetry. Cabinetry still affects lighting. Allowances still get misunderstood. Contractors still need complete information to price a project accurately. That said, this is designed for a substantial renovation, addition, or custom home. If you are repainting a few rooms or refreshing a powder room, I would save your $2,497.

What happens during Office Hours?

Office Hours are a 45-minute live session with the whole cohort. You submit your questions in advance, and I prioritize the ones that will help the most people, so I can’t promise every question gets answered live. I won’t be reviewing, redesigning, or pricing anyone’s individual project. The point is to help you understand what you are looking at, what questions to ask, and how to make a better decision about what happens next.

Will I get one-on-one time with Grace?

No. Office Hours are a live group session with your cohort, not a private consultation. You’ll submit your questions in advance, and I’ll prioritize the ones that will help the most people. The good news is you’ll learn a lot from hearing everyone else’s houses, too.

Is this a design course?

Yes, but probably not in the way you mean. We spend a lot of time on floor plans, proportion, cabinetry, millwork, elevations, stone, lighting, materials, and why one room works while another does not. You will learn to see design differently. But this is not a decorating course, and it is not professional training to become an interior designer. It is about learning how a well-designed house actually comes together.

Is this for homeowners or professionals?

Both! If you’re a homeowner dreaming about a renovation, an addition, or a custom home, this was made for you. You’ll finally see how all the pieces fit together, so you can walk into every conversation feeling excited and confident instead of overwhelmed.

And if you’re a realtor, a designer, or an aspiring pro who guides clients through buying, renovating, or building, you’re going to love it too. It isn’t training to become an interior designer or a course on running a design business. It’s how I think through a house, and I have a feeling you’ll use it with every client.

Can my spouse or partner take it with me?

Each enrollment is for one person, with one login to our private community and one Executive Binder. You’re very welcome to sit down and watch together on that login, and I hope a lot of couples do. If you’d each like your own access and your own binder, you’ll each need to enroll.

Will you help me figure out who to hire?

I’ll teach you how to figure that out. We talk about what kind of professional you actually need at different stages, what should be figured out before you hire them, what to ask in an interview, and how to evaluate what comes back. We also get into builder bids in detail, not just who has the lowest number, but whether everyone is actually pricing the same project.

Is this a construction course?

No. I am absolutely not teaching you to become your own general contractor, or to manage trades and supervise a jobsite. I am teaching you enough about the process to be a much better client: how to read a bid, what needs to be decided before work begins, what should be documented, when things need to be ordered, and how to protect the design once people start building it.

What if I cannot make a session live?

Come live when you can, because the conversation is part of the fun. But every class and Office Hours session is recorded and posted in our private community, so you can watch whenever it works for you. Missing a week does not mean missing the material.

When are the classes?

The Founding Cohort begins October 26 and runs for seven teaching weeks through December 17, with Thanksgiving week off. I’ll share the class day and time with everyone in advance, and every session is recorded, so you’ll never miss the material.

What happens after I enroll?

You’ll get a confirmation right away, and your Executive Binder will be printed and mailed so it arrives before our first class on October 26. On October 16, you’ll get your invitation to our private online community, where the classes, recordings, and resources live. Binders ship to US addresses only.

Will you be my designer, or review my project?

No. The Design Office is education. Enrolling doesn’t make you a client of Kaage Homes or Kaage Homes Property Group, and I won’t be designing, pricing, or reviewing your specific project. What I will do is teach you how I think it through, so you can walk into every conversation with your own team knowing what to ask.

How much time should I expect to spend each week?

The live class is about 60 minutes, and Office Hours are a separate 45-minute session each week. Office Hours are optional. Beyond that, there is no giant homework assignment waiting for you. You will have something to apply to your own project each week, and you can spend thirty minutes on it or an entire Saturday, depending on where you are.

Is this useful if we are building new instead of renovating?

Absolutely. The program is built for major renovations, additions, and custom homes. You will spend less time worrying about what to preserve from an existing house, but the rest of the process, including planning, schematic design, elevations, selections, documentation, bidding, procurement, and construction, applies directly. In some ways, building new makes understanding the order of decisions even more important because you are making virtually all of them from scratch.

What is your refund policy?

You can get a full refund any time before our online community opens on October 16, less $150 for the printed Executive Binder. Once the community opens, enrollments are non-refundable. To request a refund, email christopher@kaagehomes.com.

One more thing

Bring me the house. Bring me the questions.

You have a house. You have known for a while that it could be so much better than it is. You may have been thinking about this for years.

You do not need to become an architect before you start. You need someone to show you how this actually works, in the order it actually happens.

Before you spend the money building the house, come learn how to think through it.

Enroll Now
A finished Kaage interior

The Founding Cohort

Save your seat.

Enrollment closes Sunday, October 4 at 11:59 p.m. Central, and the Founding Cohort begins October 26.

  • Seven live teaching weeks, October 26 to December 17. Thanksgiving week off.
  • Every class and Office Hours session recorded.

The Design Office · Founding Cohort

$2,497

Enroll Now

Have a promo code? Enter it at checkout.