Justin & Kylie Hicken
Co-Owners, Designer, ContractorWizard of Odz and EndsJustin and Kylie Hicken are a husband-and-wife team and the founders of Wizard of Odz and Ends, a kitchen and bath design-build business based in Abilene, Kansas. After relocating in 2015, they established their business on their homestead—land that has been in Kylie’s family since 1880—creating a uniquely personal foundation for their showroom, shop, and client experience.
With more than 50 years of combined experience in the home improvement and design industry, Justin and Kylie bring a diverse background of regional and national project work. Prior to establishing their Kansas-based business, they designed and installed kitchens and baths throughout the southeastern United States while living in Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Orlando. Their project experience spans across the country, from California to Boston and as far as the Virgin Islands, blending large-market design perspective with small-town values and craftsmanship.
Wizard of Odz and Ends was built on a simple but powerful idea: the best spaces are created through collaboration, communication, and a commitment to excellence. Unlike traditional models where design and construction are separated, Justin and Kylie integrate both under one roof—ensuring a seamless process from concept through completion. This unified approach reduces miscommunication, improves efficiency, and creates a more enjoyable and transparent client experience.
Their firm specializes in kitchen and bath remodeling, space planning, and design services supported by innovative 3D visualization and virtual reality technology. This immersive design approach allows clients to experience their future space before construction begins, improving clarity, confidence, and decision-making.
The business also offers eDesign services for clients beyond their immediate region, extending their reach across the country while maintaining a highly personalized design process. From curated product selection to installation, every detail is intentionally managed to ensure cohesive, functional, and beautifully executed spaces.
Justin and Kylie are passionate about combining creative design, craftsmanship, and modern technology to streamline the remodeling process. Their goal is to transform homes into thoughtfully designed, highly functional spaces that clients can enjoy for generations.
The Future Is Immersive: Using Virtual Reality to Streamline a Stress-Free Client Experience
Conventional kitchen and bath design processes traditionally rely on 2D drawings, static 3D renderings, and client imagination to bridge the gap betwe
…Conventional kitchen and bath design processes traditionally rely on 2D drawings, static 3D renderings, and client imagination to bridge the gap between concept and construction. This session explores how immersive virtual reality can eliminate that
…Conventional kitchen and bath design processes traditionally rely on 2D drawings, static 3D renderings, and client imagination to bridge the gap between concept and construction. This session explores how immersive virtual reality can eliminate that gap and fundamentally transform how clients experience, understand, and approve design decisions.
Through the lens of a small-market design-build firm, attendees will gain insight into a real-world, r
…Conventional kitchen and bath design processes traditionally rely on 2D drawings, static 3D renderings, and client imagination to bridge the gap between concept and construction. This session explores how immersive virtual reality can eliminate that gap and fundamentally transform how clients experience, understand, and approve design decisions.
Through the lens of a small-market design-build firm, attendees will gain insight into a real-world, refined process developed through trial and error. This includes initial phone consultation, digital client surveys, site visits, structured design development, 3D modeling, and immersive VR walkthroughs using Oculus technology.
Rather than relying on traditional, elaborate showroom displays or static presentations, this approach allows clients to step inside their future space. This significantly improves design confidence, reduces change orders and design confusion, and shortens decision-making timelines.
The session also highlights how a small, curated showroom works in tandem with immersive technology—allowing the physical and digital experience to complement one another rather than compete. Instead of overwhelming clients with endless samples and options, the process focuses on clarity, visualization, and guided decision-making.
Attendees will learn how immersive visualization integrates into real business operations including communication workflows, product selection, design approvals, and installation planning. The goal is not only to showcase what VR can do, but to demonstrate how it can be practically implemented in a real kitchen and bath business of any size.
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