A 1970s layout with a peninsula and soffits
Soffits, a small peninsula and a desk nook are common in 1970s kitchens. We plan around any ducts in the soffits and reuse the nook as pantry or coffee storage.
Serving Arlington Heights & nearby Mount Prospect, Palatine
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Arlington Heights, IL
Measured layouts, 3D views and an appliance plan for your Arlington Heights kitchen, drawn before anything is ordered.
- Local crews working in Arlington Heights ZIP 60004, 60005
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Layout problems we solve in Arlington Heights kitchens
We plan kitchens for Arlington Heights homeowners who want the room to work better, not just look newer. You get measured drawings, an appliance plan, a cabinet layout and 3D views, and because we also build kitchens, the plan is one we know can be built.
Condo kitchen with fixed plumbing
Risers, shared walls and association rules set the limits in a condo. Our plan starts from what is fixed and makes the most of the rest.
Aisles that are too tight or too wide
Two people can't pass and the dishwasher door blocks the walkway. We size the aisles for how many cooks you have, usually around 42 inches for one and wider for two.
Narrow galley kitchen
Narrow kitchens fail when appliances face each other and doors collide. We stagger them and pick drawer storage so two people can still pass.
Doorways and traffic through the kitchen
Too many doors make a kitchen hard to lay out. Sometimes moving or closing one opening frees a full wall of cabinets.
Lighting and outlets planned as an afterthought
Outlets that land behind the coffee maker and a single switch for the whole room come from skipping the electrical plan. Ours shows every light, switch and outlet.
The work triangle doesn't work
When the three main stations are spread out or blocked by an island, cooking turns into laps. We rearrange them so the steps between them are short and nothing cuts through the middle.
Sink and range on the same wall
If the sink and stove fight for the same strip of counter, we split them: a prep sink, a peninsula or a re-planned run gives each its own working space.
What the project covers
- Needs and habits interviewWe go through who cooks, how often, what you store and what frustrates you now.
- Layout optionsTwo or three layout concepts, such as an L with an island, a U or a galley, compared side by side.
- Appliance planAppliance sizes, clearances, hood venting and hookups confirmed against the models you pick.
- Lighting and electrical planRecessed lights, pendants, under-cabinet lighting, switches and outlets placed on the drawings.
- Material selectionsHelp choosing door style, finish, counters, backsplash, flooring and hardware that work together.
- Drawings for permit and constructionConstruction drawings with dimensions, and permit drawings when walls, plumbing or wiring change.
- Written, itemized estimateA line-item estimate tied to the final drawings, so you see where the money goes.
Finishes and options
Two-tone and wood accentsContrasting island or lower cabinets, a look that tends to age better than one-season trends.
L-shaped layout with an islandThe most common plan in suburban homes: two walls of cabinets and an island for prep and seating.
U-shaped layoutCabinets on three sides, a good choice for a closed kitchen where one cook does most of the work.
Peninsula instead of an islandGives most of an island's benefits in rooms that can't spare the floor space.
Shaker and slab cabinet stylesShaker doors suit most homes; slab doors give a cleaner, modern look.
What the work looks like in Arlington Heights homes
Before
In progress
AfterKitchen Design & Layout Planning in a postwar bi-level, Arlington Heights
The site: a postwar bi-level in Arlington Heights. Before: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets, light beige laminate and white appliances. The main complaint was no place to sit and too little storage. After: a new layout with an island, cabinets in light greige uppers and muted blue lowers, black honed granite counters and two glass pendants and recessed lights. On site this meant needs and habits interview, appliance plan, plus written, itemized estimate.
Before
AfterPalatine kitchen, two-story colonial from the 1990s: kitchen design & layout planning
This one is a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Palatine. What we started with: white thermofoil cabinets peeling at the edges, oak trim, white ceramic tile with dark stained grout lines and white appliances. What bothered the owners most: cabinets and a layout that no longer fit how they cook. After: a new layout with an island, cabinets in terracotta, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights. The job covered needs and habits interview, lighting and electrical plan, plus written, itemized estimate.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Palatine →
Before
AfterBuffalo Grove kitchen, two-story colonial from the 1990s: kitchen design & layout planning
A two-story colonial from the 1990s near The Highlands, a typical kitchen for Buffalo Grove. What we started with: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above, white Corian-style solid surface with a yellowed seam and black appliances. What bothered the owners most: no place to sit and too little storage. Finished kitchen: a new layout with an island, cabinets in light warm taupe, warm walnut butcher block counters and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips. Work included layout options, material selections, plus drawings for permit and construction.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Buffalo Grove →
Before
AfterKitchen Remodeling in a 1950s ranch, Arlington Heights
What changed: cabinets in dark teal with brushed nickel bar pulls, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters, a white 2x8 tile in a vertical stack backsplash, hickory luxury vinyl plank flooring and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips.
Kitchen Remodeling in Arlington Heights →
Before
AfterAn Arlington Heights 1960s ranch: before and after
Built-to-fit cabinetry to the ceiling in white uppers and deep green lowers with matte black pulls and light marble-look quartz counters.
Custom Kitchen Cabinets in Arlington Heights →How your kitchen design goes
- Measure and listenWe visit, measure the room and go through how you use the kitchen and what isn't working.
- Layout optionsYou compare layout concepts and pick the one to develop.
- 3D views and selectionsThe chosen plan becomes 3D views, and we pick cabinets, counters and finishes together.
- Final drawings and estimateDetailed drawings and a line-item quote you can review before ordering.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning questions from Arlington Heights homeowners
Can you design a condo kitchen?
Yes. We confirm what the association allows and where the risers and vents are, then design within those limits.
Do I choose appliances before the cabinets?
Pick them first, or at least their sizes. The cabinet plan depends on them.
How much space do I need for an island?
Enough for comfortable aisles all the way around. If the room comes up short, a peninsula or narrower island is often the better answer.
How much does kitchen design cost?
There's no flat answer without seeing the room. After measuring, we send a written estimate that lists the design work and the build separately.
Do you build the kitchen you design?
Yes. The plan, the estimate and the construction all come from us, with one point of contact.
What is the Arlington Heights building department phone number?
Permits go through Building & Life Safety Department, phone (847) 368-5560. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Arlington Heights contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
The Village of Arlington Heights contractor license number must be listed on permit applications; homeowners doing their own work file a Homeowner as General Contractor form. We take care of that before work starts.
Can you do kitchen design in an Arlington Heights condo?
Associations usually set rules for work hours, elevators, deliveries and insurance, and many require approval for plumbing, electrical or structural changes. We provide the certificate of insurance and follow the building's rules.
Do I need a permit for kitchen design in Arlington Heights?
It depends on the scope. Arlington Heights's rule in short: Remodel permit applications (shown here via a basement remodel checklist dated 2020) require a building permit application, plans and a contractor proposal; plumbing and electrical permit applications are added if applicable. We handle the permit when one is needed with Building & Life Safety Department.
Do you work in my part of Arlington Heights?
Yes. Our crews work across Arlington Heights — ZIP 60004, 60005 — and nearby Mount Prospect, Palatine, Buffalo Grove.
Working in Arlington Heights
- A lot of Arlington Heights kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Condo or townhome? We follow association rules on work hours and elevators and bring the insurance certificate your board asks for.
- We know how Building & Life Safety Department handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60004ZIP 60005
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning nearby
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Other kitchen services in Arlington Heights
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Custom Kitchen CabinetsBuilt-to-fit cabinetry up to the ceiling.
Kitchen Island & Peninsula InstallationNew islands and peninsulas with seating and storage.
Accessible Kitchen RemodelingKitchens that work for every age and ability.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.