Original breakfast nook in an older house
If your older house has a nook by the kitchen window, built-in seating is what it was made for.
Serving Berwyn & nearby Oak Park, Chicago
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Berwyn, IL
We build banquette benches and breakfast nooks in Berwyn kitchens, with storage under the seat and a table sized to fit.
- Local crews working in Berwyn ZIP 60402
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Eat-in kitchen problems a banquette solves in Berwyn
We build banquettes as built-in furniture, not as kits: plywood boxes fastened to the wall, faced and finished to suit your kitchen, with cushions or upholstered seats on top. In Berwyn that usually means a straight bench, an L in a corner or a U in a bay.
Kitchen open to the family room with no defined dining spot
A built-in bench can define a dining area in an open kitchen without adding walls.
Worn-out old banquette
If the existing bench sags or wobbles, we take it out and build a new one fastened properly to the wall.
Not enough seats for the family
A bench seats people closer together than chairs. For families, that often means one more seat at the same table.
Island seating that isn't working
Sometimes a banquette is the better choice instead of island stools, especially for families who eat together every day.
Table that's hard to slide into
The table matters as much as the bench. Its edge should slightly overlap the seat and its base should stay out of your knees.
Bench that's uncomfortable to sit on
A bench that's too deep, too high or perfectly upright gets avoided. We set seat height, depth and a slight back angle with the cushion thickness in mind.
Empty bay window
Bays tend to become dead space with a plant or a chair in them. Built-in seating that follows the angles turns them into the best seat in the house.
What's included
- Measuring the nookWe measure walls, windows, bays, outlets and vents in the area.
- Sizing the bench and tableWe plan the bench layout and the table so people can slide in and sit comfortably.
- Outlets and heat registersOutlets relocated by an electrician and heat routed through a grille in the bench.
- Building the bench boxesPlywood bench boxes built and fastened to the wall framing and floor.
- Storage under the seatDrawers in the bench face or hinged lift-up seats, as you prefer.
- Seat backs and trimAngled backs, paneling or beadboard and trim to suit the room.
- Cushions and tableSeat and back cushions coordinated with an upholsterer, and a table chosen to fit.
Choices you'll make
Drawers vs. lift-up seatsDrawers are easier to reach; lift-up seats hold more but need people to stand.
Painted or stained woodA painted or stained finish chosen to match or contrast with the kitchen.
Cushions and upholsteryPerformance fabrics or vinyl hold up best in a kitchen.
Backs: paneled, upholstered or openWood-paneled backs, tufted upholstery or a simple open back against the wall.
Pedestal and trestle tablesRound tables suit corners and bays; rectangular ones suit straight benches.
What the work looks like in Berwyn homes
Before
AfterA Berwyn prewar brick bungalow: before and after
A prewar brick bungalow near LaVergne, a typical kitchen for Berwyn. The kitchen as it was: cracked vinyl over hardwood and a single pendant bowl light. The reason for the call: a breakfast nook that never got used. The result: a built-in banquette bench with storage drawers and cushions under the window, with a round pedestal table. The job covered sizing the bench and table, building the bench boxes, plus seat backs and trim.
Before
AfterAn Oak Brook 1970s tract home: before and after
This one is a 1970s tract home in Oak Brook. The kitchen as it was: orange-brown linoleum and a hanging swag lamp. What bothered the owners most: an empty corner with a wobbly table nobody used. The result: a built-in banquette bench with storage drawers and cushions under the window, with a round pedestal table. On site this meant sizing the bench and table, storage under the seat, plus seat backs and trim.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Oak Brook →
Before
AfterElmhurst kitchen, 1950s ranch: built-in breakfast nook & banquette
The site: a 1950s ranch in Elmhurst. The kitchen as it was: brick-pattern sheet vinyl and a fluorescent box light. The main complaint was a breakfast nook that never got used. The result: a built-in banquette bench with storage drawers and cushions under the window, with a round pedestal table. On site this meant outlets and heat registers, building the bench boxes, plus storage under the seat.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Elmhurst →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a prewar brick bungalow in Berwyn
What changed: the closet next to the kitchen rebuilt as a pantry with solid wood shelves, pull-out baskets on the bottom and a light.
Pantry Design & Installation in Berwyn →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a prewar foursquare in Berwyn
A new island in navy with a dark soapstone-look quartz top and seating.
Kitchen Island & Peninsula Installation in Berwyn →From first visit to final walk-through
- Send photos of the spaceShow us the space and tell us how many people you want to seat.
- Measure and planWe measure, check outlets and vents and sketch the bench, table and storage.
- Written estimateYou get a written quote listing every part, including cushions if we coordinate them.
- Build and installBench boxes built and installed, finished, then cushions and table placed.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette questions from Berwyn homeowners
What is a built-in kitchen bench called?
A banquette, or simply built-in bench seating.
Can a banquette have storage?
Yes. We build drawers in the bench face or hinged seats that lift up.
Do you do the cushions?
We size the cushions and coordinate them with an upholsterer, or build the bench for cushions you buy.
Banquette or kitchen island seating?
Island seating suits quick meals and guests; a banquette suits families who sit down together and want back support.
How long does it take to build a banquette?
Building and installing usually takes several days; cushions and the table may follow separately.
Do I need a Berwyn-registered contractor for banquette build?
Contractors must be licensed and bonded with Berwyn; $10,000 surety bond and liability insurance naming the City per license (per licensing form. We take care of that before work starts.
Do I need a permit for banquette build in Berwyn?
It depends on the scope. Berwyn's rule in short: City permit list includes any kitchen and bathroom remodeling, all electrical work, and plumbing/sewer work (faucet or toilet replacement excluded). We handle the permit when one is needed with Building Department, City of Berwyn.
Do you work in my part of Berwyn?
Yes. Our crews work across Berwyn, including South Berwyn, South Oak Park area, Depot District, LaVergne — ZIP 60402 — and nearby Oak Park, Chicago, Oak Brook.
Working in Berwyn
- Most Berwyn homes are prewar. We work around plaster walls, radiators and out-of-square rooms every week.
- Most Berwyn homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Live in the Central Berwyn Bungalow Historic District? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.
South BerwynSouth Oak Park areaDepot DistrictLaVergneOgden Avenue
ZIP 60402
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette nearby
Other kitchen services in Berwyn
Pull-Out Shelves & Cabinet OrganizersRoll-out shelves and organizers built to fit your existing cabinets.
Pantry Design & InstallationPantry cabinets, closet conversions and walk-in shelving, built to fit.
Kitchen Island & Peninsula InstallationNew islands and peninsulas with seating and storage.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.