A 1980s layout with a peninsula and soffits
Soffits, a small peninsula and a desk nook are common in 1980s kitchens. We plan around any ducts in the soffits and reuse the nook as pantry or coffee storage.
Serving Buffalo Grove & nearby Arlington Heights, Palatine
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Buffalo Grove, IL
Measured layouts, 3D views and an appliance plan for your Buffalo Grove kitchen, drawn before anything is ordered.
- Kitchen remodels across Buffalo Grove ZIP 60089
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Layout problems we solve in Buffalo Grove kitchens
We plan kitchens for Buffalo Grove 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.
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.
Corners and dead storage
Half the cabinet volume in many kitchens is hard to reach: deep corners, tall uppers, shelves at the back. A drawer-first plan puts most of it within easy reach.
A layout that no longer fits how you live
If the room has a desk nobody uses and no place for the kids to sit, the plan is out of date. We rethink it around your actual routine.
The work triangle doesn't work
If you walk across the room every time you go from the fridge to the stove, the triangle is too stretched. We pull the sink, range and refrigerator into a tighter route without crowding them.
Appliances chosen too late
A range or refrigerator picked after the cabinets are ordered often won't fit. We build the plan around the model numbers you choose, with the right openings, power, gas and venting.
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.
Everything in a kitchen design
- Site measurementWe measure walls, windows, doors, ceiling height and the positions of plumbing, gas, vents and outlets.
- 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.
- Cabinet and storage layoutEvery cabinet, drawer, pull-out and pantry section drawn and assigned to a job.
- Lighting and electrical planAn electrical layout showing each light, switch, dimmer and outlet location.
- 3D viewsThree-dimensional views of the room so you can check heights, sight lines and finishes.
- Material selectionsSamples of cabinets, counters and tile reviewed together in your own light.
Materials and options
L-shaped layout with an islandThe most common plan in suburban homes: two walls of cabinets and an island for prep and seating.
Peninsula instead of an islandA counter attached to one run, giving seating and prep space where a full island won't fit.
Shaker and slab cabinet stylesThe two door styles we draw most often, shown in 3D in your colors.
U-shaped layoutCabinets on three sides, a good choice for a closed kitchen where one cook does most of the work.
Galley layoutTwo parallel runs, efficient for one cook and very common in older homes and condos.
Kitchens like yours in Buffalo Grove: before and after
Before
In progress
AfterBefore and after: a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Buffalo Grove
This one is a two-story colonial from the 1990s near The Highlands. 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. After: a new layout with an island, cabinets in light warm taupe, warm walnut butcher block counters and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips. The job covered site measurement, needs and habits interview, plus layout options.
Before
AfterArlington Heights kitchen, postwar Cape Cod: kitchen design & layout planning
A postwar Cape Cod in Arlington Heights, a typical kitchen for Arlington Heights. The kitchen as it was: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets, light beige laminate and white appliances. What bothered the owners most: a kitchen closed off from the rest of the house. Finished kitchen: 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. Work included needs and habits interview, layout options, plus material selections.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Arlington Heights →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1980s two-story in Palatine
A 1980s two-story in Palatine, a typical kitchen for 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. The main complaint was cabinets and a layout that no longer fit how they cook. The result: a new layout with an island, cabinets in terracotta, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights. Work included site measurement, needs and habits interview, plus 3D views.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Palatine →
Before
AfterA Buffalo Grove two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
Cabinets in pale sage with unlacquered brass knobs and cup pulls, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters, a terracotta-look square tile backsplash, light oak hardwood flooring and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights.
Kitchen Remodeling in Buffalo Grove →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1990s two-story colonial in Buffalo Grove
Built-to-fit cabinetry to the ceiling in charcoal gray with polished nickel pulls and dark soapstone-look quartz counters.
Custom Kitchen Cabinets in Buffalo Grove →The project, step by step
- Measure and listenA walk-through with a tape measure and your wish list in hand.
- Layout optionsWe present a few floor plans and talk through what each one gains and gives up.
- 3D views and selectionsThe chosen plan becomes 3D views, and we pick cabinets, counters and finishes together.
- Final drawings and estimateConstruction and permit drawings plus a written, itemized estimate for the build.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning questions from Buffalo Grove homeowners
Do I choose appliances before the cabinets?
Ideally. We plan around exact models; if you're undecided, we size openings for the range of models you're considering.
Can you design around my existing plumbing?
Yes, and it often makes sense. Keeping the sink and gas where they are saves construction time, and we change them only where it fixes a real problem.
How long does the design take?
Usually a few weeks. Choosing appliances and finishes quickly is what keeps it moving.
Do I need a designer if I already know what I want?
Even with a clear picture, drawings catch problems early: a door that hits the range, an island that blocks the fridge, a hood with no duct route.
How much space do I need for an island?
The island is the easy part; the aisles around it decide whether it works. We measure clearances to the counters, appliances and doors first.
Buffalo Grove contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
All contractors working in the Village must register annually; $75 per trade, no fee for state-licensed contractors. We take care of that before work starts.
Does kitchen design need a Buffalo Grove building permit, and who files it?
Permits go through Community Development Services, Building & Zoning Services (BS&A Online), phone 847-459-2530. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Which Buffalo Grove homes do you most often see for kitchen design?
In Buffalo Grove we see Early post-Korean War single-family homes, some about 1,000 sq ft. Each comes with its own walls, wiring and plumbing, and we plan the job around them.
Do I need a permit for kitchen design in Buffalo Grove?
It depends on the scope. Buffalo Grove's rule in short: Permit required to replace or modify a kitchen, including replacing cabinetry; replacing a sink or faucet needs a plumbing permit even in the same location; electrical must meet the 2017 NEC. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Services, Building & Zoning Services.
Do you work in my part of Buffalo Grove?
Yes. Our crews work across Buffalo Grove, including The Highlands, Green Knolls, Windfield, Didier Farms — ZIP 60089 — and nearby Arlington Heights, Palatine, Lake Zurich.
Working in Buffalo Grove
- A lot of Buffalo Grove kitchens date from the 1980s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Buffalo Grove homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Community Development Services, Building & Zoning Services handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
The HighlandsGreen KnollsWindfieldDidier Farms
ZIP 60089
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning nearby
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Other kitchen services in Buffalo Grove
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.