Ranch homes ready for aging in place
If your 1960s ranch is where you plan to stay, the kitchen is the room to rethink first: drawers, wall oven, knee space and better light.
Serving Des Plaines & nearby Mount Prospect, Park Ridge
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Des Plaines, IL
Kitchens in Des Plaines planned for wheelchairs, walkers and aging in place: reachable storage, knee space and safer appliances.
- Kitchen remodels across Des Plaines ZIP 60016, 60018
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
What makes a Des Plaines kitchen hard to use, and how we fix it
Whether you need full wheelchair access now or simply want to age in place in your Des Plaines home, we design and build the kitchen around real reach ranges and turning space. The result should look like a well-made kitchen, not a clinic.
Wall cabinets out of reach
If the upper shelves need a step stool, they are wasted storage and a fall risk. We move everyday items into drawers and tall pantry pull-outs and add pull-down shelving for the uppers.
Not enough room to turn around
A wheelchair or walker needs space to turn. We plan clear floor area in front of each appliance and, where the room allows, a turning circle about five feet across.
Slippery floors and thresholds
Glossy tile gets slick when wet and raised thresholds catch walker feet. We choose slip-resistant flooring and keep transitions flush.
Dim light and low contrast
Shadows on the counter and same-color surfaces make cooking harder for low vision. Task lighting and contrasting finishes fix both.
Light switches and outlets out of reach
Controls placed for a standing adult are often out of reach from a chair. We relocate them to reachable heights during the rewiring.
No knee space at the sink
We convert the sink area to a knee-space design: a shallow sink, a rear drain, insulated or enclosed pipes and an open front.
Deep base cabinets you have to kneel into
Bending down and digging to the back of a low shelf is hard on knees and backs. Full-extension drawers bring everything forward and up into view.
What the project covers
- Accessible layoutA floor plan with clear floor space at each appliance, wider aisles and room to turn where it fits.
- Demolition and protectionWe tear out carefully and keep a safe route through the house during the work.
- Doorways and floor transitionsFlush transitions and wider doorways so wheels and walkers pass easily.
- Plumbing for a knee-space sinkRerouted drain and supply lines so the space under the sink can stay open.
- Electrical and lightingOutlets and switches at reachable heights, rocker controls and bright task lighting.
- Cabinets and pull-down storageDrawer-heavy base cabinets, pull-down shelving, roll-outs and pantry pull-outs installed and adjusted.
- Appliance installationWall oven, cooktop, drawer microwave, raised dishwasher or drawer models fitted at usable heights.
Finishes and options
Slip-resistant flooringMatte porcelain, luxury vinyl plank or sheet flooring with good traction and smooth rolling.
Side-opening wall ovensDoors that swing to the side let you reach in without leaning over a hot door.
Induction cooktopsQuick, precise heat with front controls and a surface that cools faster than gas or radiant.
Pull-down shelvingShelf units that lower out of upper cabinets to counter level with one pull.
Full-extension drawersDrawers on full-extension slides so nothing hides at the back.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling before and after — Des Plaines homes
Before
AfterDes Plaines kitchen, 1950s ranch: accessible kitchen remodeling
This one is a 1950s ranch in Des Plaines. What we started with: dark walnut-stained flush-panel cabinets with brass pulls, speckled laminate and a built-in wall oven and a cooktop in harvest gold. The reason for the call: having to reach across burners and bend at the oven. After: a lowered bright white quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in cream uppers and walnut-stained lowers with polished nickel pulls, pull-down shelves in the uppers, drawers instead of base doors, a side-opening wall oven, a lever faucet and two glass pendants and recessed lights. Work included accessible layout, demolition and protection, plus cabinets and pull-down storage.
Before
AfterMount Prospect kitchen, 1950s ranch: accessible kitchen remodeling
The site: a 1950s ranch in Mount Prospect. The kitchen as it was: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets, light beige laminate and white appliances. The reason for the call: a kitchen that was getting harder to use every year. After: a lowered charcoal concrete-look quartz counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in pale sage uppers and light gray lowers with satin brass pulls, pull-down shelves in the uppers, drawers instead of base doors, a side-opening wall oven, a lever faucet and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights. Work included accessible layout, demolition and protection, plus plumbing for a knee-space sink.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Mount Prospect →
Before
AfterPark Ridge kitchen, postwar bi-level: accessible kitchen remodeling
The site: a postwar bi-level in Park Ridge. Before: original birch cabinets painted white decades ago, sagging doors, chrome pulls, laminate with an aluminum edge band and an older white range and a white refrigerator. The reason for the call: bending to a low oven and reaching over hot burners. The result: a lowered black honed granite counter section with knee space under the sink, cabinets in deep burgundy with polished nickel pulls, pull-down shelves in the uppers, drawers instead of base doors, a side-opening wall oven, a lever faucet and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights. On site this meant demolition and protection, electrical and lighting, plus appliance installation.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling in Park Ridge →
Before
AfterA Des Plaines postwar bi-level: before and 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.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Des Plaines →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1960s ranch in Des Plaines
Finished: the kitchen extended by a 10-ft bump-out with a row of new windows and a dining area, cabinets in two-tone with brass hardware, white quartz counters, light oak LVP floor through the old and new space and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips.
Kitchen Additions in Des Plaines →From first visit to final walk-through
- Assessment visitAn in-home visit to measure the room and the user, and to talk through current and future needs.
- Design and estimateAccessible layout drawings, appliance choices and a written, itemized estimate.
- Ordering and permitsWe order materials and handle any permit the work needs.
- ConstructionRough-ins, inspections, then cabinets, multi-height counters, flooring and fixtures.
- Walk-through with the userWe test every drawer, shelf and control with the person who will use them and adjust.
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling questions from Des Plaines homeowners
Should I hire a CAPS-certified remodeler?
It's a useful credential to ask about. Equally important is seeing how the contractor plans clearances, reach and appliance heights for your situation.
What does an accessible kitchen remodel cost?
It depends on how much changes: moving plumbing for a knee-space sink, adding a wall oven, new cabinets and any doorway or floor work. We give a written, itemized estimate after the visit.
Can you make only part of the kitchen accessible?
Yes. We can phase it, starting with storage, the sink or the oven, as long as the plan leaves room for later changes.
What are good aging-in-place kitchen ideas?
Drawers instead of base shelves, a wall oven at counter height, a microwave drawer, lever faucets, bright task lighting and slip-resistant floors are among the most useful.
What counter height works for a wheelchair user?
There isn't one right height. We combine a seated section fitted to the user with standard counters for anyone standing.
Des Plaines building permit for accessible kitchen remodel: where do I apply?
Permits go through Community and Economic Development Department - Building Division, phone 847-391-5380. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Do I need a Des Plaines-registered contractor for accessible kitchen remodel?
Contractors must register with the City (via the online portal); registrations expire Dec 31. We take care of that before work starts.
Do I need a permit for accessible kitchen remodel in Des Plaines?
It depends on the scope. Des Plaines's rule in short: A building permit is required for any residential kitchen remodel; non-structural work uses the Kitchen/Bath Non-Structural permit ($150 fee, rough and final inspections). We handle the permit when one is needed with Community and Economic Development Department - Building Division.
Do you work in my part of Des Plaines?
Yes. Our crews work across Des Plaines — ZIP 60016, 60018 — and nearby Mount Prospect, Park Ridge, Elk Grove Village.
Working in Des Plaines
- A lot of Des Plaines kitchens date from the 1960s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Des Plaines homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Community and Economic Development Department - Building Division handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60016ZIP 60018
Accessible Kitchen Remodeling nearby
Other kitchen services in Des Plaines
Kitchen Design & Layout PlanningLayouts, 3D plans and material picks before work starts.
Kitchen AdditionsBump-outs that add room for an island or dining area.
Kitchen Wall Removal & Structural AssessmentOpen the kitchen up with an engineered beam.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.