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.
Serving Des Plaines & nearby Mount Prospect, Park Ridge
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Des Plaines, IL
We build banquette benches and breakfast nooks in Des Plaines kitchens, with storage under the seat and a table sized to fit.
- Kitchen remodels across Des Plaines ZIP 60016, 60018
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Eat-in kitchen problems a banquette solves in Des Plaines
Bay windows, empty corners and the end of a kitchen run are where banquettes work best. In Des Plaines we measure the space, plan seat depth and table clearance, and deal with the outlets and heat registers in the wall behind before we build.
Kitchen open to the family room with no defined dining spot
In an open plan, a banquette against a wall or the back of an island gives the eating area its own place.
Bench that's uncomfortable to sit on
Comfort comes from the numbers: seat height with the cushion, a depth that supports your legs and a back that leans a little. We plan those before building.
A breakfast nook nobody uses
If the eat-in corner collects mail instead of people, the seating is the problem. A banquette makes it a place you want to sit.
No room to pull out chairs
Built-in seating saves the clearance chairs need, which is often what makes a small eat-in area work.
Worn-out old banquette
A dated banquette with flattened cushions can often be refaced and re-cushioned, or replaced if the frame is weak.
No storage near the table
Under-seat storage turns the bench into a cabinet. Drawers are easier to reach than lift-up lids when people are sitting.
Outlet or heat register in the way
Wall outlets behind a banquette are moved to the side or above the seat back; we bring in an electrician for that part.
What's included
- Measuring the nookA visit to measure the space and note anything in the walls behind the bench.
- 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 tableWe help size cushions and the table so the setup works together.
Choices you'll make
Straight, L-shaped and U-shaped banquettesThe shape follows the space: one wall, a corner or a bay window.
Drawers vs. lift-up seatsDrawers for things you use often, hinged lids for seasonal storage.
Backs: paneled, upholstered or openThe back can be solid wood, cushioned or the wall itself with a cushion.
Cushions and upholsteryLoose cushions or fixed upholstered seats in durable, cleanable fabric.
Pedestal and trestle tablesRound tables suit corners and bays; rectangular ones suit straight benches.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette before and after — Des Plaines homes
Before
AfterDes Plaines kitchen, 1960s ranch: built-in breakfast nook & banquette
A 1960s ranch in Des Plaines, a typical kitchen for Des Plaines. The kitchen as it was: vinyl in a checker pattern and a dome ceiling light. The reason for the call: a breakfast nook that never got used. After: a built-in banquette bench with storage drawers and cushions under the window, with a round pedestal table. On site this meant measuring the nook, seat backs and trim, plus cushions and table.
Before
AfterMount Prospect kitchen, 1950s ranch: built-in breakfast nook & banquette
The site: a 1950s ranch in Mount Prospect. What we started with: brick-pattern sheet vinyl and a fluorescent box light. What bothered the owners most: a breakfast nook that never got used. After: a built-in banquette bench with storage drawers and cushions under the window, with a round pedestal table. Work included measuring the nook, sizing the bench and table, plus cushions and table.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Mount Prospect →
Before
AfterA Park Ridge 1960s ranch: before and after
A 1960s ranch in Park Ridge, a typical kitchen for Park Ridge. The kitchen as it was: 9-inch vinyl floor tiles and a round fluorescent ceiling ring. The reason for the call: 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. The job covered sizing the bench and table, building the bench boxes, plus cushions and table.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Park Ridge →
Before
AfterPantry Design & Installation in a 1950s ranch, Des Plaines
Finished: 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 Des Plaines →
Before
AfterA Des Plaines postwar bi-level: before and after
A new island in dusty blue with a charcoal concrete-look quartz top and seating.
Kitchen Island & Peninsula Installation in Des Plaines →The project, step by step
- Send photos of the spaceA few photos of the corner, bay or nook and rough measurements are enough to start.
- Measure and planA visit to measure and draw the layout, seat heights and storage.
- Written estimateYou get a written quote listing every part, including cushions if we coordinate them.
- Build and installWe build, finish and install the banquette, then make final adjustments with you.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette questions from Des Plaines homeowners
How long does it take to build a banquette?
Building and installing usually takes several days; cushions and the table may follow separately.
What about outlets and heat vents behind the bench?
We don't cover vents or outlets. An electrician relocates outlets and we build a grille into the bench for the heat.
How deep and high should a banquette seat be?
Close to a regular dining chair, measured with the cushion on. We plan the depth and back angle so you're not perched or slouched.
Banquette or kitchen island seating?
Some kitchens have both. In smaller rooms a banquette often fits where an island would crowd the aisles.
How much does a built-in banquette cost?
Length, storage type, finish and upholstery drive the price. We put it in writing once we've seen the space.
Do I need a Des Plaines-registered contractor for banquette build?
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 banquette build 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
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette nearby
Other kitchen services in Des Plaines
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.