Empty bay window
If your kitchen has a bay, a banquette that fits its shape is one of the most natural uses for it.
Serving Downers Grove & nearby Lisle, Woodridge
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Downers Grove, IL
We build banquette benches and breakfast nooks in Downers Grove kitchens, with storage under the seat and a table sized to fit.
- Local crews working in Downers Grove ZIP 60515, 60516
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Eat-in kitchen problems a banquette solves in Downers Grove
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 Downers Grove that usually means a straight bench, an L in a corner or a U in a bay.
Worn-out old banquette
A dated banquette with flattened cushions can often be refaced and re-cushioned, or replaced if the frame is weak.
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.
A breakfast nook nobody uses
A small table with chairs that bump the wall rarely gets used. A built-in bench along the wall makes the nook comfortable and keeps the walkway open.
Outlet or heat register in the way
Covering a heat vent with a bench blocks the warm air. We route it through the toe kick or a front grille so the room still heats.
Island seating that isn't working
Stools at an island don't suit small kids or long meals. A banquette nearby gives a proper table and back support.
No storage near the table
The space under a bench is too good to waste. We build in drawers or hinged seats depending on how you'll use it.
Awkward kitchen corner
An L-shaped banquette tucks into a corner and seats more people than chairs could, with storage under both runs.
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.
- Building the bench boxesSturdy frames anchored to studs so the bench doesn't move.
- Storage under the seatUnder-seat drawers or lids built into each bench section.
- Seat backs and trimAngled backs, paneling or beadboard and trim to suit the room.
- FinishingPaint or stain, filled and sanded for a furniture finish.
- Cushions and tableWe help size cushions and the table so the setup works together.
Choices you'll make
Straight, L-shaped and U-shaped banquettesStraight benches for a wall, L-shapes for corners and U-shapes for bays.
Drawers vs. lift-up seatsDrawers for things you use often, hinged lids for seasonal storage.
Painted or stained woodPaint-grade wood that matches the cabinets, or stained wood for a furniture look.
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 — Downers Grove homes
Before
AfterBuilt-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in a 1960s ranch, Downers Grove
A 1960s ranch near Denburn Woods, a typical kitchen for Downers Grove. Before: brick-pattern sheet vinyl and a fluorescent box light. The main complaint was a breakfast nook that never got used. Finished kitchen: a built-in banquette bench with storage drawers and cushions under the window, with a round pedestal table. On site this meant storage under the seat, seat backs and trim, plus cushions and table.
Before
AfterBuilt-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in a 1980s two-story, Lisle
A 1980s two-story near Oakview, a typical kitchen for Lisle. Before: beige sheet vinyl and a fluorescent box light in the ceiling. What bothered the owners most: a breakfast nook that never got used. Finished kitchen: 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, building the bench boxes, plus finishing.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Lisle →
Before
AfterA Woodridge 1980s two-story: before and after
This one is a 1980s two-story near The Ridge. What we started with: oak parquet and a brass chandelier over the nook. What bothered the owners most: a bay window with no real place to sit. 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 finishing.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Woodridge →
Before
AfterDowners Grove kitchen, postwar bi-level: pantry design & installation
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 Downers Grove →
Before
AfterDowners Grove kitchen, 1960s ranch: kitchen island & peninsula installation
What changed: a new island in dusty blue with a charcoal concrete-look quartz top and seating.
Kitchen Island & Peninsula Installation in Downers Grove →The project, step by step
- 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 installWe build, finish and install the banquette, then make final adjustments with you.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette questions from Downers Grove homeowners
How deep and high should a banquette seat be?
Seat height with the cushion should match a dining chair so the table works. Depth depends on whether the back is angled or cushioned.
Do you do the cushions?
We size the cushions and coordinate them with an upholsterer, or build the bench for cushions you buy.
Are banquettes worth it?
If you have a corner, bay or nook that's going unused, a banquette is one of the most practical ways to use it.
Can a banquette have storage?
Yes. We build drawers in the bench face or hinged seats that lift up.
Banquette or kitchen island seating?
Island seating suits quick meals and guests; a banquette suits families who sit down together and want back support.
Do I need a permit for banquette build in Downers Grove?
It depends on the scope. Downers Grove's rule in short: Village states most projects require a permit and applications are submitted online; First review about 10 business days. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Department, Building Division.
Do you work in my part of Downers Grove?
Yes. Our crews work across Downers Grove, including Denburn Woods, Shady Lane Estates, E.H. Prince Subdivision — ZIP 60515, 60516 — and nearby Lisle, Woodridge, Oak Brook.
Working in Downers Grove
- A lot of Downers Grove kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Downers Grove homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Live in a historic district? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.
Denburn WoodsShady Lane EstatesE.H. Prince Subdivision
ZIP 60515ZIP 60516
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette nearby
Other kitchen services in Downers Grove
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.