Awkward kitchen corner
An L-shaped banquette tucks into a corner and seats more people than chairs could, with storage under both runs.
Serving Glendale Heights & nearby Bloomingdale, Carol Stream
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Glendale Heights, IL
We build banquette benches and breakfast nooks in Glendale Heights kitchens, with storage under the seat and a table sized to fit.
- Local crews working in Glendale Heights ZIP 60139
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Eat-in kitchen problems a banquette solves in Glendale Heights
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 Glendale Heights that usually means a straight bench, an L in a corner or a U in a bay.
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.
No storage near the table
Banquette seats can hide drawers or lift-up lids for table linens, placemats, games or seasonal dishes.
Not enough seats for the family
When everyone can't sit at once, a banquette along the wall usually adds seats without enlarging the table area.
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.
Table that's hard to slide into
Table legs in the way make benches miserable. A pedestal or trestle base lets people slide in from the side.
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.
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.
What the project covers
- Measuring the nookA visit to measure the space and note anything in the walls behind the bench.
- Sizing the bench and tableSeat height, depth, back angle and table size planned together.
- Outlets and heat registersOutlets relocated by an electrician and heat routed through a grille in the bench.
- 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 trimBackrests and trim finished to match the kitchen or the nook.
- Cushions and tableSeat and back cushions coordinated with an upholsterer, and a table chosen to fit.
Finishes and options
Straight, L-shaped and U-shaped banquettesThe shape follows the space: one wall, a corner or a bay window.
Drawers vs. lift-up seatsDrawers are easier to reach; lift-up seats hold more but need people to stand.
Cushions and upholsteryLoose cushions or fixed upholstered seats in durable, cleanable fabric.
Pedestal and trestle tablesA center base keeps legs away from the bench so people can slide in.
Painted or stained woodPaint-grade wood that matches the cabinets, or stained wood for a furniture look.
Kitchens like yours in Glendale Heights: before and after
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1980s two-story in Glendale Heights
A 1980s two-story in Glendale Heights, a typical kitchen for Glendale Heights. Before: beige sheet vinyl and a fluorescent box light in the ceiling. The reason for the call: an empty corner with a wobbly table nobody used. Finished kitchen: a built-in banquette bench with storage drawers and cushions under the window, with a round pedestal table. Work included measuring the nook, building the bench boxes, plus storage under the seat.
Before
AfterBloomingdale kitchen, 1980s two-story: built-in breakfast nook & banquette
This one is a 1980s two-story in Bloomingdale. The kitchen as it was: 12-inch beige ceramic tile and two hanging glass pendants. 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. The job covered measuring the nook, outlets and heat registers, plus building the bench boxes.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Bloomingdale →
Before
AfterA Carol Stream 1990s two-story colonial: before and after
The site: a 1990s two-story colonial in Carol Stream. What we started with: oak parquet and a brass chandelier over the nook. The main complaint was not enough seats around the kitchen table. After: a built-in banquette bench with storage drawers and cushions under the window, with a round pedestal table. Work included sizing the bench and table, outlets and heat registers, plus cushions and table.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Carol Stream →
Before
AfterGlendale Heights kitchen, two-story colonial from the 1990s: pantry design & installation
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 Glendale Heights →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1990s two-story colonial in Glendale Heights
A new island in dusty blue with a black honed granite top and seating.
Kitchen Island & Peninsula Installation in Glendale Heights →How your banquette build goes
- Send photos of the spaceA few photos of the corner, bay or nook and rough measurements are enough to start.
- Measure and planWe measure, check outlets and vents and sketch the bench, table and storage.
- Written estimateAn itemized estimate for the bench, storage, finish and any electrical or vent changes.
- Build and installBench boxes built and installed, finished, then cushions and table placed.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette questions from Glendale Heights homeowners
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.
How deep and high should a banquette seat be?
We plan the bench height around the cushion thickness and the table, and the depth around the backrest.
Banquette or kitchen island seating?
Some kitchens have both. In smaller rooms a banquette often fits where an island would crowd the aisles.
How long does it take to build a banquette?
Building and installing usually takes several days; cushions and the table may follow separately.
What is a built-in kitchen bench called?
Usually a banquette. You'll also hear breakfast nook, booth seating or built-in bench.
Can you do banquette build in a Glendale Heights condo?
Associations usually set rules for work hours, elevators, deliveries and insurance, and many require approval for plumbing, electrical or structural changes. We provide the certificate of insurance and follow the building's rules.
Do I need a Glendale Heights-registered contractor for banquette build?
Contractors must be licensed with the Village before working; $20,000 surety/license bond required. We take care of that before work starts.
Do I need a permit for banquette build in Glendale Heights?
It depends on the scope. Glendale Heights's rule in short: Permits required for most construction projects; a Residential Remodel/Alteration application exists; call Community Development if unsure. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Department.
Do you work in my part of Glendale Heights?
Yes. Our crews work across Glendale Heights — ZIP 60139 — and nearby Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Addison.
Working in Glendale Heights
- A lot of Glendale Heights kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Condo or townhome? We follow association rules on work hours and elevators and bring the insurance certificate your board asks for.
- We know how Community Development Department handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60139
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette nearby
Other kitchen services in Glendale Heights
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.