Oak grain showing through
On pre-1940 oak cabinets the choice is grain-filled and smooth or painted with the texture showing — we show you both on a sample door.
Serving Highland Park & nearby Northbrook, Glenview
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Highland Park, IL
Make your Highland Park kitchen look new without replacing the cabinets — for a fraction of the cost.
- Crews working in Highland Park ZIP 60035
- Most jobs done in days, with your kitchen still usable
- Samples and a written quote before we start
Cabinet problems a paint job fixes
If your Highland Park cabinets are solid but the color is tired, painting is the fastest way to a new kitchen. Doors and drawer fronts are sprayed off-site, frames are painted in place, and you keep your counters and layout.
Peeling or chipped paint
Paint peeling near the dishwasher or chipping on the edges usually means it was applied without proper prep. We strip the failing areas, prime and refinish.
Dark kitchen
Dark cabinets make a small kitchen feel smaller. A lighter painted finish brightens the whole room.
Yellowed white cabinets
Oil-based white paint turns yellow over time, especially in darker corners. We repaint with a non-yellowing waterborne cabinet coating.
Holes from old hardware
New hardware rarely matches the old holes. We patch the old ones invisibly and drill clean new ones.
Dated oak or honey maple
If the wood tone is the problem, paint fixes it — white, warm gray, sage or deep blue — while the cabinets stay put.
Sticky, greasy cabinet doors
Grease near the range never quite wipes off. A deep degrease is the first step, before any sanding or primer.
Brush marks and drips
We sand out brush marks and drips and spray the doors so the new finish is smooth and uniform.
What's included
- Door and drawer removalWe remove and number every door and drawer front so each one goes back in its spot.
- Bonding primerA bonding or stain-blocking primer that grips the old finish and stops tannin bleed.
- Sprayed doorsDoors and drawer fronts are sprayed in a controlled setting for a smooth finish.
- Frames and end panelsFace frames, end panels and crown molding are painted in place with masking and floor protection.
- Reinstall and adjustmentDoors rehung, hinges adjusted so gaps are even, and touch-ups done on site.
- Filling old hardware holesWe patch old hardware holes so they vanish under the new finish.
- Island and bathroom vanitiesWe can paint bathroom vanities and the island along with the kitchen.
Finishes we offer
Grain filling for oakGrain filler before primer makes oak doors look smooth like painted maple or MDF.
Painted with the wood grain showingSome owners like oak painted white with the grain still visible; we skip the grain filler for that look.
Catalyzed finishesThe hardest sprayed finish — chosen for high-traffic kitchens and rentals.
Satin vs. semi-gloss sheenSatin hides small flaws and fingerprints; semi-gloss is easier to wipe but shows more.
Popular colorsWarm white, greige, sage green, navy and charcoal are the most requested this year.
What the work looks like in Highland Park homes
Before
In progress
After
DetailBefore and after: a 1960s ranch in Highland Park
This one is a 1960s ranch near St. John's. What we started with: dark walnut-stained flush-panel cabinets with brass pulls. The reason for the call: orange-looking wood that made the room feel old. The result: the same doors sprayed in pale sage, new polished nickel pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were. Work included door and drawer removal, bonding primer, plus filling old hardware holes.
Before
AfterNorthbrook kitchen, 1950s ranch: kitchen cabinet painting
The site: a 1950s ranch near Downtown Northbrook. The kitchen as it was: original birch cabinets painted white decades ago, sagging doors, chrome pulls. What bothered the owners most: an old paint job failing at the edges. After: the same doors sprayed in deep navy, new satin brass pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were. The job covered bonding primer, sprayed doors, plus filling old hardware holes.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Northbrook →
Before
AfterBuffalo Grove kitchen, two-story colonial from the 1990s: kitchen cabinet painting
This one is a two-story colonial from the 1990s near Windfield. What we started with: honey-oak cathedral raised-panel cabinets with worn finish near the handles, brass knobs. What bothered the owners most: the dated wood tone. After: the same doors sprayed in creamy white uppers and navy lowers, new satin brass pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were. The job covered bonding primer, frames and end panels, plus island and bathroom vanities.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Buffalo Grove →
Before
AfterHighland Park kitchen, postwar Cape Cod: cabinet refinishing & staining
What changed: wood cabinets stripped and refinished in a natural light oak tone, grain still showing.
Cabinet Refinishing & Staining in Highland Park →
Before
AfterHighland Park kitchen, 1960s ranch: cabinet refacing
New five-piece shaker doors in creamy white uppers and navy lowers on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and unlacquered brass knobs and cup pulls.
Cabinet Refacing in Highland Park →How your cabinet painting goes
- Estimate and colorWe check the cabinet material, count doors and drawers and help you choose color and sheen.
- Doors come offWe take the doors with us; you keep using the kitchen with the boxes open.
- Prep and primeClean, sand, fill and prime — the steps that decide how long the paint lasts.
- Finish coatsTwo finish coats sprayed on doors; frames finished on site with dust control.
- ReinstallDoors go back on, hinges adjusted, hardware installed and touch-ups done.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting questions from Highland Park homeowners
My cabinets have old paint. Is that safe to sand?
We treat old paint in pre-1978 homes as possible lead paint and use containment, wet methods and HEPA cleanup.
Can you paint laminate or thermofoil cabinets?
Laminate can be painted with the right bonding primer. Peeling thermofoil cannot — we replace those doors instead.
Is it smelly?
Not much. We use low-odor waterborne coatings and spray the doors away from your home.
How long will the kitchen be out of use?
Most kitchens take about a week. You can use the counters and appliances the whole time — only the doors are away.
Can you paint cabinets that are already painted?
Usually. Sound old paint is sanded and primed; peeling or very thick layers are stripped first.
Highland Park contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
The City publishes contractor requirements on its Building Division page (new building codes effective March 1, 2026). We take care of that before work starts.
Which Highland Park homes do you most often see for cabinet painting?
In Highland Park we see Ravinia District retains early artists' colony character and architecture. Each comes with its own walls, wiring and plumbing, and we plan the job around them.
Do you work in my part of Highland Park?
Yes. Our crews work across Highland Park, including Ravinia District, Downtown Highland Park, Port Clinton, St. John's — ZIP 60035 — and nearby Northbrook, Glenview, Buffalo Grove.
Working in Highland Park
- A lot of Highland Park kitchens date from the pre-1940. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Highland Park homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Older paint is treated with lead-safe practices: containment, HEPA cleanup and a clean hand-over.
Ravinia DistrictDowntown Highland ParkPort ClintonSt. John's
ZIP 60035
Kitchen Cabinet Painting nearby
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Other kitchen services in Highland Park
Cabinet Refinishing & StainingRe-stained wood cabinets with the grain still showing.
Cabinet RefacingNew doors and fronts on your existing cabinet boxes.
Kitchen Cabinet & Drawer RepairHinges, drawer slides and water-damaged sink bases fixed.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Countertop Fabrication & InstallationQuartz, granite and butcher block, templated and installed.