Soffits above the cabinets
Many pre-1940 kitchens have a boxed soffit over the wall cabinets. We find out what is inside, reroute ducts where possible and take the cabinets to the ceiling.
Serving Highland Park & nearby Northbrook, Glenview
Kitchen Remodeling in Highland Park, IL
Get your kitchen remodel priced by a contractor who works in Highland Park — and know what to expect before the estimate visit.
- Kitchen remodels across Highland Park ZIP 60035
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Kitchen problems we solve in Highland Park
Most Highland Park homeowners call us about one thing that bothers them every day: a cramped layout, worn-out cabinets or a dark, closed kitchen. We plan the whole room around how you cook, then handle cabinets, counters, flooring, lighting and the trades behind the walls.
Tile counters and fluorescent box lights
Grout lines that never come clean and a buzzing light box are typical in pre-1940 kitchens. Stone counters and flush LED lighting change the whole room.
Kitchen cut off from the family room
A kitchen that faces a wall while the family is in the next room — we look at opening up the wall or turning the layout so the cook faces the room.
Cabinets are falling apart
Sagging drawer bottoms, doors that won't close and a swollen sink base are signs the boxes have failed. New cabinets with plywood boxes and soft-close hardware are the real fix.
No place to sit
Kids doing homework while you cook need a place to sit. We fit an island or peninsula with proper overhang and clearance.
No counter space
If you prep on the cooktop because every counter is full, we look at a longer run, a peninsula or an island and move small appliances into an appliance garage.
New appliances won't fit
Today's appliances are bigger and need more power and venting. We build the openings, circuits and ducts around the models you choose.
The kitchen is dark
One ceiling fixture leaves you working in your own shadow. We plan recessed lights, pendants over the island and LED under-cabinet strips on separate switches and dimmers.
Everything in a kitchen remodel
- Demolition and protectionFloor protection, dust walls and daily cleanup; old cabinets, counters and debris hauled away.
- CountertopsQuartz, granite, quartzite or butcher block, templated after the cabinets are set.
- Backsplash and tileTile backsplash with straight grout lines, finished edges and outlets brought out to the tile surface.
- Electrical and lightingDedicated appliance circuits, GFCI outlets, recessed lights, pendants and under-cabinet LEDs.
- Permits and inspectionsWe pull the permit when the work needs one and meet the inspector at each stage.
- Range hood ventingWe run the duct for a vented hood through the wall or roof and seal it against drafts.
- Project managementA single point of contact who schedules the trades and keeps you informed.
Materials and options
Hardwood flooringTies the kitchen to the rest of the floor and can be refinished as it wears.
Quartz countersEngineered stone that never needs sealing and resists stains — the everyday workhorse.
Granite and quartziteEach slab is unique — pick yours at the yard. Periodic sealing keeps it stain resistant.
Luxury vinyl plankA waterproof floor that handles spills and dogs and installs over most subfloors.
Shaker cabinetsThe most requested door style: a flat center panel with a simple frame. Works painted or in wood.
Kitchen Remodeling before and after — Highland Park homes
Before
AfterKitchen Remodeling in a postwar bi-level, Highland Park
The site: a postwar bi-level in Highland Park. Before: dark walnut-stained flush-panel cabinets with brass pulls, speckled laminate, brick-pattern sheet vinyl and a fluorescent box light. The main complaint was tired laminate, old flooring and poor light. After: cabinets in white uppers and dusty blue lowers with matte black pulls, bright white quartz counters, a terracotta-look square tile backsplash, black-and-white checkerboard tile flooring and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips. Work included permits and inspections, range hood venting, plus project management.
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1950s ranch in Northbrook
The site: a 1950s ranch near Techny. Before: original birch cabinets painted white decades ago, sagging doors, chrome pulls, laminate with an aluminum edge band, 9-inch vinyl floor tiles and a round fluorescent ceiling ring. The main complaint was cabinets that were falling apart. The result: cabinets in forest green with matte black pulls, black honed granite counters, a green zellige-look tile backsplash, warm oak luxury vinyl plank flooring and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights. The job covered demolition and protection, backsplash and tile, plus range hood venting.
Kitchen Remodeling in Northbrook →
Before
AfterA Buffalo Grove 1980s two-story: before and after
The site: a 1980s two-story near Windfield. The kitchen as it was: honey-oak cathedral raised-panel cabinets with worn finish near the handles, brass knobs, almond laminate with a backsplash lip, beige sheet vinyl and a fluorescent box light in the ceiling. What bothered the owners most: a dated kitchen with worn surfaces everywhere. Finished kitchen: cabinets in pale sage with unlacquered brass knobs and cup pulls, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters, a terracotta-look square tile backsplash, light oak hardwood flooring and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights. The job covered demolition and protection, backsplash and tile, plus electrical and lighting.
Kitchen Remodeling in Buffalo Grove →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1960s ranch in Highland Park
Finished: a new layout with an island, cabinets in two-tone, white quartz counters and black cage pendants and slim recessed lights.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Highland Park →
Before
AfterKitchen Cabinet Installation & Replacement in a 1950s ranch, Highland Park
What changed: new cabinets in warm taupe with brushed nickel bar pulls, installed level and ready for charcoal concrete-look quartz counters.
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & Replacement in Highland Park →How your kitchen remodel goes
- In-home consultationA walk-through of your kitchen: measurements, a look behind the sink and at the panel, and your wish list.
- Design and written estimateA drawn plan, a materials list and a written, itemized quote.
- Ordering and permitsCabinets are ordered — lead times are often several weeks — and we file the permit.
- ConstructionDemolition, rough plumbing and electrical, inspections, then cabinets, counters, tile and lighting.
- Final walk-throughWe adjust every door and drawer, finish the punch list and walk the kitchen with you.
Kitchen Remodeling questions from Highland Park homeowners
My home was built before 1978. Is lead paint an issue?
It can be, so we work lead-safe on older homes: containment, no dry sanding and HEPA cleanup.
Is it worth keeping my pre-1940 layout?
If it works for you, yes. Keeping the plumbing and gas in place leaves more budget for what you see.
How long will a remodeled kitchen last?
The structure lasts for decades; surfaces like paint and grout need occasional care.
Can you remove a wall to open the kitchen?
Yes, after we confirm what the wall carries. Load-bearing walls need a beam sized by an engineer and a permit — we handle both.
Can I keep my appliances?
Yes. Give us the model numbers and we plan the cabinets around them, or around the upgrades you plan to make.
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.
What kind of Highland Park homes do you work in?
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 Remodeling nearby
More for Highland Park homeowners
- All kitchen services in Highland ParkRemodels, cabinets, counters, plumbing, appliances and repairs
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Other kitchen services in Highland Park
Kitchen Design & Layout PlanningLayouts, 3D plans and material picks before work starts.
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & ReplacementNew cabinets installed, leveled and ready for counters.
Countertop Fabrication & InstallationQuartz, granite and butcher block, templated and installed.
Kitchen Backsplash InstallationTile backsplashes with clean lines and flush outlets.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.