Outlet or heat register in the way
An outlet or a floor register behind the bench needs a plan. We relocate outlets to stay accessible and carry the heat through a grille in the bench face.
Serving Itasca & nearby Wood Dale, Elk Grove Village
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Itasca, IL
We build banquette benches and breakfast nooks in Itasca kitchens, with storage under the seat and a table sized to fit.
- Kitchen remodels across Itasca ZIP 60143
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Eat-in kitchen problems a banquette solves in Itasca
A banquette fits more people into a corner than a table and chairs ever will. Our finish carpenters build benches into Itasca kitchens and nooks with drawers or lift-up seats underneath, set at a comfortable height for a standard dining table.
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.
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.
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.
Empty bay window
If your kitchen has a bay, a banquette that fits its shape is one of the most natural uses for it.
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.
Table that's hard to slide into
We size and position the table so you can slide along the bench without climbing over legs.
Awkward kitchen corner
Corners are hard to furnish. A corner bench uses both walls and leaves the outside of the table open for chairs.
What the project covers
- Measuring the nookWe measure walls, windows, bays, outlets and vents in the area.
- 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.
- 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 tableSeat and back cushions coordinated with an upholsterer, and a table chosen to fit.
Materials and options
Backs: paneled, upholstered or openThe back can be solid wood, cushioned or the wall itself with a cushion.
Cushions and upholsteryPerformance fabrics or vinyl hold up best in a kitchen.
Pedestal and trestle tablesA center base keeps legs away from the bench so people can slide in.
Drawers vs. lift-up seatsDrawers are easier to reach; lift-up seats hold more but need people to stand.
Painted or stained woodA painted or stained finish chosen to match or contrast with the kitchen.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette before and after — Itasca homes
Before
AfterItasca kitchen, 1990s two-story colonial: built-in breakfast nook & banquette
A 1990s two-story colonial near Itasca Historical District, a typical kitchen for Itasca. 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. The job covered measuring the nook, outlets and heat registers, plus storage under the seat.
Before
AfterWood Dale kitchen, 1960s ranch: built-in breakfast nook & banquette
The site: a 1960s ranch in Wood Dale. The kitchen as it was: brick-pattern sheet vinyl and a fluorescent box light. The reason for the call: an empty corner with a wobbly table nobody used. After: a built-in banquette bench with storage drawers and cushions under the window, with a round pedestal table. The job covered storage under the seat, finishing, plus cushions and table.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Wood Dale →
Before
AfterBuilt-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in a postwar bi-level, Elk Grove Village
A postwar bi-level in Elk Grove Village, a typical kitchen for Elk Grove Village. What we started with: 9-inch vinyl floor tiles and a round fluorescent ceiling ring. The main complaint was 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 outlets and heat registers, seat backs and trim, plus cushions and table.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Elk Grove Village →
Before
AfterPantry Design & Installation in a two-story colonial from the 1990s, Itasca
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 Itasca →
Before
AfterKitchen Island & Peninsula Installation in a 1980s two-story, Itasca
Finished: a new island in dusty blue with a black honed granite top and seating.
Kitchen Island & Peninsula Installation in Itasca →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 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 installBench boxes built and installed, finished, then cushions and table placed.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette questions from Itasca 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?
The seat is built to fit standard or custom cushions; we can coordinate the upholstery for you.
What is a built-in kitchen bench called?
A banquette, or simply built-in bench seating.
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.
What table works with a banquette?
We recommend a table with a center pedestal and size it to the bench length.
Can you do banquette build in an Itasca 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 Itasca-registered contractor for banquette build?
Contractors must register with the Village and be bonded before a permit is issued; Certificate of Insurance naming the Village required. We take care of that before work starts.
Do you work in my part of Itasca?
Yes. Our crews work across Itasca, including North Side, South Side, Nordic Park, The Ranchettes — ZIP 60143 — and nearby Wood Dale, Elk Grove Village, Addison.
Working in Itasca
- A lot of Itasca 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.
- Live in the Itasca Historic District? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.
North SideSouth SideNordic ParkThe RanchettesItasca Historical DistrictWalnut Street downtown
ZIP 60143
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette nearby
Other kitchen services in Itasca
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.