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 Northbrook & nearby Glenview, Highland Park
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Northbrook, IL
We build banquette benches and breakfast nooks in Northbrook kitchens, with storage under the seat and a table sized to fit.
- Local crews working in Northbrook ZIP 60062
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Eat-in kitchen problems a banquette solves in Northbrook
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 Northbrook that usually means a straight bench, an L in a corner or a U in a bay.
A breakfast nook nobody uses
Nooks with loose chairs feel cramped. Fixed seating against the wall uses the space much better.
Awkward kitchen corner
Corners are hard to furnish. A corner bench uses both walls and leaves the outside of the table open for chairs.
No room to pull out chairs
When chairs hit the wall or the island every time someone stands up, a banquette on one or two sides solves it.
Island seating that isn't working
Sometimes a banquette is the better choice instead of island stools, especially for families who eat together every day.
Table that's hard to slide into
We size and position the table so you can slide along the bench without climbing over legs.
No storage near the table
Banquette seats can hide drawers or lift-up lids for table linens, placemats, games or seasonal dishes.
Worn-out old banquette
A dated banquette with flattened cushions can often be refaced and re-cushioned, or replaced if the frame is weak.
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.
- Outlets and heat registersAnything in the wall or floor behind the bench is moved or vented through it.
- Storage under the seatDrawers in the bench face or hinged lift-up seats, as you prefer.
- Seat backs and trimBackrests and trim finished to match the kitchen or the nook.
- 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
Cushions and upholsteryPerformance fabrics or vinyl hold up best in a kitchen.
Backs: paneled, upholstered or openWood-paneled backs, tufted upholstery or a simple open back against the wall.
Straight, L-shaped and U-shaped banquettesThe shape follows the space: one wall, a corner or a bay window.
Painted or stained woodPaint-grade wood that matches the cabinets, or stained wood for a furniture look.
Pedestal and trestle tablesRound tables suit corners and bays; rectangular ones suit straight benches.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette before and after — Northbrook homes
Before
AfterBuilt-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in a 1960s ranch, Northbrook
This one is a 1960s ranch near Downtown Northbrook. What we started with: brick-pattern sheet vinyl and a fluorescent box light. The main complaint was a breakfast nook that never got used. The result: 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 cushions and table.
Before
AfterBefore and after: a postwar bi-level in Highland Park
The site: a postwar bi-level near Downtown Highland Park. The kitchen as it was: vinyl in a checker pattern and a dome ceiling light. The reason for the call: an empty corner with a wobbly table nobody used. The result: a built-in banquette bench with storage drawers and cushions under the window, with a round pedestal table. The job covered sizing the bench and table, outlets and heat registers, plus cushions and table.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Highland Park →
Before
AfterBuffalo Grove kitchen, two-story colonial from the 1990s: built-in breakfast nook & banquette
A two-story colonial from the 1990s near The Highlands, a typical kitchen for Buffalo Grove. What we started with: oak parquet and a brass chandelier over the nook. The reason for the call: not enough seats around the kitchen table. The result: 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 cushions and table.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Buffalo Grove →
Before
AfterNorthbrook kitchen, postwar Cape Cod: 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 Northbrook →
Before
AfterA Northbrook 1950s ranch: before and after
Finished: a new island in dusty blue with a creamy quartzite-look quartz top and seating.
Kitchen Island & Peninsula Installation in Northbrook →From first visit to final walk-through
- 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 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 Northbrook homeowners
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?
Banquette is the common term, often used together with breakfast nook.
What table works with a banquette?
We recommend a table with a center pedestal and size it to the bench length.
Can a banquette have storage?
Yes, and it's one of the main reasons people choose built-in seating.
How much does a built-in banquette cost?
It depends on size, shape, storage, finish and any electrical or vent work. You get a written, itemized estimate after we measure.
Do I need a Northbrook-registered contractor for banquette build?
Village contractor license required, good for one year: general contractors $100; electrical $70. We take care of that before work starts.
Do I need a permit for banquette build in Northbrook?
It depends on the scope. Northbrook's rule in short: Village lists separate permit types: Single Family Alterations - Interior, Electrical (new wiring/outlets), and Plumbing (new fixtures). We handle the permit when one is needed with Development & Planning Services.
Do you work in my part of Northbrook?
Yes. Our crews work across Northbrook, including Techny, Downtown Northbrook — ZIP 60062 — and nearby Glenview, Highland Park, Mount Prospect.
Working in Northbrook
- A lot of Northbrook kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Northbrook homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Development & Planning Services handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
TechnyDowntown Northbrook
ZIP 60062
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette nearby
Other kitchen services in Northbrook
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.