Basement bar in a Northbrook house
In a basement, the location of the main stack and floor drain usually decides where a wet bar can go.
Serving Northbrook & nearby Glenview, Highland Park
Home Bars & Coffee Stations in Northbrook, IL
Built-in wet bars, dry bars and coffee stations for Northbrook kitchens, dining rooms and basements.
- Local crews working in Northbrook ZIP 60062
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Home bar and coffee station problems we solve in Northbrook
We design and build coffee stations and home bars in Northbrook: cabinetry, countertops, open shelves and lighting, plus the plumbing and electrical that a sink, plumbed espresso machine or ice maker requires. You get one crew managing the whole build.
Plumbed espresso machine and filtered water
Coffee tastes better with filtered water, and a plumbed machine never runs dry. We plan the line and filter location.
Not enough outlets or breakers tripping
Running a coffee machine and a kettle on one outlet often trips the breaker. A properly planned circuit fixes that.
Dark corner with no lighting
Lighting is planned with the electrical work so wiring is hidden inside the cabinets and walls.
Glassware and bottles with no home
We plan storage around what you actually keep: stemware, bottles, mixers, mugs or tea.
Beverage fridge overheating or failing
We size the cabinet opening to the fridge's installation instructions so it can breathe.
Bar seating and counter height
A bar with seating needs room behind the stools to walk. We check clearances before building.
Wet bar or dry bar?
The difference is the sink. If plumbing is close, a wet bar is often practical; if not, a dry bar with a beverage fridge covers most needs.
What the project covers
- Visit and planningWe look at the location, measure and check where water, drain and power are.
- Design and appliance selectionWe lay out cabinets, counter, sink and appliances using each appliance's installation specs.
- Permits where requiredWe pull the permits the village requires for new lines or circuits.
- Plumbing rough-inFor a wet bar, a licensed plumber runs supply lines and the drain with proper venting.
- Cabinet installationBase and wall cabinets or open shelves are installed level and secured.
- Appliances and finishingFridges, ice makers and coffee machines are connected, and trim and hardware go on.
- Test and handoverWe test water, drain and power and walk you through the finished bar.
Finishes and options
Bar sinks and faucetsSmall sinks made for bars, matched with a faucet that fits the space.
Beverage fridges and wine coolersUnder-counter fridges and coolers chosen to fit and vent correctly.
Glass-front doors and open shelvingGlass doors, open shelves and wine racks for display.
Water filters for coffeeFiltered water lines that make coffee taste better and help limit scale.
Quartz, stone and wood topsHard-wearing stone or quartz tops, or a sealed wood top where water use is light.
Kitchens like yours in Northbrook: before and after
Before
AfterNorthbrook kitchen, postwar Cape Cod: home bars & coffee stations
This one is a postwar Cape Cod near Downtown Northbrook. What bothered the owners most: an unused corner with no purpose. Finished kitchen: a built-in wet bar with base cabinets, a beverage fridge, open shelves and a small bar sink. On site this meant visit and planning, plumbing rough-in, plus cabinet installation.
Before
AfterGlenview kitchen, 1950s ranch: home bars & coffee stations
A 1950s ranch near The Grove, a typical kitchen for Glenview. What bothered the owners most: coffee gear crowding the kitchen counter. Finished kitchen: a built-in wet bar with base cabinets, a beverage fridge, open shelves and a small bar sink. Work included visit and planning, permits where required, plus plumbing rough-in.
Home Bars & Coffee Stations in Glenview →
Before
AfterHome Bars & Coffee Stations in a two-story colonial from the 1990s, Buffalo Grove
The site: a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Buffalo Grove. The main complaint was wanting a place to entertain downstairs. The result: a built-in wet bar with base cabinets, a beverage fridge, open shelves and a small bar sink. The job covered design and appliance selection, plumbing rough-in, plus test and handover.
Home Bars & Coffee Stations in Buffalo Grove →
Before
AfterA Northbrook postwar Cape Cod: before and after
What changed: 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.
Kitchen Remodeling in Northbrook →
Before
AfterA Northbrook postwar bi-level: before and after
The same doors sprayed in deep navy, new satin brass pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Northbrook →How your home bar or coffee station goes
- Tell us what you wantSend photos of the spot and tell us whether you want a sink, fridge, ice maker or coffee machine.
- Visit and designOn site we confirm what fits and where water and power come from.
- Written estimateYou get an itemized estimate and, once approved, a schedule.
- Build and connectRough-ins, cabinets, top and appliances, with inspections where required.
Home Bars & Coffee Stations questions from Northbrook homeowners
Can you plumb in my espresso machine?
We can connect a plumbable machine to a filtered water line with an accessible shutoff.
Does an ice maker need a drain?
Usually yes, plus a water line. That affects where it can be placed.
Do I need a permit for a wet bar?
Plumbing and electrical work generally needs one. Cabinets alone usually don't.
What is the difference between a wet bar and a dry bar?
Wet means plumbing; dry means no plumbing. A dry bar is simpler to place, a wet bar more convenient for cleanup.
How much does a home bar cost?
We price after seeing the space, since a coffee nook and a full basement wet bar are very different jobs.
What does Northbrook ask for on electrical work?
Electrical contractor license $70; must submit a copy of a valid electrician's registration with the application. New circuits and wiring are done by licensed electricians.
Northbrook building permit for home bar or coffee station: where do I apply?
Permits go through Development & Planning Services, phone 847-664-4050. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Does Northbrook require a licensed plumber for home bar or coffee station?
Plumbing contractors: no village fee; must submit a copy of the State of Illinois Plumbing Contractor Registration (055). Our plumbing connections are made by licensed plumbers.
Do I need a Northbrook-registered contractor for home bar or coffee station?
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 home bar or coffee station 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
Home Bars & Coffee Stations nearby
Other kitchen services in Northbrook
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.
Cabinet RefacingNew doors and fronts on your existing cabinet boxes.
Countertop Fabrication & InstallationQuartz, granite and butcher block, templated and installed.
Kitchen Backsplash InstallationTile backsplashes with clean lines and flush outlets.