Original breakfast nook in an older house
Many older Oak Park homes have a small breakfast nook off the kitchen. A banquette built to its exact shape makes it usable again.
Serving Oak Park & nearby Berwyn, Chicago
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Oak Park, IL
We build banquette benches and breakfast nooks in Oak Park kitchens, with storage under the seat and a table sized to fit.
- Kitchen remodels across Oak Park ZIP 60302, 60304, 60301
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Eat-in kitchen problems a banquette solves in Oak Park
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 Oak Park that usually means a straight bench, an L in a corner or a U in a bay.
No storage near the table
Under-seat storage turns the bench into a cabinet. Drawers are easier to reach than lift-up lids when people are sitting.
Bench that's uncomfortable to sit on
A bench that's too deep, too high or perfectly upright gets avoided. We set seat height, depth and a slight back angle with the cushion thickness in mind.
Not enough seats for the family
Benches fit an extra person or two compared with chairs, especially with kids, who slide in easily.
Worn-out old banquette
An older built-in with failing cushions and loose boards can be rebuilt with new boxes, storage and fresh upholstery.
Outlet or heat register in the way
Covering a heat vent with a bench blocks the warm air. We route it through the toe kick or a front grille so the room still heats.
Table that's hard to slide into
We size and position the table so you can slide along the bench without climbing over legs.
A breakfast nook nobody uses
A small table with chairs that bump the wall rarely gets used. A built-in bench along the wall makes the nook comfortable and keeps the walkway open.
What the project covers
- Measuring the nookA visit to measure the space and note anything in the walls behind the bench.
- Sizing the bench and tableSeat height, depth, back angle and table size planned together.
- Outlets and heat registersOutlets relocated by an electrician and heat routed through a grille in the bench.
- Building the bench boxesPlywood bench boxes built and fastened to the wall framing and floor.
- Storage under the seatDrawers in the bench face or hinged lift-up seats, as you prefer.
- Seat backs and trimAngled backs, paneling or beadboard and trim to suit the room.
- Cushions and tableSeat and back cushions coordinated with an upholsterer, and a table chosen to fit.
Finishes and options
Cushions and upholsteryPerformance fabrics or vinyl hold up best in a kitchen.
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.
Backs: paneled, upholstered or openThe back can be solid wood, cushioned or the wall itself with a cushion.
Pedestal and trestle tablesRound tables suit corners and bays; rectangular ones suit straight benches.
What the work looks like in Oak Park homes
Before
AfterAn Oak Park prewar foursquare: before and after
A prewar foursquare near Harrison Street arts district, a typical kitchen for Oak Park. The kitchen as it was: cracked vinyl over hardwood and a single pendant bowl light. The main complaint was 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. On site this meant measuring the nook, sizing the bench and table, plus seat backs and trim.
Before
AfterBuilt-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in a postwar bi-level, Elmhurst
This one is a postwar bi-level in Elmhurst. Before: brick-pattern sheet vinyl and a fluorescent box light. 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. The job covered measuring the nook, sizing the bench and table, plus outlets and heat registers.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Elmhurst →
Before
AfterA Park Ridge 1950s ranch: before and after
This one is a 1950s ranch in Park Ridge. Before: 9-inch vinyl floor tiles and a round fluorescent ceiling ring. What bothered the owners most: 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. Work included measuring the nook, sizing the bench and table, plus building the bench boxes.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Park Ridge →
Before
AfterPantry Design & Installation in a brick bungalow from the 1920s, Oak Park
Finished: 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 Oak Park →
Before
AfterAn Oak Park brick bungalow from the 1920s: before and after
What changed: a new island in navy with a dark soapstone-look quartz top and seating.
Kitchen Island & Peninsula Installation in Oak Park →How your banquette build goes
- Send photos of the spaceShow us the space and tell us how many people you want to seat.
- Measure and planWe measure, check outlets and vents and sketch the bench, table and storage.
- Written estimateAn itemized estimate for the bench, storage, finish and any electrical or vent changes.
- Build and installWe build, finish and install the banquette, then make final adjustments with you.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette questions from Oak Park homeowners
Can a banquette go against a window?
Yes. We set the back height below the windowsill so the window still opens and the trim stays visible.
What about outlets and heat vents behind the bench?
Both are common. We plan around them during measuring so the bench doesn't block power or airflow.
Banquette or kitchen island seating?
If you want a real table, a banquette. If you want counter space plus a few stools, an island.
How much does a built-in banquette cost?
A straight bench costs less than a U-shaped bay build. We quote every part separately after the visit.
Can a banquette have storage?
Yes. We build drawers in the bench face or hinged seats that lift up.
Do I need a Oak Park-registered contractor for banquette build?
Contractors must be registered with the Village and keep a valid certificate of insurance uploaded in Village View. We take care of that before work starts.
Can you do banquette build in an Oak Park 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 permit for banquette build in Oak Park?
It depends on the scope. Oak Park's rule in short: Permits needed for installing new cabinets and countertops and for any extension or alteration of electrical, plumbing or HVAC systems; separate electrical and plumbing permits. We handle the permit when one is needed with Permit & Development Division (Development Services Department).
Do you work in my part of Oak Park?
Yes. Our crews work across Oak Park, including Ridgeland-Oak Park Historic District, Gunderson Historic District, Harrison Street arts district — ZIP 60302, 60304, 60301 — and nearby Berwyn, Chicago, Elmhurst.
Working in Oak Park
- Most Oak Park homes are prewar. We work around plaster walls, radiators and out-of-square rooms every week.
- Condo or townhome? We follow association rules on work hours and elevators and bring the insurance certificate your board asks for.
- Live in the Ridgeland/Oak Park Historic District? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.
Ridgeland-Oak Park Historic DistrictGunderson Historic DistrictHarrison Street arts district
ZIP 60302ZIP 60304ZIP 60301
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette nearby
Other kitchen services in Oak Park
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.