Original pantry or butler's pantry in an older home
Many older Oak Park homes still have a butler's pantry or a narrow original pantry. We refit it with new shelving while keeping its character.
Serving Oak Park & nearby Berwyn, Chicago
Pantry Design & Installation in Oak Park, IL
We design and build kitchen pantries in Oak Park: tall pantry cabinets, reach-in closet conversions and walk-in pantry shelving.
- Kitchen remodels across Oak Park ZIP 60302, 60304, 60301
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Pantry problems we fix in Oak Park
Wire racks, shelves too deep to see into and no light: those are the usual pantry complaints we hear in Oak Park. We replace them with shelving built into the framing, pull-out drawers at the bottom and lighting you can switch on from the door.
Dark pantry closet
If you can't read labels on the top shelf, the pantry needs lighting. We plan it with the shelving so nothing blocks it.
Bulk buys with nowhere to go
Paper towels and big packs of water need a different shelf spacing than spices. We set the shelving around both.
Shelves too deep to see into
If you keep buying what you already have because it was hidden at the back, the shelves are the wrong depth.
Pantry doors that get in the way
A swinging door that blocks the kitchen aisle can be replaced with a pocket door, a barn door or a bifold, depending on the wall.
Small appliances crowding the counter
If small appliances live on the counter because there's nowhere else, a pantry appliance zone gives them a home.
Pantry cabinet with fixed shelves
Pantry cabinets get far more useful when the shelves slide out. We retrofit roll-outs or build a new cabinet with them.
Walk-in pantry that wastes space
If the walk-in feels full but holds little, the shelving layout needs rethinking.
What's included
- Pantry inventoryA walk through your food, appliances and bulk items to size the pantry.
- Choosing the pantry typeCabinet, reach-in closet or walk-in, based on the space you have.
- Layout and shelf depthsA shelf plan with deeper bays low and shallower shelves at eye level.
- Framing changes when neededWall changes only when the plan requires them, with a permit where needed.
- Lighting and outletsA pantry light and, where useful, an outlet for appliances, wired by a licensed electrician.
- Shelving and drawersBuilt-in shelves, roll-out drawers and baskets fitted to the walls.
- Door racks and finishingRacks on the door, trim work and a walkthrough when it's done.
Materials and options
Pull-out drawers and basketsDrawers that bring the back of a deep shelf to the front.
Pantry doorsThe door type depends on clearance: swing, sliding, pocket or bifold.
Wood and melamine shelvingPainted wood or wipeable melamine shelving, built to the walls.
Walk-in pantrySpace to step inside, with shelving on two or three walls.
Pantry cabinetsFull-height cabinets with roll-outs or doors with racks, fitted to a kitchen wall.
What the work looks like in Oak Park homes
Before
AfterPantry Design & Installation in a prewar foursquare, Oak Park
A prewar foursquare near Harrison Street arts district, a typical kitchen for Oak Park. The reason for the call: a pantry closet with wire shelves sagging under food. Finished kitchen: the closet next to the kitchen rebuilt as a pantry with solid wood shelves, pull-out baskets on the bottom and a light. Work included pantry inventory, framing changes when needed, plus door racks and finishing.
Before
AfterBefore and after: a postwar Cape Cod in Elmhurst
A postwar Cape Cod in Elmhurst, a typical kitchen for Elmhurst. The reason for the call: a pantry closet with wire shelves sagging under food. After: the closet next to the kitchen rebuilt as a pantry with solid wood shelves, pull-out baskets on the bottom and a light. Work included pantry inventory, choosing the pantry type, plus framing changes when needed.
Pantry Design & Installation in Elmhurst →
Before
AfterPantry Design & Installation in a postwar bi-level, Park Ridge
This one is a postwar bi-level in Park Ridge. The main complaint was a pantry closet with wire shelves sagging under food. The result: the closet next to the kitchen rebuilt as a pantry with solid wood shelves, pull-out baskets on the bottom and a light. The job covered choosing the pantry type, layout and shelf depths, plus framing changes when needed.
Pantry Design & Installation in Park Ridge →
Before
AfterOak Park kitchen, prewar foursquare: built-in breakfast nook & banquette
Finished: a built-in banquette bench with storage drawers and cushions under the window, with a round pedestal table.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Oak Park →
Before
AfterOak Park kitchen, brick bungalow from the 1920s: kitchen island & peninsula installation
Finished: a new island in navy with a dark soapstone-look quartz top and seating.
Kitchen Island & Peninsula Installation in Oak Park →How your pantry project goes
- Show us the spaceSend photos of the closet, wall or room you're thinking about, plus what you need to store.
- Measure and designWe measure, check walls and wiring, and draw a shelf layout with depths and heights.
- Written estimateA written quote that lists each part of the pantry and what is included.
- Build and installWe build, install and finish the pantry, then walk you through it.
Pantry Design & Installation questions from Oak Park homeowners
Can a closet in an older home become a pantry?
Usually. Older closets are often deep and narrow, which suits a reach-in pantry with shelves on three sides.
What should go in a pantry besides food?
Many people keep appliances, cleaning supplies and pet food there too. We size the shelving around all of it.
Do I need a permit for a new pantry?
Permits come into it when the pantry involves framing or electrical work. We check with the village before starting.
Can you add lighting to a pantry?
Yes. A ceiling fixture or LED strips, switched at the door or turned on when the door opens, are both common.
Should I choose a walk-in or a reach-in pantry?
It comes down to the space. If you have the floor area, a walk-in; if not, a well-shelved reach-in can store a surprising amount.
What is the Oak Park building department phone number?
Permits go through Permit & Development Division (Development Services Department), phone 708-358-5430. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Oak Park contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
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.
Do Oak Park condo associations need to approve pantry project?
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 pantry project 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
Pantry Design & Installation nearby
Other kitchen services in Oak Park
Pull-Out Shelves & Cabinet OrganizersRoll-out shelves and organizers built to fit your existing cabinets.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & BanquetteBuilt-in bench seating with storage for corners, bays and nooks.
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.