Not enough seats for the family
Benches fit an extra person or two compared with chairs, especially with kids, who slide in easily.
Serving Palatine & nearby Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Palatine, IL
We build banquette benches and breakfast nooks in Palatine kitchens, with storage under the seat and a table sized to fit.
- Local crews working in Palatine ZIP 60067, 60074
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Eat-in kitchen problems a banquette solves in Palatine
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 Palatine that usually means a straight bench, an L in a corner or a U in a bay.
Table that's hard to slide into
Table legs in the way make benches miserable. A pedestal or trestle base lets people slide in from the side.
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.
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.
Empty bay window
A bay window is an ideal spot for a U-shaped or angled banquette. We build the bench to follow the bay so the table sits in the light.
Awkward kitchen corner
An L-shaped banquette tucks into a corner and seats more people than chairs could, with storage under both runs.
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.
Everything in a banquette build
- Measuring the nookWe measure walls, windows, bays, outlets and vents in the area.
- Outlets and heat registersOutlets relocated by an electrician and heat routed through a grille in the bench.
- Building the bench boxesSturdy frames anchored to studs so the bench doesn't move.
- 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.
- FinishingPaint or stain, filled and sanded for a furniture finish.
- Cushions and tableWe help size cushions and the table so the setup works together.
Materials and options
Painted or stained woodA painted or stained finish chosen to match or contrast with the kitchen.
Drawers vs. lift-up seatsDrawers for things you use often, hinged lids for seasonal storage.
Straight, L-shaped and U-shaped banquettesThe shape follows the space: one wall, a corner or a bay window.
Backs: paneled, upholstered or openWood-paneled backs, tufted upholstery or a simple open back against the wall.
Cushions and upholsteryPerformance fabrics or vinyl hold up best in a kitchen.
What the work looks like in Palatine homes
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1990s two-story colonial in Palatine
A 1990s two-story colonial in Palatine, a typical kitchen for Palatine. The kitchen as it was: oak parquet and a brass chandelier over the nook. What bothered the owners most: 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. On site this meant measuring the nook, building the bench boxes, plus seat backs and trim.
Before
AfterBefore and after: a postwar bi-level in Arlington Heights
The site: a postwar bi-level in Arlington Heights. Before: 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 building the bench boxes, storage under the seat, plus seat backs and trim.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Arlington Heights →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1980s two-story in Lake Zurich
This one is a 1980s two-story in Lake Zurich. The kitchen as it was: beige sheet vinyl and a fluorescent box light in the ceiling. 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 outlets and heat registers, building the bench boxes, plus seat backs and trim.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Lake Zurich →
Before
AfterA Palatine two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
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 Palatine →
Before
AfterA Palatine 1990s two-story colonial: before and after
A new island in dusty blue with a dark soapstone-look quartz top and seating.
Kitchen Island & Peninsula Installation in Palatine →How your banquette build goes
- Send photos of the spaceA few photos of the corner, bay or nook and rough measurements are enough to start.
- 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 installWe build, finish and install the banquette, then make final adjustments with you.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette questions from Palatine homeowners
Do you do the cushions?
We size the cushions and coordinate them with an upholsterer, or build the bench for cushions you buy.
Banquette or kitchen island seating?
Island seating suits quick meals and guests; a banquette suits families who sit down together and want back support.
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.
How long does it take to build a banquette?
The carpentry is usually done in days. Paint curing and upholstery add a bit of time.
Can a banquette have storage?
Most of ours do: drawers for easy access or lift-up lids for larger items.
Can you do banquette build in a Palatine 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.
Palatine contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
Contractors must be registered and bonded with the Village before a permit is issued. Registration is online and expires Dec 31 each year. We take care of that before work starts.
Do I need a permit for banquette build in Palatine?
It depends on the scope. Palatine's rule in short: A permit is required to remodel a kitchen or to add/alter the electrical system. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Department - Building Permits & Inspections.
Do you work in my part of Palatine?
Yes. Our crews work across Palatine — ZIP 60067, 60074 — and nearby Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Lake Zurich.
Working in Palatine
- A lot of Palatine 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.
- We know how Community Development Department - Building Permits & Inspections handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60067ZIP 60074
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette nearby
Other kitchen services in Palatine
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.