A 1970s layout with a peninsula and soffits
Many 1970s kitchens have a peninsula that blocks the dining area and soffits that eat the top of the wall. We check what's inside the soffits and whether the peninsula can open up or turn into an island.
Serving Palatine & nearby Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Palatine, IL
Measured layouts, 3D views and an appliance plan for your Palatine kitchen, drawn before anything is ordered.
- Local crews working in Palatine ZIP 60067, 60074
- Design, permits and every trade on one schedule
- A written, itemized estimate before any work
Layout problems we solve in Palatine kitchens
Most of what makes a kitchen work is decided on paper: where the sink sits, how wide the aisles are, which drawer holds the pots. We measure your Palatine kitchen, sketch a few layout options and refine one into drawings our crew builds from.
Condo kitchen with fixed plumbing
In many condo buildings the plumbing stack and the range vent can't move. We design around them and still find room for better storage and a working layout.
Doorways and traffic through the kitchen
Kids heading for the fridge and the dog heading for the yard shouldn't cross in front of the stove. We plan the layout around how people move through the room.
A layout that no longer fits how you live
Kids, working from home, cooking more or entertaining more: the kitchen that worked twenty years ago may not today. We plan for how the house runs now.
Aisles that are too tight or too wide
An island crammed into a room that can't take it is worse than no island. We measure the clearances first and size the island, or a peninsula, to fit.
Sink and range on the same wall
One long wall with everything on it leaves almost no prep space between the stations. We consider an island or peninsula that takes one station, or a longer run with a clear prep zone.
Lighting and outlets planned as an afterthought
Lighting placed after the cabinets are in leaves shadows on every counter. We draw recessed lights, pendants and under-cabinet strips on the same plan as the cabinets.
No landing space next to appliances
A fridge jammed against a wall or a range at the very end of a run leaves you juggling dishes. Our layouts keep a stretch of counter beside every major appliance.
Everything in a kitchen design
- Site measurementWe measure walls, windows, doors, ceiling height and the positions of plumbing, gas, vents and outlets.
- Needs and habits interviewWe go through who cooks, how often, what you store and what frustrates you now.
- Layout optionsSeveral floor-plan options with the trade-offs of each, so you choose the direction.
- Appliance planWe fix the appliance list early and check each opening, circuit and duct run.
- 3D viewsThree-dimensional views of the room so you can check heights, sight lines and finishes.
- Material selectionsSamples of cabinets, counters and tile reviewed together in your own light.
- Written, itemized estimateA line-item estimate tied to the final drawings, so you see where the money goes.
Materials and options
L-shaped layout with an islandTwo perpendicular runs plus an island, which works well when the room is open on one side.
Shaker and slab cabinet stylesThe two door styles we draw most often, shown in 3D in your colors.
U-shaped layoutThree walls of cabinets give the most counter and storage, as long as the opening stays wide enough.
Two-tone and wood accentsA painted perimeter with a wood or darker island adds depth without busy finishes.
Peninsula instead of an islandGives most of an island's benefits in rooms that can't spare the floor space.
What the work looks like in Palatine homes
Before
In progress
AfterPalatine kitchen, 1980s two-story: kitchen design & layout planning
This one is a 1980s two-story in Palatine. What we started with: white thermofoil cabinets peeling at the edges, oak trim, white ceramic tile with dark stained grout lines and white appliances. The main complaint was a cramped layout and storage that didn't work. The result: a new layout with an island, cabinets in terracotta, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights. The job covered layout options, appliance plan, plus material selections.
Before
AfterBefore and after: a postwar bi-level in Arlington Heights
A postwar bi-level in Arlington Heights, a typical kitchen for Arlington Heights. What we started with: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets, light beige laminate and white appliances. The reason for the call: a kitchen closed off from the rest of the house. After: a new layout with an island, cabinets in light greige uppers and muted blue lowers, black honed granite counters and two glass pendants and recessed lights. On site this meant needs and habits interview, layout options, plus appliance plan.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Arlington Heights →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1980s two-story in Buffalo Grove
This one is a 1980s two-story near Windfield. The kitchen as it was: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above, white Corian-style solid surface with a yellowed seam and black appliances. What bothered the owners most: a cramped layout with nowhere to prep. After: a new layout with an island, cabinets in light warm taupe, warm walnut butcher block counters and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips. On site this meant site measurement, layout options, plus written, itemized estimate.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning in Buffalo Grove →
Before
AfterKitchen Remodeling in a 1980s two-story, Palatine
What changed: cabinets in white uppers and deep green lowers with polished nickel pulls, dark soapstone-look quartz counters, a white herringbone tile backsplash, warm oak luxury vinyl plank flooring and a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights.
Kitchen Remodeling in Palatine →
Before
AfterPalatine kitchen, 1980s two-story: custom kitchen cabinets
What changed: built-to-fit cabinetry to the ceiling in white uppers and deep green lowers with matte black pulls and charcoal concrete-look quartz counters.
Custom Kitchen Cabinets in Palatine →From first visit to final walk-through
- Measure and listenA walk-through with a tape measure and your wish list in hand.
- Layout optionsWe present a few floor plans and talk through what each one gains and gives up.
- 3D views and selectionsRenderings, samples and revisions until the room looks right to you.
- Final drawings and estimateConstruction and permit drawings plus a written, itemized estimate for the build.
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning questions from Palatine homeowners
Can you design a condo kitchen?
We do. Condo plans start with the building's rules and fixed plumbing; we design around both.
How much space do I need for an island?
You need the island itself plus walking room on every side, usually around 42 inches, more where two people cook or a dishwasher opens. We check it on your plan before recommending one.
Do I need drawings for a permit in Palatine?
Cosmetic changes often need no permit; moving walls, adding circuits or relocating plumbing usually does. We check the village's requirements and draw what they ask for.
How much does kitchen design cost?
The scope sets the price, from a simple cabinet layout to full drawings with 3D views and permit sets. You'll get the number in writing before we start.
Can you design around my existing plumbing?
Yes, and it often makes sense. Keeping the sink and gas where they are saves construction time, and we change them only where it fixes a real problem.
Can you do kitchen design 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.
Does kitchen design need a Palatine building permit, and who files it?
Permits go through Community Development Department - Building Permits & Inspections, phone (847) 359-9042. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Do I need a permit for kitchen design 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
Kitchen Design & Layout Planning nearby
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Other kitchen services in Palatine
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Custom Kitchen CabinetsBuilt-to-fit cabinetry up to the ceiling.
Kitchen Island & Peninsula InstallationNew islands and peninsulas with seating and storage.
Accessible Kitchen RemodelingKitchens that work for every age and ability.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.