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.
Serving St. Charles & nearby Geneva, West Chicago
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in St. Charles, IL
We build banquette benches and breakfast nooks in St. Charles kitchens, with storage under the seat and a table sized to fit.
- Kitchen remodels across St. Charles ZIP 60174, 60175
- One project manager from drawings to final walk-through
- Permits and inspections handled for you
Eat-in kitchen problems a banquette solves in St. Charles
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 St. Charles that usually means a straight bench, an L in a corner or a U in a bay.
A breakfast nook nobody uses
If the eat-in corner collects mail instead of people, the seating is the problem. A banquette makes it a place you want to sit.
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.
Table that's hard to slide into
The table matters as much as the bench. Its edge should slightly overlap the seat and its base should stay out of your knees.
Kitchen open to the family room with no defined dining spot
When the dining table floats in the middle of the room, building a bench against a wall anchors it.
Not enough seats for the family
When everyone can't sit at once, a banquette along the wall usually adds seats without enlarging the table area.
Bench that's uncomfortable to sit on
Comfort comes from the numbers: seat height with the cushion, a depth that supports your legs and a back that leans a little. We plan those before building.
No storage near the table
The space under a bench is too good to waste. We build in drawers or hinged seats depending on how you'll use it.
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 tableWe plan the bench layout and the table so people can slide in and sit comfortably.
- 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 seatUnder-seat drawers or lids built into each bench section.
- 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.
Materials and options
Drawers vs. lift-up seatsDrawers for things you use often, hinged lids for seasonal storage.
Straight, L-shaped and U-shaped banquettesStraight benches for a wall, L-shapes for corners and U-shapes for bays.
Backs: paneled, upholstered or openWood-paneled backs, tufted upholstery or a simple open back against the wall.
Painted or stained woodA painted or stained finish chosen to match or contrast with the kitchen.
Cushions and upholsteryLoose cushions or fixed upholstered seats in durable, cleanable fabric.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette before and after — St. Charles homes
Before
AfterBuilt-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in a two-story colonial from the 1990s, St. Charles
A two-story colonial from the 1990s in St. Charles, a typical kitchen for St. Charles. What we started with: oak parquet and a brass chandelier over the nook. What bothered the owners most: not enough seats around the kitchen table. 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 cushions and table.
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1980s two-story in West Chicago
The site: a 1980s two-story in West Chicago. The kitchen as it was: 12-inch beige ceramic tile and two hanging glass pendants. The reason for the call: a breakfast nook that never got used. After: a built-in banquette bench with storage drawers and cushions under the window, with a round pedestal table. On site this meant building the bench boxes, storage under the seat, plus cushions and table.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in West Chicago →
Before
AfterA Batavia 1990s two-story colonial: before and after
This one is a 1990s two-story colonial in Batavia. Before: beige sheet vinyl and a fluorescent box light in the ceiling. What bothered the owners most: an empty corner with a wobbly table nobody used. The result: a built-in banquette bench with storage drawers and cushions under the window, with a round pedestal table. The job covered outlets and heat registers, storage under the seat, plus cushions and table.
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette in Batavia →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1990s two-story colonial in St. Charles
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 St. Charles →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1980s two-story in St. Charles
A new island in terracotta with a warm walnut butcher block top and seating.
Kitchen Island & Peninsula Installation in St. Charles →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 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 St. Charles homeowners
What about outlets and heat vents behind the bench?
Outlets are moved to stay accessible, and floor or wall registers are vented through the bench so the room still heats.
Are banquettes worth it?
They're worth it when the space is tight or awkward. In a big open dining room, chairs may be more flexible.
Do you do the cushions?
We focus on the woodwork and can arrange cushions through an upholsterer if you'd like.
How long does it take to build a banquette?
Most banquettes are built and finished within a week or two from the start of work, plus cushion lead time.
What is a built-in kitchen bench called?
Usually a banquette. You'll also hear breakfast nook, booth seating or built-in bench.
St. Charles contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
No registration fee; contractor requirements (general contractor certificate of insurance, with City as certificate holder) must be submitted before a permit is issued. We take care of that before work starts.
Do I need a permit for banquette build in St. Charles?
It depends on the scope. St. Charles's rule in short: Permits required for construction, alteration, repair or demolition of any structure; major residential projects including remodels require 5 sets of drawings. We handle the permit when one is needed with Building Division, Community Development, 2 E. Main St..
Do you work in my part of St. Charles?
Yes. Our crews work across St. Charles — ZIP 60174, 60175 — and nearby Geneva, West Chicago, Batavia.
Working in St. Charles
- A lot of St. Charles kitchens date from the 2000s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most St. Charles homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Live in a historic district? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.
ZIP 60174ZIP 60175
Built-In Breakfast Nook & Banquette nearby
Other kitchen services in St. Charles
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.