Kitchen Remodeling in Chicago & Nearby Suburbs

The Challenge: Walking into this kitchen before the remodel felt like stepping back into the 1990s. The space was dominated by visually heavy, dark cherry cabinetry and busy granite countertops that seemed to absorb every bit of natural light. A major frustration was the bulky ceiling soffits (bulkheads) that cut the room off, leaving nearly a foot of wasted space and making the ceilings feel much lower than they actually were. Furthermore, the bi-level, tiered island acted more like a wall than a workspace, creating a social barrier that left the cook isolated and the family cramped in a narrow thoroughfare.

The Solution: We didn’t just refresh the surfaces; we completely reimagined the structural soul of the room. Our team gutted the restrictive soffits, instantly “raising” the ceiling and creating the vertical room needed for custom, floor-to-ceiling White Shaker cabinetry sourced directly from our sister company, Planet Cabinets.

To turn the kitchen into a social hub, we demolished the tiered island and replaced it with a single-level, expansive centerpiece topped with a seamless White Quartzite waterfall-edge surface . We replaced the dated square tiles with a marble hexagon backsplash to add sophisticated texture without the visual “noise” of the original design. Finally, we engineered a three-layer lighting plan—recessed ambient cans, under-cabinet task LEDs, and sculptural glass pendants.

The Result: The result is a bright, performance-grade masterpiece that feels twice as large despite staying within the original footprint. By utilizing the full wall height and leveling the island, we increased functional storage and prep space by over 30% . More importantly, the home now has an open-concept flow where guests can gather at the island while the chef works comfortably.