Kenilworth, IL
Cabinets and millwork for Kenilworth's century-old houses
We build kitchen cabinets, built-ins and millwork in our Spring Grove shop and install them in Kenilworth, about an hour away. We have built in Winnetka, Wilmette and Glencoe, nearby on the North Shore.
- 6 years building cabinets, almost 20 installing them
- Built in our own shop in Spring Grove, IL
- Family owned
- Written 1-year workmanship warranty
- Insured and licensed where required
- Blum soft-close hinges, Salice full-extension slides, Renner Italian high-end finish
A library wall with open shelves above base cabinets, built in Wilmette, nearby.
A village planned in 1889, and what its houses need
Joseph Sears laid out Kenilworth in 1889 on 223.6 acres between the railroad and Lake Michigan: large lots, deep setbacks, utilities underground, no alleys and no fences. The historical society counts more than 300 houses built from 1889 to 1926, in Queen Anne, Prairie School, Arts and Crafts and American Foursquare styles. George W. Maher designed more than 40 buildings here, and Frank Lloyd Wright's Hiram Baldwin House (1905) is the village's only Wright. Kenilworth has eight National Register listings but no historic district: a 2008 nomination was voted down.
A house like that sets the terms for new cabinets:
- Original woodwork to respect. If the house still has its first trim, bookcases or window seats, new work should match them. We reproduce custom and discontinued trim profiles.
- Kitchens that have changed over the years. In a house built before 1926, tell us what has already changed in the kitchen: walls, windows, the ceiling. Inset or framed cabinets, white oak and simple door styles suit Prairie and Craftsman houses.
- Walls that are out of square. If yours are, we scribe panels and fillers to them.
Do I need a permit to replace kitchen cabinets in Kenilworth?
Yes. The village's Building Permit Information sheet lists, under permits required, "Kitchen remodeling, replacing cabinets & appliances" and "Interior remodeling." Under permits not required it lists "Wall coverings, painting & decorating." (Village of Kenilworth, as read 2026-10-27; confirm for your address.) The village's 2026 interior remodel checklist also asks for drawings of current and proposed conditions, and copies of the electrician's and plumber's licenses. If an architect or designer is drawing the remodel, we work from their set, and we pull the permit ourselves.
Work we have done in and near Kenilworth
- In Kenilworth: a kitchen, a wine bar and a vanity, with the trim that goes with them. Nearly every job we do includes the trim around it.
- Winnetka: a cream raised-panel kitchen with crown molding and a peninsula, a cream raised-panel bedroom wall unit, an entertainment center and a curved stair.
- Wilmette: a library wall with open shelves above base cabinets.
- Glencoe: a white oak stair we rebuilt in full.
What the Kenilworth permit asks for, and what to settle first
- The permit, with drawings. Kenilworth needs a permit to replace kitchen cabinets. Its 2026 interior remodel checklist asks for drawings of the current and the proposed rooms, and copies of the electrician's and the plumber's licenses. Structural remodeling must be sealed by a registered architect. Settle early who draws the permit set.
- No historic district. Kenilworth has no historic district: a nomination in 2008 was voted down. The building permit is the step to plan for.
- What is original. Many houses here were built between 1889 and 1926. Decide which original woodwork stays before the new cabinets are drawn around it.
- Who does the wiring and plumbing. The village wants their licenses with the application, so line up the electrician and the plumber at the start.
Wine bars, vanities and trim for Kenilworth houses
Our Kenilworth work is a kitchen, a wine bar and a vanity, each with the trim that goes with it. For houses like these we also build:
- Libraries and bookcases fitted to the windows and the trim.
- Butler's pantries.
- Mantels and fireplace surrounds.
- Window seats and built-in cupboards that look original to the house.
- Stairs: new treads and railings, or a full rebuild.
Drawings, permit, build: a Kenilworth project step by step
- The visit. It starts with a visit. We measure, we listen, and we give you a straight number. If it works for you, we design it with you, and only then do we build. Kenilworth is about an hour from the shop; the visit and consultation are free.
- The drawings. Our design package covers the cabinet drawings, with one major revision, and ends with the final price. If an architect is involved, we work from their set.
- The permit. The village asks for drawings and the trades' licenses. We pull the permit.
- The build. Roughly 6 to 8 weeks from signed drawings for an average kitchen; built-ins and closets usually 4 to 6.
- Installation, usually 1 to 3 days for a full kitchen, with the trim fitted last.
Nearby on the North Shore
Kenilworth sits between the railroad and Lake Michigan, and we serve all of it. See our pages for Winnetka and Glencoe, or all the towns we serve. We have also built in Wilmette and Evanston.
Kenilworth questions
Can you add to an original built-in?
Yes. We can build new parts to match it: shelves, doors, trim and panels.
Do you build inset cabinets?
Yes, in stained wood, which suits Prairie and Craftsman houses. We can also offer frameless inset. See how we build cabinets.
What does the Kenilworth permit need?
Per the village's 2026 checklist: drawings of the current and proposed rooms, and copies of the electrician's and plumber's licenses; structural work sealed by a registered architect. We pull the permit.
Do you build wine bars?
Yes. We built one in Kenilworth, and a basement bar with a wine rack in Spring Grove.
What suits a Prairie or Craftsman house?
White oak, simple door styles and inset or framed construction suit them, and we match the trim that is already there.
Family owned. Insured and licensed where required. We build in our own shop and install the work ourselves.
Start with a visit
Homeowners: tell us about the space and what has to fit in it. Photos help us see it before the visit.
General contractors, interior designers, developers and architects: send a bid inquiry and we price from your drawings.