Custom kitchen cabinets and millwork for Lake Forest homes

East Lake Forest, West Lake Forest, and what the houses need

Lake Forest has five local historic districts, and the Lake Forest Historic District alone covers 1,019 acres on the National Register, with houses by Charles Sumner Frost, Dwight Perkins and Howard Van Doren Shaw. David Adler's work in the city includes the Lasker estate house. Market Square is called the country's first planned shopping center. East Lake Forest, near the lake, is where the historic district lies; West Lake Forest began as Everett, was annexed in 1926, and much of it was built decades later, with more land added in 1988.

That split shows up in the cabinet work:

• In East Lake Forest's older houses, if the butler's pantry, plaster walls or original millwork are still there, new cabinets should respect them: inset or framed doors, painted or stained wood, trim that matches.
• In West Lake Forest's newer houses, the plan starts with how the kitchen opens to the family room, the island and the pantry.

Do I need a permit for new cabinets in Lake Forest?

Possibly. The City's FAQ says: "For single family homes, a good rule of thumb is you need a permit for anything except, flooring, painting or planting." The City's Historic Preservation Commission reviews landmarks and properties in the historic districts for additions, alterations and demolition; its pages do not mention interior cabinet work. Cabinets are not named either way, so we confirm with the City whether your job needs one, and we apply for it ourselves when the law requires it. (City of Lake Forest, as read 2026-10-27; confirm for your address.)

Work we have done in Lake Forest

• A kitchen.
• A built-in vanity.
• A staircase, rebuilt in full.
• Wainscoting.

Nearby finished work: a white oak stair in Glencoe; a taupe vanity and tall cabinet in Northbrook.

Permits, districts and what stays: planning a Lake Forest kitchen

• Permit first. The City's rule of thumb for single-family homes is a permit for anything but flooring, painting or planting. Cabinets are not named, so we confirm with the City and apply for the permit when it is required.
• Historic district or landmark. If your house is in one of the five local historic districts or is a landmark, the Historic Preservation Commission reviews additions and alterations. Its pages do not mention interior cabinet work; ask the City about your house early.
• What the house already has. If your house still has its original millwork, plaster walls or a butler's pantry, decide what stays before the drawings.
• The rest of the house. Our Lake Forest work went past the kitchen: a built-in vanity, wainscoting and a staircase we rebuilt in full. If other rooms are on your list, plan them with the kitchen.

Stairs, wainscoting and built-ins for Lake Forest homes

• Stairs. We rebuilt a Lake Forest staircase in full, and we also do new treads, railings and balusters on a sound stair.
• Wainscoting and paneling for halls, dining rooms and studies.
• Built-ins: libraries, bookcases, window seats and media walls.
• Butler's pantries, between the kitchen and the dining room.
• Vanities and closets for the bedroom floor.
• Mantels that match the house's trim.

From the visit to the last piece of trim in Lake Forest

1. 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. Lake Forest is about 40 minutes from Spring Grove; the visit and consultation are free.
2. The design package or your architect's drawings. We price from an architect's drawings as given; our own design package ends with the final price after one major revision.
3. The permit, when the City requires one, applied for by us.
4. The build. Roughly 6 to 8 weeks from signed drawings for an average kitchen; built-ins and closets usually 4 to 6.
5. Installation, usually 1 to 3 days for a full kitchen; trim and wainscoting are fitted on site to the house.

East and West Lake Forest, and nearby towns

We serve East and West Lake Forest. The city's named subdivisions include Deerpath Hill Estates, Lasker Estates and Conway Farms. Nearby are Lake Bluff, Riverwoods and Glencoe; see all the towns we serve.

Lake Forest questions

Can you build a butler's pantry for an older house?

Yes. We build butler's pantries as part of the kitchen, and we can match the house's existing trim.

Do you work with Lake Forest architects and builders?

Yes. We work for homeowners, general contractors, interior designers, developers and architects, and we build to your drawings, fabrication only or installed.

Can you match the millwork in an older house?

Usually, yes. We reproduce custom and discontinued trim profiles, and we build paneling, wainscoting and mantels to suit the room.

Do you rebuild old staircases?

Yes. We rebuilt a staircase in full in Lake Forest, and we also replace treads, railings and balusters on a stair that is sound. See finish carpentry.

Can you add wainscoting to match the house?

Yes. We build and fit wainscoting and paneling to the room, with trim that matches the existing profiles.

Does the Historic Preservation Commission review kitchen cabinets?

Its pages describe review of landmarks and district properties for additions, alterations and demolition, and they do not mention interior cabinets. Ask the City about your house.

Do you work in West Lake Forest's newer houses too?

Yes. In a newer house the plan starts from the kitchen and the family room: the island, a pantry wall, built-ins for the family room.