About Wilmette, IL

There’s no doubt the Village of Wilmette is an excellent place to live. As one of the top 50 highest-income U.S. towns with more than 10,000, this bedroom community was ranked best in Illinois by Business Week, the distinction prompted in part by its low crime rate, excellent schools, and high resident income. As a bonus, the Village is located a scant 14 miles north of downtown Chicago and close to I-94 and the Metra line, so workers enjoy a short commute time. Local attractions are as impressive as Wilmette’s statistics, and include the breathtaking Baha’í House of Worship, named by the Chicago Tribune as one of the “Seven Wonders of Illinois.” The Village also boasts a variety of architectural styles, including work by Frank Lloyd Wright and other well-known architects. Wilmette possesses a beautiful stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline, which includes Gillson Park, with its beach and marina, and the Wallace Bowl, a Roman-inspired outdoor amphitheater that offers concerts and theater productions throughout the summer months. Three shopping centers—Plaza del Lago, Edens Plaza and Westlake Plaza, provide upscale shopping and restaurants for residents and visitors. In short, Wilmette is the complete package, and a perfect place to live and enjoy life.

The Subject Property

The original kitchen in this older home desperately needed updating. Everything was crunched into a small space, with doors on facing walls—one in from outside, the other leading to the rest of the house—making it traffic central. The refrigerator, placed against one short wall, took up valuable prep space, leaving the short counters looking cluttered. Large soffits limited cabinet size, which meant limited storage. While the owners wished to maintain the general floor plan, they needed to increase storage and efficiency, while making the room generally more updated and attractive.

To achieve this, the refrigerator was moved to a wall at the unused back. All soffits were removed to make way for ceiling-height Regency custom Maple Glazed cabinets in Cinnamon. The same cabinetry now surrounds the refrigerator as well, creating a desperately-needed pantry. The old laminate counters were replaced with Daltile granite in New Caledonia, over a stainless steel Kohler undermount sink with a Kohler Simplice chrome faucet, instantly creating a sophisticated new look. Above the counters, an attractive Daltile Rittenhouse backsplash in Biscuit was applied, accented with Laticrete grout in Almond. The final look is tied together with an attractive Daltile Terrace wood-look tile floor in Walnut, coordinated with Laticrete grout in Espresso.

Finishing touches included cheery can lighting throughout and an updated stainless steel stove and built-in microwave, freeing even more space on the counters. Finally, a built-in bench in matching cabinetry and granite top was set along the refrigerator wall, creating an attractive, welcoming sitting area by the back door.

End Result

With more space for storage, clutter can be kept at a minimum, making the entire space feel much larger. The basic floor plan was maintained, yet the new cabinets provide much more storage, and the new placement of the refrigerator creates a much more efficient work triangle, as well as additional storage in the new cabinets surrounding it. Now the flow from back door to the rest of the house is uninterrupted, yet the trip is so much more pleasant.

Need a Kitchen Remodel?

If you want a kitchen remodel in Wilmette, IL call the experts in home improvement, Regency Home Remodeling at 1 (773) 930-4465.