Kitchen
Lakeshore Cottage Kitchen
Location
Highland Park, IL
Completed
2024
Duration
11 weeks
Budget
$148,000
Scope
What we built
Full gut down to studs. Removed a load-bearing wall to open the kitchen to the lake-facing dining room. New custom inset cabinetry, calacatta gold quartzite island, Wolf 48" range, integrated Sub-Zero refrigeration, and a butler's pantry tucked into the original maid's hallway.
The Hendersons inherited a 1928 lakefront cottage with a kitchen that hadn't been touched since 1987 — pickled oak cabinets, a peninsula that blocked the lake view, and a galley layout that made hosting impossible.
Our designers worked with their architect to relocate the powder room, removing a structural wall in favor of a 14-foot LVL beam. The result is a single, open volume that draws light from three exposures.
Cabinetry was built by a Wisconsin millwork shop we've partnered with since 2014 — quarter-sawn white oak interiors, hand-painted Benjamin Moore Simply White exteriors, and unlacquered brass hardware that will patina with use.
"James and his team treated our 1928 cottage like it was their own home. The new kitchen looks like it was always meant to be there — and we've already hosted three holidays in it."
— Margaret H., Highland Park