Evanston Kitchen Remodel

This Evanston, IL, kitchen had dated cherry cabinets, an awkward desk area, and a long, narrow island that didn't work for a family that takes cooking seriously. One of the clients is a food scientist, so organization and efficiency weren't optional. Spices, oils, and tools all needed logical homes, and the island had to function as a serious prep surface. We worked with Parker & Co. to reconfigure the layout, designed a custom island that feels substantial and intentional, and worked around some tricky existing conditions: plumbing stacks that forced us to shrink the island a few inches, radiators we moved to the toekicks to free up storage space, and we swapped out mismatched windows for symmetry across the hood wall. The island is one of our favorite pieces in this project — totally custom millwork that we brought to life with trusted cabinetmakers. It's the kind of detail that makes a kitchen feel designed rather than assembled. The timeline added pressure: the clients were expecting their third baby, so getting it done on time wasn't negotiable. This kitchen is about function meeting craft, beautiful, yes, but built for people who actually use it.