Bold Contrast, Built-In Function, and Everyday Use
A kitchen, dining banquet, powder room, and living room, reimagined
Northcenter: Bold Contrast Meets Everyday Comfort
This Northcenter interior design and remodeling project reworked the first floor around the spaces that carry the most daily use: the kitchen, dining area, living room, powder bath, and adjoining circulation zones. A primary goal was to create a more connected first floor through updated cabinetry, lighting, paint, built-ins, and refinished surfaces.
Kitchen Renovation
The kitchen renovation centered on a new cabinet layout, revised appliance locations, improved lighting, and a stronger mix of painted and natural wood finishes. Existing cabinets, countertops, refrigerator, hood, island, and pendant lighting were removed so the room could be rebuilt around the updated plan. The scope also included relocating exhaust and appliance connections, and adding electrical within the new island and backsplash areas.
The final kitchen design balances contrast without making the room feel heavy. White upper cabinets and a refrigerator enclosure was paired with natural walnut lower cabinets and a wood island/shelf over the sink.
Soapstone countertops and porcelain, and a mosaic backsplash extends between upper and lower cabinets, along the hood wall, and inside the shelf space. Hardware, faucet, and electrical details were all selected to support daily use, including a Kohler faucet, built-in soap dispenser, water filtration system, under-cabinet lighting, a microwave outlet in the island, quad outlet at the island, and additional backsplash receptacles.
The lighter upper cabinets keep the perimeter open, while the walnut lower cabinets and island bring warmth to the room. The result is a kitchen that reads clearly from across the first floor and still supports the practical demands of cooking, storage, and cleanup.
Banquette Dining Nook
The banquette was designed as more than a place to fit a table against the wall. The furniture and finish package called for a white built-in bench with an upholstered back, paired with tailored seating details and dedicated lighting chosen to coordinate with the kitchen pendants. Upholstery has self-welt detailing, and seat cushions.
With limited space in many Chicago homes, one priority was maximizing usable space. Here, we took a previously unused space and made it work harder through built-in seating, lighting, and cabinet integration.
Powder Bath
Scope included removal of the pedestal sink, mirror, sconces, accessories, and exhaust fan, followed by installation of a new vanity, mirror, wall sconce, and updated exhaust in the same location. The existing toilet was kept and reinstalled. Wallpaper was planned over a dark-tinted primer.
A 24-inch vanity, brass-framed mirror, brass/opal light, and brushed bronze faucet, pair elegantly with the patterned, bold wallpaper.
Fireplace, Finishing Work, and First-Floor Updates
Beyond the room-by-room updates, the renovation included a broader set of first-floor improvements. We painted the entire first floor, refinished the hardwood floors, updated stair rails and balusters, updated electrical, and replaced multiple fixtures and trims throughout the level. The fireplace was also reworked.
Renovation in Northcenter, Chicago
Lugbill Designs works with homeowners throughout Northcenter and neighboring Chicago areas on kitchen renovations, powder baths, living spaces, and broader interior updates. In homes like this one, a lot of value comes from coordinating multiple first-floor decisions at once—cabinet layout, lighting, built-ins, finishes, and paint—so the result feels intentional and cohesive from room to room.