Cabinet Refacing, Refinishing & Painting in Old Town

Old Town is one of Chicago's oldest neighborhoods, a Near North Side pocket of Victorian-era homes and winding, tree-lined streets just west of the Gold Coast. Cabinet painting, refacing, and refinishing are what we specialize in, not a service tacked onto general contracting, and that specialty is exactly what an Old Town kitchen calls for. Much of the neighborhood dates back to the years around the Great Chicago Fire, and it has grown into a walkable, storied place known for Wells Street, Second City, and its long-running art fair. The homes here carry real history, and the kitchens inside them deserve cabinet work that respects the house rather than fighting it.

The homes in Old Town

Old Town holds some of the oldest housing in the city. In and around the historic Old Town Triangle you will find 19th-century workers' cottages and Victorian homes, greystones, and brick two-flats, many lovingly restored, and closer to the Gold Coast the neighborhood shifts into luxury high-rise condos and modern townhomes. Kitchens run the full range, from a compact, character-filled space in a vintage cottage to a sleek, open kitchen in a tower, and each one calls for its own approach.

Matching the color to the architecture

With this much variety, the cabinetry sets the tone. A painted Shaker in white, off-white, sage, or a soft muted tone suits the historic cottages and Victorians, and keeping a stained island or a run of real wood in the mix honors the period woodwork these homes are known for. In the modern condos and townhomes, a clean Flat Panel fits beautifully, whether you want a crisp all-white kitchen or something moodier in a deep tone. Two-tone works across the board, a painted perimeter with a stained white oak or walnut island for warmth and depth. A designer consultation comes with every sizable project. Together you land on a cabinet color that works with your floors, your trim, your light, and the age of the home.

Older and newer kitchens, and the quirks we plan for

Both ends of Old Town's housing tend to need attention. The historic homes carry a century and more of settling, hardware painted over through decades of touch-ups, and layers of old finish, while the condos and newer builds have cabinetry that is now reaching the age where the finish dulls and the style dates. Either way, the boxes are usually solid with good bones, which makes them strong candidates for refinishing, refacing, or a fresh painted finish rather than a full gut. And because so many of these kitchens sit in shared buildings, containment matters: we seal the kitchen off under negative pressure so dust and fumes vent outside rather than drifting into a hallway or a neighbor's unit. All of it gets noted at the first walkthrough, so nothing catches you or your building off guard mid-project.

Working in Old Town's condos and historic homes

Whether a project is in a high-rise, a two-flat, or a restored single-family home, we handle the coordination as part of the job: certificates of insurance for building management, reserving the freight elevator where there is one, working within building hours, and protecting lobbies, stairwells, and entryways as we come and go. Old Town is a short run north from the Fulton shop in Pilsen, so we are close by and easy to schedule. Expectations get set from the very beginning, and from the first coat to the last, the only job is to meet them and exceed them.