From Dated to Dramatic: A Lake Forest Kitchen Remodel by Lotus Home Improvement
From Dated to Dramatic: A Lake Forest Kitchen Remodel
When this Lake Forest family reached out to Lotus Home Improvement, they had a kitchen that was functional — but barely. Honey oak cabinets. A closed-off layout that cut the cook off from the rest of the home. Outdated tile floors. A range hood stuck where a microwave used to be. It was a kitchen designed for a different era, in a home that deserved so much more.
What followed was a complete design-build transformation — the kind of project that reminds us why we do this work.
The Before: What We Were Working With
The original kitchen had a number of challenges that we see frequently in homes of this age and style:
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Honey oak cabinetry — warm in tone but dated in profile, with raised-panel doors that felt heavy and closed
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A layout that isolated the kitchen from the adjacent living space — no visual connection, no flow
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Tile flooring throughout that didn't coordinate with the rest of the home's aesthetic
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Limited counter space and no real island — just an awkward peninsula that didn't function well for entertaining
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Dated lighting that left the kitchen feeling dim and small
This family entertains. They cook seriously. And they wanted a kitchen that reflected the quality of the home they'd built their life in. We got to work.
The After: A Full Design-Build Renovation
The transformation centered on four major design decisions that changed everything about how this kitchen looks and lives.
Rose Hill Cabinets in White Shaker
We specified our own Rose Hill Cabinets — white shaker style — throughout the entire kitchen, from the perimeter run to the full-height pantry tower. Solid plywood box construction means these cabinets will hold up for decades, not just years. The shaker profile is clean and architectural without being cold, and the bright white finish immediately opened up the space and made the room feel twice its actual size.
The pantry tower — floor to ceiling with crown molding detail — is one of the most-requested features we install. It adds enormous storage capacity while looking completely built-in and custom. We also designed a dedicated microwave nook with a small desk below, keeping the counter clear and tucking appliances into the architecture instead of leaving them to sit on the counter.
MSI Q-Quartz — Black with Gray Threading
The countertop choice is the drama of this kitchen. MSI's Q-Quartz in a deep black with dramatic gray and gold threading runs across the full perimeter and caps the island — and the effect against white cabinetry is nothing short of stunning. Quartz gives you the visual impact of natural stone with the durability and low maintenance that a busy family kitchen demands. No sealing. No staining. No worrying.
The island countertop in particular is a showpiece — a large, deep slab that doubles as a breakfast bar with three bar stools, a prep surface, and the primary sink location.
Marble Herringbone Backsplash
Behind the range, marble herringbone tile runs floor to hood — a classic pattern that reads as elevated and handcrafted. The natural variation in the marble picks up the gray and warm tones in the quartz countertop and ties the entire color story together. Under-cabinet LED lighting throws warmth across the backsplash at night, making it glow.
Mohawk Hardwood Flooring
Out went the dated tile. In came Mohawk hardwood flooring — a warm, honey-toned plank that runs throughout the kitchen and adjacent living space, creating the seamless open-concept flow this family wanted. Consistent flooring across rooms visually expands the footprint of the entire main level.
The Details That Elevate
It's often the finishing details that separate a good renovation from a great one. In this kitchen:
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Top Knobs polished silver bar pulls run consistently across every door and drawer — a small detail that creates enormous visual cohesion
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A Ruvati single deep undermount sink with a pull-down faucet sits at the island — practical for a working kitchen, beautiful as a focal point
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Savoy House pendant lighting clusters over the island — modern, warm, and perfectly scaled to the space
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Crown molding to the ceiling on all upper cabinets and the pantry tower — the detail that makes everything look truly built-in
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Glass-front upper cabinets with interior lighting flank the range hood — display space that also adds depth and dimension to the wall
Why Design-Build Makes the Difference
One of the most common frustrations homeowners tell us about is the coordination problem — managing a cabinet company, a countertop fabricator, a tile setter, a plumber, and a flooring installer who all work on different schedules and rarely talk to each other.
At Lotus Home Improvement, we handle all of it. Every product in this Lake Forest kitchen was sourced through us. Every trade was coordinated by Marcus, our field and project manager, whose 20 years of construction experience means your project doesn't stall when someone doesn't show up on Thursday.
The result is a renovation that looks cohesive — because it was designed and built cohesively, by a team that worked together from the first design conversation to the final walkthrough.
Ready to Transform Your Kitchen?
Lotus Home Improvement serves Lake Forest, Lake County, the North Shore, and the greater Chicagoland area. We're a family-owned, MBE-certified design-build firm based in Grayslake, IL — and we'd love to talk about your project.
Visit our showroom at 641 Barron Blvd, Grayslake, IL or reach out through the contact form on our website. We're ready when you are.