Winnetka

Kelly Thayer Design

Winnetka Kitchen & Bath Designer

My years as a Winnetka kitchen & bath designer has taught me that it is one of the North Shore’s most distinguished communities, and its homes reflect a deep appreciation for architectural integrity and refined living. After 25 years designing kitchens and baths across these villages, I understand what that legacy asks of a renovation: the new work should feel as though it has always belonged. Whether your home is a 1920s Tudor near Hubbard Woods, a stately Colonial in the east, or a mid-century estate closer to the lake, the goal is the same — a kitchen or bath that honors the architecture rather than competing with it.

Two-toned Winnetka kitchen remodel with white oak cabinets, quartz island, and blue arched pantry door

Kitchen Remodels in Winnetka

Renovating a kitchen in a Winnetka home is as much about respect as it is about design. These houses were built with real craftsmanship, and homeowners here rightly expect a renovated space to feel original, not like something was dropped in decades later. My process is built for exactly that kind of precision: detailed floor plans, 3D renderings so you can see the room before anything is committed, carefully curated material selections, and cabinetry specifications drawn to honor the home’s existing proportions and millwork. The work is often a balance between modern function (the islands, the storage, the appliances a family actually uses today) and the architectural character that made the house worth buying in the first place. Getting that balance right is the difference between a kitchen that looks renovated and one that looks like it was always meant to be there.

My role doesn’t end when the drawings are final. If you’re still looking for a builder, I can point you toward trades I’ve worked well with over the years; if you already have one, I’m happy to review the estimate and contract alongside you so you know the right questions to ask before you sign. Think of me as the experienced set of eyes in your corner throughout the project.

Bathroom Remodels in Winnetka

A well-designed bathroom in a home like yours should feel like a natural extension of its architecture — quietly luxurious, never out of place. I design Winnetka baths across a full range of styles and needs. On one end, primary suites conceived as genuine retreats, with custom vanities, freestanding tubs, and spa-grade showers finished in materials chosen to complement the home’s era and character. On the other, thoughtful renovations for longtime residents who love where they live and want a bathroom that keeps serving them gracefully as the years go on — curbless showers, beautifully integrated grab bars, layered lighting, and flooring selected for both elegance and grip. Whichever direction your project takes, the aim is a room that feels considered down to the last detail and works effortlessly every day.

What Winnetka Homeowners Are Saying

“I have worked with Kelly on several projects over the last 20 years and have always experienced her as smart, thoughtful, creative, and friendly. She always listens to the ideas I’ve had, offers her excellent suggestions to improve on them, and then brings the overall plan to life.”

Roy B.

Winnetka, Google Review

Read more reviews from Winnetka clients and other North Shore homeowners.

“Kelly was always professional, easy to work with, and totally committed to our project and our overall happiness with it. She is talented, experienced and we would absolutely work with her again.”

Jay H.

Winnetka, Google Review

Why Work With A Local Winnetka Designer?

Winnetka’s architecturally significant homes reward experience and punish guesswork. Twenty-five years at a high-end North Shore kitchen and bath firm (the last ten as its owner) has taught me how these older, custom-built houses actually behave once you start opening things up, and how to design so that new work sits comfortably within original architecture. That fluency matters here more than almost anywhere on the North Shore, whether it’s respecting the scale of a Tudor’s rooms, sourcing materials that read as period-appropriate rather than off-the-shelf, or navigating the realities of renovating a home that deserves to be handled with care. It’s the kind of discernment these residences call for and the reason the finished space looks like it belongs.

Start Your Winnetka Kitchen or Bathroom Project

Most projects start with a 60-minute in-home consultation where we walk your space and talk through what’s working and what isn’t.

Schedule a design consultation and let’s see what’s possible.

Email me at

info@kellythayerdesign.com

Call me at

847-975-4683

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