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(847) 847-4148 contact@deltaremodels.com1212 Ranch Rd
Lake Forest, IL 60045
An open concept kitchen remodel removes or widens the wall between the kitchen and the dining or family room so the spaces work as one. On the North Shore, taking out the wall adds about $5,000 to $25,000 to the kitchen budget. Because the floor, ceiling, lighting and often the plumbing change with it, most open concept projects land in the $130,000 to $200,000 full gut range. Whether the wall is load-bearing decides most of the cost and the schedule.
Most North Shore homes were built with the kitchen behind a wall. Opening it up is part structural project, part kitchen remodel, and part living room update, because the space you open into changes too.
The work usually covers the wall itself, a beam if the wall carries weight, rerouted heating ducts, wiring or plumbing that ran through it, new flooring that runs through both rooms, ceiling repair, and a lighting plan for one larger space. Then comes the kitchen: cabinets that will now be seen from the sofa, an island that often becomes the line between cooking and living, and ventilation strong enough for a room people sit in.
The house matters. A 1920s Colonial or Tudor in Winnetka or Kenilworth often has a load-bearing center wall, plaster and lath, and radiators. A 1960s ranch in Northbrook or Deerfield more often has a partition wall that comes out with far less structural work.
Look at three things. If the floor joists above run across the wall instead of along it, if there is a wall or beam directly below it in the basement, or if it sits near the middle of the house, it is likely carrying weight. These are clues, not proof. We check every wall on site and bring in a structural engineer whenever there is any doubt.
An open kitchen gives you light, sightlines and room for people to gather while you cook. A closed kitchen keeps smells, noise and dishes out of view and leaves more wall for cabinets. Many North Shore families now choose a mix: the kitchen opens to the family room, while the formal dining room or an office stays closed.
Yes, and it is some of our most common work in Lake Forest, Evanston and Wilmette. Older homes need more planning. Plaster walls, original trim, hardwood that has to be matched and systems that were moved decades ago all show up once the wall is open, so we plan for them from the start.
Longer than a kitchen remodel that keeps the walls. Structural design and the village permit review come before demolition, and the beam work happens before cabinets can go in. We give you a full schedule once the engineer has reviewed the wall, so the timeline is based on your house rather than a guess.
The wall is only one part of the price. These ranges come from our 2026 North Shore kitchen remodel cost guide.
| Cost item | North Shore range | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Removing the wall | $5,000 to $25,000 | Load-bearing or not, beam size and type, flush or dropped beam, what runs inside the wall. |
| Moving plumbing | $5,000 to $25,000 | Moving the sink to an island, relocating a vent stack, basement access or not. |
| Cabinetry | 29 to 40 percent of the total budget | Stock, semi-custom or custom, and how much storage you need to replace. |
| Full open concept remodel | Usually $130,000 to $200,000 | Layout change, structural work, flooring through both rooms, finish level. |
Most North Shore kitchen remodels fall into four tiers. Opening a wall usually moves a project up at least one tier.
See what each scope includes in our cosmetic refresh vs full gut comparison.
Flooring through both rooms. New or matched hardwood has to run where the wall stood, often across the whole space.
Ceiling and wall repair. Patching plaster, refinishing the ceiling and painting both rooms.
Heating and cooling. Ducts and returns in the wall get rerouted, and a larger room may need its airflow rebalanced.
Lighting and switching. One room needs lighting zones that work for cooking, dining and relaxing.
Hidden conditions. Old wiring, galvanized pipe or framing damage that only shows once the wall is open.
We price open concept work only after a site visit, because the same wall can cost very different amounts depending on what it carries and what runs through it.
Open concept does not have to mean every wall comes down. These are the options we use most.
A partition wall that carries no weight. It comes out with framing, patching and system rerouting, but no beam. The simplest way to open a kitchen.
The beam sits up inside the ceiling framing so the ceiling stays flat. Cleaner look, more framing work, and it depends on joist direction and span.
The beam hangs below the ceiling. Less framing work and often lower cost. Wrapped in trim, it can mark the line between kitchen and living space.
A wide opening with trim on each side keeps part of the wall, and sometimes a vent stack or chimney. Good for older homes where some separation suits the style.
The wall comes down to counter height and becomes a peninsula with seating. You keep a work surface and an edge between the rooms.
An interior glass wall or pocket doors let light through and close off sound and smells when you want. Often used for a kitchen next to a home office or den.
| Beam choice | Engineered wood (LVL) | Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Typical use | Most residential spans | Longer spans or heavy loads |
| Depth | Deeper for the same load | Shallower, easier to hide in a ceiling |
| Installation | Lighter, framed in by carpenters | Heavier, may need extra crew and equipment |
| Who decides | The structural engineer | The structural engineer |
The house style, the wall and the way you live decide it. These are the recommendations we give most often.
For families who want the kitchen, dining and family areas as one room. Our Lake Forest open plan kitchen removed the wall to the dining area and added skylights in a vaulted ceiling.
For cooks who want to face their guests. A seating island marks the kitchen edge without a wall. Our custom kitchen islands page covers sizing and clearances.
For smaller kitchens and open galley layouts, common in older Evanston and Skokie homes. You gain seating and keep counter space.
For traditional homes where a formal dining room should stay its own room. A wider cased opening connects the spaces and keeps the architecture, as next to our Lake Forest walnut kitchen.
Removing the wall changes which kitchen layouts fit. These are the open concept kitchen designs we build most.
| Layout | How it works in an open plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| L-shape with island | Cabinets on two walls, island facing the living room with seating on the open side. | Most open concept kitchen and living room combinations. |
| One wall with island | All tall cabinets and appliances on one wall, the island does prep and seating. | Long, narrow rooms and modern homes. |
| U-shape to peninsula | One leg of the U becomes a peninsula open to the next room. | Smaller kitchens that need to keep counter space. |
| Open galley | One side of a galley opens up with a counter-height ledge or a full opening. | Older homes with narrow kitchens. |
| Kitchen, dining and living in one room | Kitchen at one end, table in the middle, seating at the far end, each with its own lighting. | Families who want one large gathering space. |
If the island is the center of your open concept kitchen, plan aisles of at least 42 inches around it and keep stools out of the main walkway between rooms.
Once the wall is gone, the kitchen is part of the living room. These choices make the difference.
Paneled refrigerators and dishwashers, furniture-style details and a finish that suits the living room. Our custom kitchen cabinets page covers door styles, wood and finish.
In an open concept kitchen with an island, the island becomes the edge of the kitchen. Seating on the living side keeps people close to the cook without being in the way.
Pendants over the island, recessed light for work areas and separate switching for dining and living. Our under-cabinet lighting guide covers the task layer.
Keep one flooring material through the whole space, pick a hood that vents outside, and choose a backsplash and counter that sit well next to your living room furniture. For layouts built around wheelchair access or aging in place, see accessible kitchens.
Opening a kitchen touches framing, mechanical systems, floors and finishes. We design and build all of it, so nothing falls between trades.
We bring in the engineer, pull the permit and schedule the inspections.
3D plans show the opened space, the island and the sightlines before demolition starts.
39+ years in older homes across Glenview, Wilmette, Highland Park, Lake Forest and nearby towns.
A 3-year workmanship warranty and a 4.9★ Google rating.
Every photo on this page is a Delta project. Browse the full project portfolio for more.
Wall removed to the dining area, skylit vaulted ceiling and oak floors.
Island seating that looks into the dining room.
Two islands sharing cooking and gathering.
Navy island with a marble waterfall top facing the room.
On the North Shore, removing a wall adds about $5,000 to $25,000 to a kitchen remodel. A non-load-bearing partition sits at the low end. A load-bearing wall with a new beam, rerouted ductwork or plumbing, and patched floors and ceilings sits at the high end.
Clues include floor joists above that run across the wall rather than along it, a wall or beam directly below it in the basement, and a position near the middle of the house. Only a site visit and a structural review can confirm it, so treat every wall as load-bearing until it has been checked.
Yes for structural work. North Shore villages require a building permit to remove a load-bearing wall, usually with drawings from a licensed engineer or architect. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical changes inside the wall are permitted and inspected as well.
Often, yes. A flush beam sits up inside the ceiling framing so the ceiling stays flat. It needs more framing work than a dropped beam, which hangs below the ceiling and can be trimmed out as a design feature. The joist direction and span decide which is possible.
For most families who cook and entertain, yes. Many clients now ask for a partly open plan instead: the kitchen opens to the family room while the formal dining room or a home office stays closed. That keeps the light and sightlines and still gives you a quiet room.
Use a range hood ducted to the outside and sized for your cooktop, a quiet dishwasher, and soft surfaces in the living area such as rugs and upholstered seating. Placing the range on a perimeter wall rather than the island also helps.
Most can be moved. Heat runs, returns, wiring and drain lines get rerouted through the floor or ceiling. A main plumbing stack or a chimney is harder, and sometimes the better answer is a partial opening that keeps that section of wall.
An open concept kitchen works when the structure is handled properly and the new space is designed as one room, not a kitchen with a hole in the wall. Start with what the wall carries, decide how open you want to go, then plan the island, floors, lighting and ventilation together.
If you are weighing whether to open your kitchen, we will look at the wall, the framing below and the systems inside it at the first visit and tell you what is realistic for your house. If you are deciding where to spend first, our kitchen vs bathroom remodel comparison can help.
We check the wall, the framing and the systems inside it, talk through how open you want to go, and give you a realistic budget range.
(847) 847-41481212 Ranch Rd · Lake Forest, IL 60045
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