Meet Our Suppliers: Amish Custom Kitchens

Learn about the company, their cabinet selections, how to choose a high-quality cabinet, and how to prepare for the kitchen design process.

Many of our home addition and renovation projects involve new kitchens, especially as homeowners open their floor plans and make this room the hub of family gatherings. With the hardworking kitchen on display, homeowners are looking for solutions that are both functional and beautiful.

That’s where Amish Custom Kitchens comes in. They’re a local supplier of Amish-made cabinetry who have provided the cabinets for many of our projects. I asked founder and owner Steve Bailey to tell us more about his company and cabinet options, how to choose a high-quality cabinet, and how to prepare for the kitchen design process.

What inspired you to start Amish Custom Kitchens?

When I remodeled my own kitchen in 1996 I had a hard time finding good, affordable cabinets. After I stumbled on a dealer in Orion, IL offering custom made Amish cabinets and had them installed - I recognized an opportunity. After months of negotiating with the Amish to give me a chance, I started Amish Custom Kitchens on a part time basis, in my basement. Our reputation started to spread and we grew to become the largest Amish cabinet dealer in Chicagoland.

What sets your company and your cabinets apart?

Quality, Service and Value

What should a customer look for in a cabinet’s construction to know it is high-quality/good craftsmanship?

• “All wood” - not particle board side panels
• “Framed construction” - not “frameless” offered by lower end cabinet suppliers
• “Made in America”
• Full extension, soft close “Blum” drawer glides (not knock-offs)
• Glued and stapled cabinet boxes
• Mortise and tenon frame construction with dowel joinery - not screwed
• Hand sanded and hand applied “catalyzed varnish finish”
• Real veneer hardwood sides - not vinyl
• 5/8” solid dovetail drawer boxes

What styles and finishes are popular this year?

Currently, “Transitional” (clean lines without too much detail) is very popular. The trend is moving towards more contemporary simple with some industrial details.

Our most popular request is for a white shaker kitchen, but we can offer homeowners small changes to that style with many options for door edge profiles and full overlay or inset doors to make their custom home different from what they might find at a big box store. White painted cabinets will always be popular, so we offer 9 standard whites to choose from and 6 grays to achieve the transitional look they desire.

Besides paint, we offer traditional stained cabinets in many wood species including hickory, oak, maple, birch, cherry, alder, bamboo, mahogany and walnut. If our client is looking for something more exotic, our Amish cabinet builders can source that too. Our custom detailing can create craftsman, transitional, farmhouse or contemporary styling that is unique for each home.

What other styles and finishes do you offer?

We can do most any wood, style or finish. Bring us a picture and we can usually match.

Our Amish craftsmen can provide flat-slab wood veneer or painted doors for a more contemporary look. Our newest showroom display also includes metal framed doors that we can include as an accent to a sleek design.

How do you advise homeowners to prepare for a consultation so they can get the most out of it?

Bring measurements, consider which appliances you prefer, and bring a couple pictures of kitchens you love. This helps us get a feel for what you want, so we may match.

What is the typical kitchen design process like?

First meeting can be at your home, or our showroom. If you have architect plans, it is usually best to meet at showroom first - if not it is best to meet at your home to measure the space and understand the layout. Within a week after the first meeting we will email you a full detailed proposal with prices, pictures and measurements. We then expect you to shop our proposal with other cabinets shops or home centers. Once you decide to proceed, we will meet and redesign the layout as many times as needed to get it right. Once you submit a deposit the delivery can take from 6 to 14 weeks, depending how busy the Amish are.

What are some clever cabinets or add-ons that a customer might not know of?

Some of our typical add-ons include our simple deep drawer box that holds two kitchen trash cans, removable silverware dividers and wood lazy susans. Clever solutions we have made are pull-out cutting boards with a cutout directly over our trash cans and an extra inch or two next to an island drawer so our contractors can easily install a code-required outlet in a convenient location. We have made cabinets special heights for baking areas and extra tall families.

What are some typical kitchen layout/design challenges your clients bring to you, and how have you been able to solve them?

Our custom sizing can take advantage of every usable inch of space in oddly shaped kitchens and bring our client’s tall and wall cabinets all the way up to their ceiling without any awkward gaps or fillers.

In addition to kitchens, what are some other rooms that have benefitted from your cabinets?

Amish Custom Kitchens has made cabinets for mudrooms, entertainment centers, bars, laundry rooms, pet washing areas and even a meditation room for one client.

For more information about Amish Custom Kitchens, visit their website at amishcustomkitchens.com.

If you are considering Amish cabinets for your project, let us know during our selections meeting. Kitchen cabinets are one of the first selections decisions you will make, so it’s a good idea to start thinking about what you would like.

For more information about kitchen additions and extensions, please get in touch.