Jeff's contributes to the world of fine woodworking in many ways. His furniture is artistically…read morecrafted. His articles in Fine Woodworking Magazine are informative & complete. His shop is fully equipped with quality tools. Many are hand tools for there are few straight lines in his creations. Personally I've found his talent as an instructor to be inspirational. The friend who recommended taking one of his classes said "you will feel like you're the only one in the class". i rook one class, & understand it is true.

I could not disagree with the previous post more. Jeff has built a number of pieces for us,…read moreincluding an entire bedroom set, and we could not be happier with his work, which is impeccable, or his ability to listen and exceed our expectations. I recommend his work highly.

Evanstonia and Ziggy only offer poor quality, absence of trustworthiness. Avoid this person's…read moreimpulsive and erratic behavior. They did the same to my grandmother's 100 year old chifforobe and dining table. He removed the brass drawer pulls and brass feet on the table and replaced them with cheap shinny tin. The found 7 chairs that were not the same height and charged me a lot and did not include upholstery which i was not aware until delivery. Only cheap white padding and broken frames. I should have sued, he refinished did not restore. I highly recommend you go elsewhere if you want to preserve your precious pieces he will not do an acceptable job. Lastly, I wish more than anything that you show up at my home. I really hope you do. If i could give 1/2 star I would but his work is not even worth that much.

I had a vastly different experience from the previous reviewer. I would not hesitate to turn over…read moremy furniture to Ziggy for repairs. I took in a pair of antique chairs for repair/restoration. I have struggled to find a shop that comfortable working with these chairs - they are unique and delicate. I hadn't given Ziggy much info over the phone, so I was impressed when he was able to discern a lot of info about the chairs at first glance. And then he went on to teach me a lot more about them - key points on the original craftsmanship, mistakes made in the previous repairs, and what his shop could (and could not) do for them. It took a few months for the chairs to be finished, and it was not cheap. But the results are worth it. The chairs are sturdy and fully functional again. And Ziggy's repair work is far more subtle and seamless than the previous repairs, so I can hardly complain. I also enjoyed working with Ziggy - I found him personable and knowledgeable, and straightforward. I had not seen the previous review on Yelp before making my decision (other reviews for Evanstonia are more consistently positive). I am sorry for what that reviewer went through, and I have no idea why our experiences were so different.

I waited on writing this review hoping I could write a glowing review but unfortunately I can't…read more  The owner, Justas Dambrauskas, is a nice guy but his business practices are something to be desired.  We contracted with Silver Birch to design, build, and install kitchen cabinets, a kitchen island, a basement wet bar, and 3 bathroom vanities.  This was a new construction home project and we were going with Silver Birch for these items separate from our builder.  We contracted with Silver Birch in May 2018 and had various items installed over the next two years based on where we were in completing our new home.  The kitchen cabinets, island, wet bar, and vanities were installed but the kitchen cabinets had missing drawers/hardware.  The island was the wrong color including the matching cabinets above the stove.  Justas met with us on site and agreed these had to be replaced since they did not match our agreed to color.  Months went by with no follow-up work.  In December 2022, Silver Birch came back to replace the panels on the island but did not have all the panels and the panels that were replaced did not all match since the doors were of a different shade.  In replacing the island panels, the installers scratched our wood floor where they pulled out the dishwasher even after we told them to be careful.  We thought they would be installing the toe kicks under the kitchen cabinets, island, and wet bar on this visit but they did not.  After they left, we contacted Justas who said they would come back to finish up.  From December 2022 to present, I have called, texted, and emailed Justas almost daily to know when they are coming back to finish up the remaining work but never received any response whatsoever!  We paid Silver Birch over $25K for this work.  We have been living in our new home since early 2021 with missing drawers, no toe kicks, and an incomplete island.  They still have not installed the panel for the wet bar's mini fridge nor the toe kick.  Silver Birch was paid in full and we were promised they would come back to complete the missing items.  They have not!  We trusted Justas that he would come back and so far they have been back once with little to nothing to show for it!  Some businesses don't deserve to be in business. Silver Birch has left us with a mess and potentially having to spend thousands again to finish their work that we already paid for!

wish I could leave a better review as he does nice work! it's been over a year since my custom…read morekitchen was scheduled for install. no responses to my calls or texts and my kitchen install is not complete including cabinet doors and toe kicks. I finally had to hire another company to finish the job.

We were warned repeatedly: "A kitchen remodel will be a nightmare--don't live there while it's…read morehappening!" That, along with a few other cautions, set our expectations before starting our project with Kitchen & Baths Unlimited. For my wife and me, however, the experience turned out very differently. We cannot say enough great things about Nancy (design), Owen (project management) and the entire team that meticulously executed the remodel. While I work from home and my wife commutes downtown, we decided to move forward with gutting and remodeling the vintage kitchen in our 100-year-old farmhouse in Evanston--and we couldn't be more pleased with the outcome. Yes, the demolition phase was a bit loud, as expected. But after that, the usual construction noise--hammering and drilling--was manageable. The team did an excellent job minimizing disruption: adjacent rooms were carefully sealed to contain dust, wood floors were protected with panels, and window treatments were wrapped in plastic. Design selections were also made easy thanks to Nancy, who guided us through choosing colors, cabinets, and countertops that matched our vision. The result is a beautiful transformation from a neglected, dingy farmhouse kitchen into a bright, modern farmhouse space. The Italian tile backsplash complements the quartz countertops with subtle veining. The lower cabinets are a soft gray, while the upper cabinets are white, creating a clean and balanced look. We also upgraded our appliances and fixtures, including LED ceiling lights, a Bosch microwave drawer, a professional KitchenAid range with a matching hood featuring an infrared sensor, and a modern stainless-steel farmhouse sink with a gentle bow. Despite an initial delay with the permit office due to a previously applied for permit that KBU helped us manage, the project stayed on schedule. We made a few minor upgrades along the way, but thanks to Owen and Nancy's guidance, we remained on time and within our overall budget. The KBU crew was professional, punctual, and highly skilled. Communication was seamless--especially since I was working from home--which helped address questions quickly and keep the project moving efficiently. In the end, we passed all inspections and received written approval from the village within a day. For us, this remodel was a great success. Thank you to Nancy, Owen, Patricia, Rade, and the entire team! You are the BEST!

fabulous kitchen remodel in Logan square neighborhood of Chicago. having done a few kitchen…read moreremodels before (north shore and colorado), I felt some trepidation approaching this project in our new home in Logan square. luckily, I found KBU! I worked with Julie (designer), her team led by Jesus, and of course, owner Owen. Julie came up with ideas I hadn't even thought of and was able to convert an old, smaller space, into something that felt luxurious. Jesus and his team were super hard workers, pleasant to deal with, trustworthy, and highly efficient and knowledgeable. Everything was overseen frequently by Owen. I was blown away with the gorgeous result and the seemlessness with which this project was completed! I highly recommend KBU to everyone!

We initially talked to the owner and his daughter promptly reached out and worked within my $5,000…read morebudget to select gorgeous pre owned traditional furniture for my law office. Everything I got is top quality at a price within reach. People get a good first impression from the furniture and I couldn't be more pleased with it. The installers were really great and the senior one had worked there for several decades, that alone tells me that this is a good company both to work for and do business with. The installer told me the story of the first time he had installed my furniture when they sold it to the original owner, and about when he refinished it when the company let the owner trade it in. Amazing. I literally searched all over Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin to try to find used traditional furniture and this company was the only one with any real choices in furniture. If I ever expand my office space, Second Systems will be my first call for more furniture.

Tremain is the only place I would go for framing. The owner is knowledgeable and meticulous. It is…read morea joy to work with him to find the perfect materials for any piece. You can trust him with your most valuable art. He specializes in restoration. But he is just as willing to help you with "just for fun" pieces. Framing is costly but he is mindful to balance any project with the right framing approach depending on the moment. Excellent work on shadow boxes too!

I brought a mirror to Tremain that I had recently inherited that was my great grandmothers and…read moreSteve made it look like new. Some of the ornate frame had fallen apart and was cracked not to mention the backing was falling apart due to its age -- It is now perfect! Not only is he skilled he is passionate about his work and it shows. It was a haul for me to go to Evanston but it was well worth it. He made me feel so comfortable leaving my family heirloom in his care. 10/10 . GREAT JOB!!

High quality craftsmanship, reliable, creative, fairly priced for the quality and artistry, and…read morehonest. We have been wanting a custom fireplace mantle for a while and have walked past Kyle's studio a number of times to admire his woodwork. We had some ideas going in, but working with Kyle helped us refine what we wanted, and we were able to see samples of comparable pieces to finalize the design and finishes. From start to end, Kyle was very responsive and kept to the schedule and price, even though the cost of materials did spike. He delivered a superbly crafted mantle and installed it perfectly, the final product looked like an intentionally designed and well executed finish to our fireplace. During the process, you are invited to help select the material and the finish options. Most importantly, when asked, Kyle will provide helpful recommendations and feedback. Highly recommended, this is more than supporting local and small businesses, it's about getting the extra care for the piece you're buying, from the sourcing of the materials to the custom finishes. Kyle's carpentry is impeccable, he's very pleasant to work with, and he brings a wealth of knowledge, artistry to his work.

My husband and I had found a DIY outdoor bench project but simply did not have the workshop space…read moreavailable to do the project ourselves, so I took to the interwebs and found Southern Oak Studios. I spoke with Kyle over the phone, sent the project to him (actually via Etsy - he has some cool stuff there you should check out) and we agreed on the price. The project was scoped as two kinda "simple" benches, one longer than the other, and purposed for outdoors so has to withstand the weather conditions here in Chicago. Kyle built them, they looked amazing. He stained them to withstand the elements (I was meh on the color, but all things considered still groovy), dropped them off at our door (SO NICE) and we had our benches. Here's where things get interesting. We decided to keep one bench inside, just based on preference when we saw the layout out back - kinda crowded for our small-ish patio - fine. The bench that went outside... within ~45-60 days pretty much disintegrated. I noticed the wood started to separate in weird ways, but honestly didn't want to even deal with it... finally when my in-laws were in town, my father-in-law was sitting on it and the whole leg kinda just flopped off. (This is funny, now). I reached back out to Kyle about it, and he was pretty darn awesome about the whole thing. Note: 5 star review. He came back over quickly, installed some metal hardware to the bottom/inside of the bench as a temporary fix, APOLOGIZED (!?!), and said he would come up with a new/better design for us. Then, he went back to the drawing board. He found a design that wouldn't allow for water to pool atop, built it with more weather-resistant materials than the prior had been built with, and again, dropped it off. It is beautiful. We don't demand perfection, never. But customer service yes and so often are disappointed. Not this time. Kyle, thank you for all of your hard work. We really appreciate it, and I'm guessing you'll never want to see another bench project in your lifetime but here's to hoping this one lasts a lifetime! Or at least, just a season. :)

Wow! These guys are great! Specifically, Pete. I screwed up and ordered the wrong size butcher…read moreblock. I called first thing the following morning hoping they hadn't finished it yet. Well, it was done and ready to be picked up. When I told him I ordered it in the wrong size, I fully intended on purchasing 2 blocks. (The original in the wrong size and a new one in the right size) Nope. Pete asked what size I really needed, and when it turned out that it was smaller than the original one I ordered, he said no problem, we'll just cut it to size and re-bevel the edges. OK, whew! I figured another 50 bucks for the extra work. Nope. We'll take care of it Kevin, we want you to be happy. No extra charge. Now that's GREAT service!! When my girlfriend showed up to pick up our new butcher block counter, everyone there was extremely helpful. The butcher block is beautiful! May I suggest you ask for the "ogee" cut on the edges as opposed to just rounded edges. The ogee cut looks awesome!! Worth the extra 20 bucks for sure. Did I mention their price for the butcher block was about 30% cheaper than every other estimate I received. Mine cost $180.00 and the next lowest estimate was $247.00 Buying factory direct was a great decision. I HIGHLY recommend if you are looking for a butcher block counter top or island top, check out O'neill's FIRST! Check out the picture I posted of my island butcher block top custom made by O'neill Products. We LOVE it! Great job Pete (and everyone else over there.)

Their product is butcherblock, that slab of maple (usually) assembled from solid 1.5" linear blocks…read moreof clear wood to the width that you need. Butcherblock has been the natural option that predates the current trend to have granite or faux stone for kitchen countertops. It can be used as tabletops or the tops of other pieces of furniture, even stools and chairs. Butcherblock has been popular because of its beauty, strength, and ease of care. Most pieces are sealed with a food-safe polyurethane finish that can stand up to repeated use. O'Neill Products is located in the eastern border of Pilsen, in the shadow of the massive overpass of 90/94 where the Dan Ryan splits into the Kennedy and the Eisenhower expressways. Just to the north are the rail yards that bisect the city. From here and the overpass you get a spectacular vista of the city's downtown core. Most likely you will be ordering custom cut and finished pieces from O'Neill. Our order was personally handled by manager, Pete Grossmann, who saw to it that our piece met our specifications. Read the helpful information at their Web site before ordering: http://www.oneillproducts.com/ . A visit to their small and cluttered showroom might spark some other furnishing ideas.