ABOUT

“My wife and I worked with the Benvenuti team on designing our dream dining room.
Incorporated into this was a brand new wine cellar. The team was respectful of our home,
everyone was friendly and they were great workers. We wound up having a slight issue on the
sizing of the bottle openings in our new wine cellar. Geno came out, looked at the issue and
promptly got his team engaged to fix it.

They are craftsmen and take tremendous pride in their work. This is our second major project
with Benvenuti and Stein and we’ve been blown away both times. It’s rare for a project to
come out “better” than you expected. The team is 2 for 2!
I highly recommend this group for any home renovation project you have!”

I highly recommend Benvenuti and Stein for any home renovation project. They transformed our unfinished attic into a beautiful and comfortable third floor living space. Their team had awesome ideas and worked with us at our pace. Every employee was great and did quality work. They were very responsive, kind, and patient from beginning to end. I have zero criticisms, which I’ve come to realize is extremely rare when remodeling! Use Benvenuti and Stein for your next project. You won’t regret it.

From the initial concepts through the final design, and from fabrication through construction, the love and care, talent and professionalism that each and every member of the Benvenuti and Stein organization brought to every stage of the project was unparalleled.

Being a multi-faceted design/fabricate/build firm was also a great advantage to the overall success of the project. It allowed for seamless communication and coordination between each of their teams. This resulted in their creative and innovative design being brought to life by the artisanry of their cabinetmakers, which was then installed into an expertly reconstructed and renovated space by highly skilled and detail oriented craftsmen. The project scheduling was finely tuned and streamlined which minimized disruptions, inconveniences and delays, and my budget was always kept in check by their outstanding estimating team.

Each member of the Benvenuti and Stein family were also quite delightful to work with. Throughout the entire process, they carefully listened to and respected my needs, desires, and budget. They were then able to envision, construct and execute a design that incorporated so many imaginative and artful design features I had never thought possible. They transformed my underutilized and inefficient space into a highly functional and beautiful, open and airy home that exceeded all of my hopes and expectations. I wholeheartedly recommend them without any reservations.

We highly recommend Benvenuti and Stein!

We chose to remodel our basement recreation room and the B&S team helped us re-imagine our space with even more comfort, style, and functionality. From start to finish, the entire team was responsive, creative, professional and friendly. Our remodel was completed in a timely fashion and the team was considerate of our needs as we remained in our home during the project.  Their subcontractors for electrical, plumbing, and HVAC were highly skilled and found creative solutions for our issues. The B&S custom cabinets are thoughtfully designed and beautifully constructed.
Every aspect of the project exceeded our expectations.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Geno and his team over the past three years for custom cabinetry/millwork and general contracting. He and his team are amazing!!! They are detailed driven, extremely well organized and always go the distance to ensure quality results. The cabinetry shop is a finely tuned machine that delivers on time, as promised. The teams expertise and communication abilities contribute to the success of every project which goes hand-in-hand with client satisfaction. Without reservation, highly recommend Geno and his team to my architect, designer, builder colleagues as well as home owners.

Creative Spotlight: Benvenuti & Stein

“Having worked with the team at Benvenuti & Stein for over a decade, we have seen them create some of the most stunning spaces we have ever photographed.  As mentioned here in our blog in times past Geno is meticulous and creative.  The photos below are of a mid-century home.  Mid-century homes have a certain charm about them and this character can easily be lost when wanting to update or remodel.

This doesn’t happen when Benvenuti & Stein are doing the renovation.  I’ve seen them move walls, raise ceilings, lower floors and add space where you didn’t think it was possible.  The beauty is that the finished result seems to be what should have been done in the first place, and the update integrates perfectly with the original architecture…..”see more of the project

Benvenuti and Stein did an A+ job on my condo remodel. Everything turned out more beautiful than I expected. The design process to the execution ran extremely smoothly. My project manager Gerry and team were extremely professional and had one goal of client satisfaction.
Thank you to everyone (including all the workmen on site) who contributed to my dream space!

Hi Geno-

Last Friday, we had over 30 people in my home and everyone was blown away by the transformation. I proudly shared with them that the work was done by Benvenuti and spoke about how amazing the company was from design to finish. The compliments and questions about the designer firm kept pouring in.

I want you to know that there is no better marketing than a happy customer, and I am definitely one of those. I am so grateful for your attention to detail, commitment to excellence, and exceptional quality and service. Everything was completed on time and within budget, and the final product was beyond my wildest dreams.

Thank you again for everything, and please extend my thanks to your team. I would highly recommend your company to anyone looking for top-notch design and construction services.

We had a wonderful experience with Benvenuti and Stein. As busy professionals with two young kids, we chose Benvenuti because we wanted a one-stop shop and the easiest process possible.

Geno was very fair and pragmatic from the beginning, counseling us conservatively to NOT spend extra dollars. Having the architect, designer, project manager, and cabinet shop all at the same place made everything simple and seamless. We felt very taken care of and I can honestly say it was fairly painless, even though we did a major kitchen remodel with structural changes and a huge plumbing upgrade. Any bumps in the road (and of course there are always bumps) were corrected quickly.

As for the team… If you’re going to have a bunch of people in your house all day for months on end, these are the folks you want. Polished, professional and perfectionist! (and fun too!) We are so grateful to our project manager Gerry, architect Rod, designer Megan and all the guys who worked on site – head carpenter Dave, Ron, Mike and Rob. Most importantly of course – the final product is flawless. Our kitchen is beyond our wildest dreams: extremely functional, beautiful and designed to grow with our family.

I highly recommend Benvenuti and Stein for anyone looking to remodel their home, especially those looking for a kitchen upgrade. Their exceptional design skills are unmatched, and they blew me away with the transformation of my kitchen.

Their cross-functional team of designers, architects, and builders worked together seamlessly to create a design that was not only functional but also beautiful. I was impressed with their ability to take my ideas and preferences and incorporate them into a stunning design that exceeded my expectations.

The final product was not just a kitchen, but a work of art. I am still amazed by the attention to detail and the unique design elements that make my kitchen stand out. The space is now brighter, more open, and functional, and it has significantly improved my day-to-day life.

In addition to their exceptional design skills, Benvenuti and Stein’s professionalism, responsiveness, and attention to detail set them apart from the rest. They delivered the project on time and within budget, and their team was always professional, courteous, and respectful of my home.

Overall, I highly recommend Benvenuti and Stein for any home remodeling project. Their exceptional design skills, professionalism, and attention to detail make them the ideal partner for any renovation project. I would give them a full 5 stars for their unreal design, excellent craftsmanship, and outstanding services.

Dear Geno- We wanted to thank you, your firm, and Gerry Russell in particular for helping us restore and upgrade our original Prairie School home in Wilmette.  The fact that the house is still standing and shining is due to the great work and thought Benvenuti and Stein brought to each project.  Gerry Russell gets our highest compliments for taking care of every possible detail, being very fair and knowledgeable, and putting up with me.

“Dear all,
As the (Client) project in Evanston is wrapping up, I wanted to thank the entire Benvenuti & Stein team for a job well done – from architectural design, project management through to quality craftsmanship and professional installations. As all projects do, we experienced hiccups here and there, but collectively we worked together through any obstacles – the new bathrooms are beautiful and the client is very pleased.  She is also very happy with the new screen door! 

It was a pleasure to work with you and I hope we have the opportunity again in the future. 
Many thanks again “

Benvenuti and Stein did an outstanding job on our custom family room built-ins. We brought them a design that was pretty unique with lots of arches and the need to blend-in to the adjacent kitchen cabinetry in our open floorplan. Maurice spent time answering all of our questions, addressing our concerns, and kept us current throughout the process. When we came onsite to their shop to do a walkthrough, we were amazed at seeing the care and craftsmanship that went into the project.

Everyone who comes to our house is, literally, in awe of the amazing job that they did and we couldn’t be happier. They were a joy to work with and the results speak for themselves. Highly recommended and we will certainly be using them again for our future projects!

Sunroom addition was designed and executed to perfection. Minimal disruption during construction. Quality workmanship and materials. Geno and his team were extremely responsive. Hung with us through project delays not of their making. One stop shop for everything was great. We’re thrilled with the new space. Worth every penny.

We were looking to expand our back room so that we would have a more comfortable space to hang out with family and friends. Geno took one look and said that we did not need to expand, we just needed to rework what we had, something that we had never considered. We are in the final hours of finishing this project and the end result will knock your socks off! Geno had a vision from the very beginning and his team was able to execute it to perfection and there were no surprises along the way. We have a beautiful new space that has been expertly crafted. The project manager was fantastic. He did a great job managing everything while keeping us informed and the project moving smoothly. He always responded to our requests and concerns.  On top of all of this the crews kept things as neat as possible and cleaned up after themselves daily. We cannot say enough great things about Benvenuti and Stein. We are glad that we trusted them with our project and they delivered something more wonderful that we could have dreamed of.

Benvenuti and Stein provided extraordinary white glove service and handled absolutely everything with our kitchen remodel. The team showed up every day and the entire project was completed on time with no hiccups or delays. We couldn’t be happier with the thoughtfulness of the design, plus the quality of the woodwork and cabinetry is the best around. The precision of every piece of cabinetry is top-notch. We recommend them to everyone we know. Thank you!

Benvenuti and Stein completed our kitchen renovation in January of 2020. We cannot be more pleased with the process and outcome of the project. We worked together to create a design that met our vision and and the more limited space of our condominium unit. We live in a high-rise in downtown Chicago so we needed a company that could coordinate their needs with the building manager. Benvenuti and Stein did this seamlessly. They walked us through each step of the way so there was little stress as the project progressed. Best of all, everyone from Geno Benvenuti to the project manager to the various specialty workers was professional and efficient. They make their own cabinets which are beautiful, of the highest quality and needless to say this makes the possibilities endless. The layout of the kitchen is well thought out and functional. We like to cook and entertain and the kitchen is proving to be spot on for both.

We were very pleased with the results of our kitchen remodel by Benvenuti and Stein. Geno guided us through every phase of the project which was done while we were at our residence in Florida. Geno kept us informed by email, text and video. We trusted Geno and his team to get the job done right and on time. By the time we got home from Florida, the project was finished and we could move in and enjoy our beautiful kitchen.

Our experience with Geno and the whole Benvenuti and Stein team has been excellent. Starting with design and layout, moving on to execution and completion the entire process was a pleasure.  We would definitely use them again for future projects.

Benvenuti and Stein were a pleasure to work with. They were very professional and did a wonderful job from design, through execution, to completion. We remodeled a vintage formal dining room into a paneled den. There were some challenging obstacles to overcome and they were able to do so and give us exactly what we had wanted. They also assigned an on site manager for the project and having a “go to person” made a huge difference. Our schedule was kept and any problems that they ran into (which happens in an old building) were addressed immediately. We can’t say enough about the quality of Benvenuti and Stein’s design team and the work that their shop produces. The finishing of the wood and attention to detail was amazing.

I was very pleased on how my whole renovation project turned out. Initially, the design team listened to my ideas and incorporated them into a plan. They also offered suggestions and their ideas as well. The team of people that renovated my kitchen, master bath and the other 3 bathrooms were top notch! Very talented, considerate and friendly people. I never minded them being in my house. They would always make me laugh. My townhouse looks fantastic now. I am getting a lot of compliments from my neighbors!! I am happy how the project went above and beyond my expectations. Thank you so much!!! PS. I will miss the conversations we would have. You guys always made me laugh!!

My husband and I are thrilled with the completed custom office furniture Benvenuti and Stein designed and installed in our condo. The furniture looks beautiful and the design is wonderfully functional -making great use of the small room. The project manager and team provided the highest quality of workmanship and did their best to minimize the inconvenience of the construction work in our home. I would recommend Benvenuti and Stein for high end custom cabinetry with sensational design and quality installation.

My new condo in Chicago needed a gut renovation of the kitchen and the master bath. I was familiar with Benvenuti and Stein from my 25 years in Winnetka and I knew they had a sterling reputation, so I hired them. I am so glad I did! I really appreciated the attention to detail in both the design and build phases of the project. The custom-built cabinetry is of the highest quality. My kitchen and bath are aesthetically very beautiful as well as highly functional. I have amazing storage space which is quite a feat for a city condo. And to top it off, the designer, project manager and tradesmen were a pleasure to work with. The project was completed on time and on budget. Bravo!

We hired Benvenuti & Stein to renovate and add on to our home in Lakeview. From Day One, we knew we had made the right choice with choosing B&S.

We renovated and changed the layout of our first floor, as well as added on an indoor pool, sunroom, outdoor patio, basement playroom/lounge area and enlarged the garage. The initial planning phase was an incredible experience. It was evident how much attention and detail went into creating our project to make our vision come alive. We spent many months working with Geno and his team to get every detail just right even before work commenced. We spent weeks making sure every detail of the cabinet trim was perfect and that we had the exact shade of white we desired. Many months spent on the perfect wood flooring and many days trekking around the city and suburbs to find the perfect countertops for each area. No matter each request or change we made, the entire team accommodated and always made us feel our happiness with all details was most important.

Once the project began, the entire team worked with incredible professionalism and respect to our home and our budget. Kris was outstanding in her organization and patience with me on choosing every detail needed to complete the project. She made sure they didn’t forget one item, down to knobs, to ensure our home was finished. Jerry and the onsite team were very respectful, always helpful and overall pleasant to have around. We replaced the wood floors on our first floor and when the new wood arrived, it was not what we had ordered. Without hesitation, B&S took action to ensure the company sent out the correct style we had chosen. We kept hearing “If you’re not happy, that’s all that matters and we’ll make it right.”

Throughout the entire project, my husband and were always impressed at how every step was managed. We are thrilled with how the project turned out and love our new home! Geno and his team are an exceptional group and handled themselves with the utmost class and professionalism. There is no doubt that we will use Benvenuti & Stein for any further projects.

“Benvenuti and Stein renovated our kitchen with custom cabinets and a completely new floor plan on our main floor. Their architects are visionary, the cabinet makers are brilliant, and all of the contractors and sub contractors are very professional and were a joy to have in our home for four months. The project manager made sure that they stayed on the timeline and met all deadlines. We plan to use them again in the future if we ever build or renovate.”

Moving from a 4 bedroom suburban home to a 2 bedroom city condominium was challenging enough. But not having that condominium look like a “white box” was another.
The team at Benvenuti and Stein accomplished that creatively and uniquely while maximizing our space. There was great attention to detail and quality craftsmanship. They took into consideration our tastes, styles and lifestyle. They solved our lighting and flooring issues. The cabinetry is stunning as well as functional.
The project ran smoothly and timely. Everyone on the team from designer to sub contractors was a professional.
The result is a beautiful, new apartment that we hope to enjoy for many years.
We couldn’t be happier!

“We have used Benvenuti and Stein for projects large and small over 25 years, including all our bathrooms, the kitchen (twice) and now our second master bath. We’ve always appreciated their complete design and build service, and we worked recently with people we met 25 years ago. The design help is outstanding, and the onsite personnel are nothing but professional, skilled and responsive. Nice people, too.

Quality and satisfaction of the client is of utmost importance for the company and our latest experience was as good as our prior ones.”

“I can’t say enough about the beautiful job they did. The custom cabinets are amazing and the space planning they did was incredible. We live in a 4 story home that has limited space and after the remodel we have extra room for storage! The staff was there everyday on time and very pleasant to work with. They even had the job finished on time. We will definitely use them for future projects! Thanks to all at Benvenuti and Stein!”

It’s hard to put an experience into words sometimes. I’m writing this review because I want everyone to know how much of a partner Benvenuti & Stein have become for us. There are lot of “home builders” in the area: How do you choose? Will it be done on budget? How long will this take? How do I know if I’m getting a good deal? The construction industry has a sometimes bad reputation for a reason – now we were venturing into that beast full speed ahead. That was our dilemma in June of 2015. We had recently purchased an 85 year old home in River Forest, IL that needed a complete gut rehab (including all mechanical systems). We were starting from an absolute blank slate (at least on the interior). After receiving multiple bids based on preliminary design, pricing was all over the board. $500,000 all the way up to $800,000. Again, the questions started up again… what makes one rehab cost X and one cost Y. In the process of vetting the design build firms we began to learn the famous quote, “Price is what you pay and value is what you get.” has never been more applicable. Ultimately, that is what our decision came down too – what level of quality and finishes (things we value) would make us happy.That eliminated the first few contenders. Now we had to decide again, “How am I going to trust someone to do the project right”. I had heard stories of how contractors would skimp and use the cheapest material and labor on the things I couldn’t see (everything inside the walls) and then apply the “finishes” a home owner had selected. We wanted both – someone who would rebuild this home like it was their own house – paying attention to every detail (especially the things we don’t see everyday). Is there a higher cost to get the job right? We decided the answer was “No” because we could have easily spent less to have the job done wrong. We are so happy that we choose Benvenuti & Stein, a design build firm that brought a unique combination of ability to complete our project without cutting corners, uses high-end finishes and was able to work within budget. Their ability is project manage is what truly made this all possible and we have nothing but the highest compliments for their team.  Full disclosure: I definitely have OCD tendencies. I really want things done right – all the way from the inside of the walls to the final coat of paint. Just ask Bob, Dave or Kris about my obsession with straight lines.  Geno Benvenuti (CEO), Bob Zievel (Project Manager), Kris Sandoval (Designer) and David Collins (on-site foreman) delivered.   The design and construction process were better than we ever could have ever imagined. We’ve done a simple remodel before, so we a basic understanding of the “you get what you pay for” concept. That’s why we went with Geno and his team. They were not the “cheapest”. There are other companies that can handle cheap. We wanted value and quality. They definitely understand the requirements of a customer that needs a project done right. But here’s the kicker: THEY WILL WORK ON YOUR BUDGET.   We asked them to help us completely redesign design an 85 year old home – down to the studs and removal of a few load bearing walls. We collaborated to create something incredible but asked for a project plan that would allow us to break the entire project into 2 phases (phase 1 were the two main floors, phase 2 and 3 involve two additions and a basement remodel).   Anyway, a full gut rehab and 5.5 months later, me, my wife and 2 girls moved into an incredible home.     Geno: Thanks for pushing us. Your vision to see the potential of our space was really something special. Bob: Thanks for all the times you answered the phone to “run the numbers” – I felt like I was your only client… incredible. Kris: The voice of inspiration. Thanks for letting us design something we didn’t think was possible. We wake up every morning and can’t believe how this turned out. You’ve got a gift in how you put all the pieces together!! Dave… What can I say??? You were here every day. Your level and plumb lines we NEVER more than 1/64 off. You managed the trades like a boss of all bosses. Thank you.    We will be repeat Benvenuti clients because of everyone’s hard work!    To all the others homeowners evaluating design-build firms… My advice:   1. Get it done right the first time. Now is not the time to skimp.   2. Go with experience.   3. Don’t fall for the low bid trick. Benvenuti was only over by 2% on their original estimate. Most contractors say “prepare for 15% – 25% in overage for unforeseen things”.   4. And remember, you get what you pay for.    If you would like a reference. Ask them about 1201. We would be glad to share our experience.”

Benvenuti and Stein remodeled our kitchen, raised the ceiling in our dining room, and refinished our hardwood floors. Their entire staff is extremely professional, polite, honest, prompt and clean. One of their design professionals, Kris, was assigned to us for the duration of the 3 month project. Weekly meetings took place so that we were always on the same page as to where the project was in terms of completion and whether any issues needed to be resolved. Any issues that did arise were resolved quickly and to our complete satisfaction. Kris spent many hours with us visiting various suppliers (granite countertops, kitchen and door hardware, appliances). Her advice was very helpful. The level of craftsmanship shown by their carpenters (custom-designed and built cabinetry and onsite carpentry for crown-molding, etc.) is amazing. The project was completed on time and we could not be happier with the outcome. We now have a kitchen, dining room, and hardwood floors that we are extremely proud of. The result is absolutely gorgeous. We recommend Benvenuti and Stein in the highest possible terms. They are simply terrific. We look forward to using them again when it comes time to remodel our basement!

“…we recently celebrated our sixth year in our Benvenuti and Stein home… To this day, we regularly receive compliments on the design and craftmanship of our home. The cabinetry work, in particular, is second to none… Benvenuti and Stein embraces a formula of timeless design and superior craftmanship that is unequaled. Moreover, you stand behind the quality of your work with integrity and personal interest that is rarely seen in any business today. Thank you to you and your team for building a home for our family that we have thoroughly enjoyed over the past six years. We look forward to the next six!”

“Benvenuti rehabbed our kitchen by replacing countertops, backsplash, redesigning some cabinets, refinishing floors and painting cabinets. They also did extensive electrical and plumbing updates. They arrived promptly, cleaned the area every night had experienced employees and team members. Their work is always perfect and they won’t accept anything that is not. Their designer we worked with listened to my wants and needs and guided me to achieve them. This is our second project with Benvenuti and would not consider any other firm.”

I have used this firm for both design build from the foundation and for a major renovation of an existing condo. Both projects resulted in a living design that was exactly what I was hoping to achieve in the time frame that was presented.  Quality work, great follow through if you need them to return for any issue.

“I use Benvenuti and Stein because of trust. The work is done well and honestly”

“Benvenuti and Stein is loyal and trustworthy, and they will impress you at every turn. After they finished designing and building our new home we threw them a party! Our home is our sanctuary and we had very specific ideas on how we wanted it look and how we needed it to function. The company came up with a design that was in keeping with our needs and the historic look of our neighborhood. We love it.”

Geno is awesome! We are very picky and were very nervous about selecting the right firm for our full kitchen and bath make over. When we met Geno, we knew he was the guy to help is out. He has great design ideas and his work is excellent. – on time, on budget, cleanest and most professional workers/contractors, and great quality. He exceeded our expectations in every respect. We couldn’t be happier with the end product and look forward to working with him again.

“You have done a fantastic job and you may certainly use me as a reference.”