Designers & Design Firms
We work from your drawings, elevations, finish direction, and inspiration. Clear scope, clean execution, easy coordination.
For Designers & GCs
Chicago Custom Cabinets & Millwork
It’s simple: bring us your drawings, a rough idea, or a photo of the space. We’ll help figure out the rest.
Kitchens Built-Ins Vanities Closets & Mudrooms Bars Architectural Millwork Custom Furniture
Who We Are
We’re a custom cabinet and millwork shop based in Chicago.
With over 20 years of experience, our goal is simple: do great work and run a smooth project. We believe honest communication, clear drawings, precise shop work, and a clean installation are just as important as the finished piece.
We build kitchens, built-ins, vanities, bars, closets, mudrooms, and architectural millwork for homes across Chicago and nearby suburbs.
Services
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Custom Cabinets
Cabinets built from scratch around your space, your finish, and your hardware.
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Kitchen Cabinets
Full kitchens, fully custom. Sized, detailed, and finished for the room.
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Built-Ins
Living room, library, office, and entry built-ins designed for the room.
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Bathroom Vanities
Vanities sized to the room, the plumbing, and the stone above.
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Closets & Storage
Built closets with real cabinet construction, not wire systems or kits.
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Bars & Entertainment Areas
Wet and dry bars, beverage stations, and entertainment millwork.
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Fireplace / Media Walls
Fireplace and media wall cabinets, paneling, and shelving as one piece.
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Custom Furniture & Specialty Pieces
One-off furniture and specialty pieces built for a specific space, size, material, or finish.
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Architectural Millwork
Paneling, trim, library walls, and architectural detail work.
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Cabinet Refinishing & Color Updates
Refinishing and color updates for existing quality cabinets that are structurally sound.
Who We Work With
Designers, homeowners, and general contractors.
Homeowners
Cabinets, built-ins, and millwork made to fit your space and the way you actually live. We handle the build, finish, and installation.
ServicesGeneral Contractors
Reliable cabinetry and millwork shop, schedule-aware, easy to coordinate with on site. Repeat work welcome.
Trade pageA simple process from first conversation to final install.
- 01 Initial conversation
- 02 Review drawings & site conditions
- 03 Proposal
- 04 Project approval
- 05 Final details
- 06 Fabrication & finishing
- 07 Delivery & installation
Helpful reading about cabinets.
Practical information about cabinet construction, care, finish expectations, and what to expect from real wood in a real house.
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Cabinet Maintenance & Care
Simple, honest guidance for keeping painted and stained custom cabinets looking right over the long haul.
Read → -
Inset vs. Overlay Cabinets: What's the Difference?
A practical guide to inset and overlay cabinet construction: how they look, how they're built, and what each means for cost, lead time, and final appearance.
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Painted Kitchen Cabinets: What Homeowners Should Know Before Choosing a Painted Finish
Material choice, seasonal movement, and honest expectations from a Chicago cabinet shop, so you can decide what actually works best for your home.
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TFL, Melamine, and Laminate: What to Know for Cabinets
A practical guide to engineered cabinet surfaces: what TFL, melamine, and laminate are, where they work well, and how to read samples.
Read →
Trusted by Chicago homeowners, designers, and builders.
- ★★★★★
“Luis and his team at New Era Woodworks is AMAZING!! Luis is professional in all aspects of his work. Communication, follow up, and most importantly quality of work is impeccable. This is our 3rd project with Luis and wouldn't go anywhere else for custom wood work.”
— Purvish P. - ★★★★★
“Luis and his crew did beautiful work and helped bring my ideas for custom furniture pieces to life. They were extraordinarily skilled, great problem solvers, and just an all-around pleasure to work with. I will definitely contact them again in the future if I need more work. These pieces, though, will surely last a lifetime.”
— Amanda J. - ★★★★★
“Luis and whole New Era team are amazing craftsmen and very careful and precise… our new bathroom and dressing area are absolutely elevated due to their fine craftsmanship! Very pleasant to work with and calm which is quite helpful with a stressed out client such as myself:) highly recommend!”
— Eugenia E.
As Seen In
Select New Era Woodworks projects have appeared in national and design publications.
- Homes & Gardens New Era Woodworks millwork was featured in a Homes & Gardens tour of a Chicago high-rise designed by Caroline Turner Interiors. Read the feature →
- Luxe Interiors + Design Luxe Interiors + Design featured a Wilmette Victorian project with New Era Woodworks-crafted island and perimeter cabinetry. Read the feature →
Start a Project
Tell us about the project.
Drawings, photos of the space, inspiration images, finish direction, timing. Anything that helps us understand the work.