Chooz Score Insights
The Women Behind the Work
Nicole leading on site. Tina and Nancy prepping. Jose spraying doors back at the studio. Caden, Em, and Eileen rounding out the crew. Read a handful of Tupelo reviews and you stop seeing a faceless "team" and start recognizing the same women by name, project after project.
This is an all-women, in-house crew, not a rotating cast of subcontractors, and customers notice. They list the crew out by first name, thank each of them, and ask for the same faces when they book the next job. The Chooz Score's in-house crews component reflects that consistency, since the identical names surface across review after review instead of changing week to week.
"Michele was great to work with and her crew (shout out to Nicole, Tina, Nancy, Jose & Em) were very friendly and did a fantastic job." - Korina B., Google Review
Craftsmanship You Can See
Twenty-five-year-old oak cabinets come out looking brand new. That's the outcome reviewers describe over and over, and the before-and-after photos attached to many of their reviews back it up. One homeowner who was sure her heavy oak grain would still show watched two coats of primer and two coats of paint erase it almost entirely.
What sets the finish apart is that it lasts. When a customer came to Tupelo after another company's paint chipped and peeled within a few months, the redo held the way the first job never did, and reviewers keep using words like furniture-grade to describe the result. The Chooz Score's review authenticity indicators are strong for this reason, with customers naming exact colors, real timelines, and the specific rooms that got refinished.
"I had oak cabinets and was very skeptical that they would look good when they got done. When they finish painting two coats primer two coats paint I honestly can hardly see a grain in the doors." - Christine C., Google Review
Naperville's Cabinet Studio Since 2018
The numbers are unusually clean. The last time we ran our Chooz Score analysis, Tupelo Lane Designs held over 110 Google reviews with a perfect 5.0-star rating, not a single one below five stars, plus 98% recommended on Facebook across nearly 30 reviews. The company earned a Chooz Score of 87.9%.
Behind those numbers is a women-owned cabinet-refinishing studio in Naperville serving Chicago's western suburbs, on record as an Illinois business incorporated in 2018 (Business Entity No. 71974537), which puts Tupelo at over 7 years in the trade. That longevity shows up off the review sites too, from a Nextdoor Neighborhood Fave badge to Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce membership and local magazine recognition.
"I loved that it is a women owned business! The crew was very friendly. I would highly recommend them." - Liz S., Google Review
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Additional Questions Answered
How quickly does Tupelo Lane Designs finish a kitchen cabinet project?
Most kitchen projects wrap in three to five days, from the first prep morning to reinstalled doors. The crew keeps that pace without cutting corners on the finish. Barb Bryk noted the team "completed the job in less than 3 days in our home." Michele and her team hold to the timeline they promise, so the kitchen stays usable through most of the work.
Does Tupelo Lane Designs keep the home clean during cabinet painting?
Yes, containment and daily cleanup are built into how the studio works. The kitchen is sealed and vented so dust and odor stay controlled while doors are sprayed offsite. Lauren Toomire wrote that they "sealed off the kitchen and vented it so that we had zero smells during the painting process." Dawn Lacey described the team as "on time, clean, quick and most of all flawless."
Can Tupelo Lane Designs help me choose a cabinet color?
Yes, every cabinet refinish includes a free color consultation before any spraying begins. Michele brings large color swatches to the home and helps match the shade to the room and its finishes. Claudette Schmied recalled that the owner "gave me a good price to do everything over and helped a lot with color choice." That upfront guidance helps clients settle on a color they love the first time.
What makes Tupelo Lane Designs cabinet finish look factory grade?
Doors and drawers are sprayed with industrial wood coatings in the studio spray booth, which is what gives the finish its factory-grade depth. A five step prep process bonds the coating so it holds up to daily kitchen use. Greg Holly said the team made "our tired looking cabinets look like new, with a furniture-grade quality finish." Rana Janney added they "look like brand new cabinets out of a magazine!"
Does Tupelo Lane Designs explain what to expect before starting?
Yes, the studio walks clients through each phase before and during the project. Advance emails lay out the timeline, and the crew explains each day's step on site so there are no surprises. Mary Wilke wrote that they "told me what to expect and worked efficiently." That steady communication comes up again and again across the reviews, and it is a core part of how the team keeps projects calm.
How does Tupelo Lane Designs handle problems that come up mid-project?
They address surprises quickly rather than leaving them for the homeowner. When a project hits a snag, the crew adjusts the scope and fixes it on the spot. Aiden Lange noted that although "there were some hiccups as there is with any home project, they were incredibly attentive and got everything fixed up right away." That responsiveness is why clients trust the studio with high visibility kitchens.
Is refinishing with Tupelo Lane Designs cheaper than new cabinets?
Yes, a refinish runs about a quarter of the price of replacing cabinets. Clients get a fresh look and comparable return without the demolition. A Reitzel wrote that the refinish "is a fraction of what I would have spent on new cabinets." Robert Cahill returned years later, noting he "had Tupelo back in to do touch ups on a five year old project" The coatings are built to last.
Who is behind Tupelo Lane Designs and how is it registered?
Tupelo Lane Designs Inc. is an active domestic corporation registered with the State of Illinois. The company was incorporated on 9-10-2018 and operates under Illinois file number 71974537. It is based at 25025 Ramm Dr Unit B in Naperville and is led by owner Michele Fenton as president. The studio serves Naperville and the surrounding western Chicago suburbs as a women-owned cabinet refinishing business.
-Verification Sources: Illinois Secretary of State
How Tupelo Lane Designs Was Evaluated
Every painting company listed on Chooz Painters is evaluated using our multi-step quality framework. We combine structured data analysis with human review to understand how Tupelo Lane Designs performs across the key signals that matter most to property owners.
How the Chooz Score Works
The Chooz Score is a 100-point rating based on four core pillars:
- Platform reviews & ratings from sources such as Google, Facebook, Yelp, Angi, BBB, and others
- Review quality & engagement, including depth of customer feedback, photos, and how the company responds to reviews
- Website and digital presence, which helps indicate professionalism, transparency, and communication quality
- Business authority & operations, including years in business, licensing, insurance, and other operational standards
Each contractor is evaluated using the same framework nationwide, and the score reflects Tupelo Lane Designs’s performance within its local market.
A Chooz Score represents real-world performance, verified signals, and human-reviewed context.
Chooz Score Award Levels
Scores are determined through more than 40 evaluation factors across our four pillars.
If you want a deeper explanation of how our scoring system works, you can view the full breakdown on our Chooz Scoring page.