You can build the cabinets to the ceiling (most expensive option), keep the area open (no cost!), build a soffit to match the cabinets, or add a drywall soffit. Below I'll share photo examples (and the why behind)
Good news! Yes, you can extend your kitchen cabinets up to the ceiling and no, you don't have to remove your existing cabinets! We'll get into the “how to” later on, but for now let's step back and take a look at why you should (or shouldn't) extend your kitchen cabinets to your ceiling!
Kitchen cabinets should be functional, efficient, and accessible. These are why they're not usually installed to reach the top of the ceiling. If you don't like the empty space above your current cabinets, you can add a second row of cabinetry, put decorative items, or trim it with molding.
If ceilings are eight feet high, we can extend the structure of your existing cabinets rather than building them completely new. Once the structure is extended, we reface the cabinets in order to hide any seams and structural changes so they are essentially brand new, taller cabinets with new doors.
Standard kitchen cabinet heights include 12, 15, 18, 30, 36 and 42 inches tall; depth ranges from 12 to 18 inches. Typically installed 18 inches above countertops, 54 inches above floor and 24 inches above stove.
Some people are completely focused on having as much storage as possible in the kitchen and selecting 42" upper cabinets will definitely give you more space. It also helps make the ceiling appear larger by having the cabinets touch the ceiling. But, be warned, the extra space does come with a few caveats.
An alternative solution in kitchens with taller ceilings is to simply stop the cabinets short of the ceiling and top them with a thick crown molding. The range chimney stretches to the ceiling for functional reasons, but also to contrast the height of the upper cabinets.
False ceilings act as a secondary ceiling where light fixtures, fans and shapes can be defined for aesthetics. Most used materials to construct false ceilings are gypsum, POP (Plaster of Paris), veneer, laminates, and PVC. A kitchen false ceiling is a must have for modular spaces.
Mainly it is a matter of cost and ease of installation. Most kitchen cabinets are built in standard sizes and, when mounted on the wall, they leave space up above which gives the installer some wiggle room when leveling the cabinets.
1) Never leave crown moldings closer than 9 inches from a ceiling. Once you get within a foot of the ceiling you should have the cabinetry and molding meet the ceiling. Don't create spaces that look odd and that can't be cleaned. Molding too close to ceiling without reaching it.
Is decorating above kitchen cabinets outdated? The short answer is no.
Crown moldings are installed on walls and bottom of walls, and when they're used on kitchen cabinets, it's just another supposed way of taking them from boring to extraordinary. But nowadays, you can easily find cabinets without crown moldings that look absolutely beautiful.
Go with Light Colors
Light blues, greens, or pale yellows are other great colors to make your space look larger than life.
Ceiling-high kitchen cabinets reach the ceiling in your kitchen. Some kitchen cabinetry stops a foot or two before the ceiling. But when you install ceiling-height cabinets, you get no room at the top. The cabinets continue on a smooth line until they meet the ceiling.
Generally, upper cabinets are mounted with the bottom edge being 54-inches above the floor. That means if you have 8-foot ceilings, your upper cabinets would be 42-inches tall, while a 9-foot ceiling has 54 inches available.
The standard height for upper cabinets from the floor is 54 inches, or 4 feet and 6 inches. This means the bottom of the upper cabinets should be this far from the floor. This comes from the sum of 34-and-a half-inch base cabinets, a 1-and-a-half inch thick countertop, and an 18-inch backsplash.
The standard space between the countertop and upper cabinets is around 18 inches. This measurement allows for convenient use of countertop appliances and provides ample space for food preparation.
Most modern cabinets have fully adjustable hinges with three directional adjustments: up and down, side to side, and in and out (or depth). Most hinges have mechanisms for side-to-side and depth adjustments, while some are adjusted up and down using the screws that mount the hinges to the cabinet.
Contrasting the upper and lower cabinets is a great way to break up a boring kitchen, and, if done properly, it can even make the kitchen appear larger. Contrasting the island and cabinets is the more traditional of the two routes, but it too can have a massive visual impact on the space.