There are no building codes that establish a standard upper cabinet height. The prevailing “standard” among kitchen remodelers is 54 inches from the floor to the cabinet's bottom edge. That leaves an 18-inch space between the countertops and the upper cabinets.
8 Ft Ceilings – use a 39″ or 42″ upper cabinet
It is generally recommended that wall cabinets be mounted 54 inches up from the floor, which means that for 8 foot ceilings, a 39 or 42 inch upper cabinet will reach the ceiling, depending on the height of the crown molding used at the top of the cabinet.
There is no strict standard height for upper cabinets. The preferred height has constantly changed over the years. The most common height that contractors follow is 18 inches above the countertop. However, for clients that request some extra space, 20 inches was the usual measure.
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.
Also, you could use 12” cabinets above the 42” ones and then fill the gaps with crown moldings or other decorative work. → For 10-foot-tall ceilings, the best option would be to have cabinetry makers build the custom cabinets to fit the space perfectly.
There is a range of kitchen cabinets to choose from and they can be built floor-to-ceiling with handcrafted doors, open kitchen shelving, or glazed doors; whichever is best for your space. Plus, full-height cupboards offer useful storage for gadgets or crockery you don't use or need very often.
The majority of kitchens don't have ceiling-height cabinets because they can be too high to access for some people. They're also more difficult to maintain and the cost of installing taller cabinets can be expensive. Additionally, not all kitchen sizes and ceiling heights can accommodate full-rise cabinets.
Advantages of Kitchen Cabinets That Go All The Way Up to the Ceiling. It is vital to point out that most people prefer to use 42'' tall upper cabinets as they accord them much more space while also touching the ceiling thus making it appear visibly larger.
Most homes built in the last 50 years have kitchen cabinets that are 32 or 36 inches tall, installed so there is a gap of 1 to 2 feet between the tops of the cabinets and the ceiling.
The standard height for upper cabinets from the counter is 18 inches, or 1 foot and 6 inches. They shouldn't be less than 15 inches away or more than 20 inches away. This also means the height to where the bottom of your upper cabinets starts.
It's better to keep things more accessible,” Ashley says. Always work with your designer to determine what height will look best in your space. “Leave a foot or more between the top of the cabinet and the ceiling. This looks intentional and gives your kitchen the polished, elevated look you're seeking.”
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.
There are no building codes that establish a standard upper cabinet height. The prevailing “standard” among kitchen remodelers is 54 inches from the floor to the cabinet's bottom edge. That leaves an 18-inch space between the countertops and the upper cabinets.
We recommend doing a 42"H upper OR a 36"H with a 12"H stacked cabinet above with glass (bringing you to 48" H) with a crown molding of at lease 5" in height.
One nice classic design incorporates 36″ high wall cabinets and 6″ of crown molding that reaches an 8' high ceiling. If you have 8′ high ceilings and choose to go with 30″ high wall cabinets, you can still add crown moldings to the wall cabinets. In that case you leave space above the cabinet/crown combination.
Kitchen soffits are usually installed above your cabinets, closing the gaps between the cabinets and ceiling. While kitchen soffits were very popular in older homes, the style has fallen out of favor for many homeowners and interior designers. The lower ceilings create a cramped atmosphere that can feel restrictive.
Go with Light Colors
Light blues, greens, or pale yellows are other great colors to make your space look larger than life.
If you have a small kitchen, white and neutral paint colors can be a lifesaver. White paint reflects light, makes walls recede, and increases the sense of space.
Just as clothing with horizontal stripes can make a person look wider, striped flooring that runs from side to side across a room, rather than along the length, will stretch the apparent floor space in your small kitchen.
Kitchen soffits are often used to hide and cover wiring (especially for lighting), plumbing elements or even vent systems. Other times, they're simply placed above cabinets to fill empty space.
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.
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.
Is decorating above kitchen cabinets outdated? The short answer is no. There are so many beautiful ways to decorative above kitchen cabinets that will inject modernity, textural interest and decorative style to your kitchen. There are many interesting kitchen styling techniques and designs to chose from.