When it comes to cabinet heights there is no right or wrong—just personal preference. Making the right decision simply requires a good dose of consideration for the space that you have, the storage that you need, and the overall look you seek.
'I advise clients only to fit floor-to-ceiling cabinetry if they have lofty, high ceilings,' says Tom Howley, Design Director at the eponymous kitchen company. 'In smaller spaces, waist-height pull-out drawers are the best option.
If you think they look too crowded or you like the way cabinets look when they have some space above, then ceiling-height cabinets may not be the right choice. Some homes also have non-standard ceiling sizes. You might, for instance, have a soaring ceiling on one side that slopes down throughout the kitchen.
Most homes have kitchen cabinets that are 32 or 36 inches tall, with an interval of 1 to 2 feet between the tops of the cabinets and the ceiling.
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.
Stay Light and Bright
The best small kitchen ideas use materials to an advantage. Reflective surfaces, such as ceramic tile, marble countertops, or stainless steel, subtly amplify the effects of natural and artificial light, thereby making small kitchens seem larger.
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.
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.”
What is a Kitchen Soffit? Kitchen soffits are bulky box-shaped walls that connect the cabinets and the ceiling. Due to this, they are located at the top of the cabinets, extending from upper cabinetry towards the ceiling, and hide industrial elements such as plumbing, ductwork, vents, wiring, and pipes.
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.
Eighteen inches off the counter is a good starting point and you will want your cabinets that high at the very least. That height will allow you to fit small appliances on the counter, beneath the cabinets, but it's not a be-all and end-all height. You can raise the cabinets higher and there are many reasons to do so.
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.
White kitchen cabinets are enduring and versatile, appearing in cottage, traditional, and even modern kitchens. Especially on simple Shaker-style doors, the right white paint color can create a light, fresh look in a kitchen. Choose modest hardware with clean lines to keep with the classic look.
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.
Whether kitchen cabinets should go all the way up to the ceiling is dependent on the size of your upper cabinets and the standard height of your ceiling that has gradually evolved over time from 8 feet tall to 9 or 10 feet tall on the first floor.
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.
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.
If you have 8-foot-tall ceilings and want cabinets that run to the ceiling, 42-inch-tall wall cabinets will fit perfectly. If you have 9-foot-tall ceilings, you can choose to fill the available 54 inches of wall space with one row of 36-inch-tall cabinets, with a row of 18-inch cabinets above them.
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.
Colours such as creams and beiges can make a kitchen look elegant and expensive. If your kitchen is modern, you can use dark colours, such as blacks and greys, which can make it look lavish and extravagant. White reflects light and makes the space look bigger, so complement white with some wood and metallic highlights.
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.