In a typical family home, wall-hung kitchen cabinets measure between 32 and 36 inches tall, leaving a space of around one or two feet above. There is a valid reason for the gap between the kitchen cabinets and the ceiling; this is the height that most people can reach by standing on the floor or by using a ladder.
Cabinetry in some kitchens ends a foot or two below the ceiling. However, when you install ceiling-height cabinets, there won't be any space at the top. In the past, the gap between the ceiling and the cabinet tops was standard. However, recent years have seen a rise in homeowners opting for the ceiling-height look.
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.
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.
Is decorating above kitchen cabinets outdated?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.
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.
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.
Avoiding Damage: The floor is often prone to moisture, spills, and cleaning activities. By leaving a small gap between the cabinet doors and the floor, it helps to prevent the doors from coming into direct contact with these potentially damaging elements.
Where different heights are needed—such as in a kitchen for a wheelchair user—the cabinets generally need to be custom-made to different heights. After adding a countertop, the eventual height of most base cabinets is between 35 and 36 inches, depending on the material used in the countertop. Height is flexible.
Leaving soffits on top of your cabinets
Soffits are completely out of style and so almost all sensible kitchen renovations will require removing the soffits, sometimes called “bulkheads” by homeowners.
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.
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.
"Two-toned cabinets are gaining popularity as homeowners seek to add a touch of personality to their kitchens," Bravo says. "Black and white cabinets are a classic combination that can create a stunning look, while other popular choices include blue and white, grey and white, and even green and white."
You don't always need an elaborate or highly decorative design above kitchen cabinets. Simple can be more provocative and present a great way to display a collection, especially a family heirloom. Keeping the theme related to the function of the kitchen is a natural decorating choice.
White. Few paint colors stand the test of time quite like white. "Honestly, the only color in my opinion that will never go out of style—in the sense that you can never really pinpoint when it was done—is white cabinets," says Shaolin Low, principal and founder of Studio Shaolin.
Ikea cabinets are not really designed to go all the way to the ceiling. They have what's called full overlay doors meaning the doors completely cover the cabinet boxes. That would cause the doors to swing very close to the ceiling. It also means there is nothing at the top of the cabinet box to attach crown molding to.
Upper and base cabinets can match if you want them to. However, if you want to add variation to your space, they don't have to match. It's all about the appearance and mood you would like to achieve.
It helps draw the eye upwards while adding an element of elegance to your kitchen. Traditional crown moulding is usually applied on the top of cabinets or on the ceiling right above them. Crown moulding helps make homes feel more upscale and classic, so make sure it's a fit for your aesthetic before installing.
The molding on top of kitchen cabinets is called crown molding. It is available in various styles and sizes to fit any design. This molding is often paired with starter/riser molding.