Most people who have higher countertops are folks with cooktops/rangetops and wall ovens. That way you can make the counters whatever height you want. Most ranges have about an inch of adjustability, but it is a HUGE safety issue to have any part of a range below the adjacent countertop. If taller counters are really a must, then I suggest going the cooktop/wall oven route, placing tall cutting boards in strategic positions on top of regular height cabinetry, or using a range and keeping the countertops next to the range the standard 36" and make counters elsewhere in your run be the taller height that you desire. Many people create their island at a custom height to suit them and leave the perimeter cabinets at regular height so to better deal with standardized appliances. Custom height cabinets can have a negative impact at resale time and severly limit your pool of buyers---not to mention your immediate help in the kitchen being outsized!

we have our Bluestar range set at 37 1/4" which is 11/16th above the counter top this is about the maximum for a Bluestar range.

I would recommend putting round blocks under each leg to achieve the height you want and the manufactures recommend. This way you can choose the range you want and not end with the only one that will achieve your desired height. The front blocks can be stainless or painted to match the bottom of the existing leg.

Thank you both for the information -- it's very helpful.

I really love the modern look of a thick countertop, and my husband and I are both on the tall side, so we thought we would like having the extra height. But I guess it would be easier on the budget (and my sanity) if we stuck to something closer to standard.

I'm thinking a 2" countertop might be a nice compromise; it should still give us the look we like, but with a counter height of 36-1/2", it would probably be within the normal height range for most standard appliances. If not, we could look into using the round blocks as trevorlawson suggests.