Is there any exposure above the doors? Or do they go to the top of the cabinets?

Choosing 42" high cabinets means forgoing crown. On all of the cabinets. Not just crown on some and not on others. You won't have room for it, and putting the pantry shorter and putting crown on it and not the cabinets would be an inconsistant and strange look.Cabinets are standard heights and work as a system for a reason. The top alignment height for 42" cabinets is 96". That works with the pantry heights, as well as the over the fridge and over the stove heights. Some makers offer 39" high cabinets meant to have a top alignment height of 93", but for most, the next step down is 36" high cabinets, meant for 90" high top alignment.

If you want crown molding, you don't use 42" high cabinets. You go either 39" or 36" cabinets and the corresponding pantries. If you want staggared height, you'll also need staggared depth. It all works as a system, and changing one single thing affects the whole kitchen.

For instance, your ceiiing is too high for 96" alignment but that's the cabinet size you've chosen. That means that your cabinet over your fridge will be shorter and you won't have as much clearance for your fridge. A half inch may not sound like much, but that reduces your under cabinet space to 17 1/2" and then if you have light rail, to 15 1/2 inches, which means you can't fit most small appliances under your cabinets.

We went without crown molding, even though a lot on this site said that you have to have it. I really like the look of not having it - less traditional.

Put the cabinets as close to ceiling as you can (watch for doors opening with an uneven ceiling or pot lamps, etc). Ours are about 1/2" (a smidgen less perhaps) from the ceiling. Looks great. Ours are 42" high cabinets and the floor to ceiling pull out pantries.

Our cabinet installer says more people are doing it. Under cabinet space is fine.

Good luck!

I have 8' ceilings, 42" cabinets and crown molding. When you say "cabinetry guy" do you mean a person installing stock boxes, or building your cabinets? Mine go all the way to the ceiling, but the door openings (and doors) do not, they are cut a couple of inches shorter and the crown applied to that top front part of the cabinet face. So I suppose they LOOK like 39" with crown to the casual observer.

I've seen the 42" cabs used in newer model homes, but the ceiling are also higher which still leaves a space above the crown. However, I think the 42" would look fine w/a lower ceiling, as i've seen it in my best friend's 100+ year old historic home.

If you want to go with the shorter cabinets and have someone "build" your crown, it can be done. Our cabinets were custom built but the builder used 3 pieces of crown to make it work and it looks awesome. Our ceilings are 8' also.

Thanks folks. I think we're going to go without moldings at the top. I think it'll look fine.

kntryhuman
Your crown molding is beautiful, can you tell me approximately how many inches your cabinet guy left between the top of the door and the ceiling on the one cabinet that touches the ceiling? We are having cabinets made and my husband and I are not in agreement as to how much room to leave. I think he would love your setup.