Here are the 8 ft (a little less, actually) ceilings with 42" cabinets in our old house. We didn't do much molding on top, though...The house's style didn't call for it. (1963 rambler without simple, strong detailing) Some here have suggested going for 39" cabinets so you have more room for molding.

mine are sitting in my living room now in boxes, but i ordered what your mom suggested! i should add that my kitchen is a narrow galley, so you basically need to look up to even notice molding. so storage definitely wins!

I have 8 foot ceilings and plan to do 36" uppers with molding on top. I like the idea of molding and thought 42" wouldn't provide enough space between countertop and bottom of upper cabs. From what I understand there should be around 18". I measured and that number seems right to me but you may want more or less space or maybe your not so married to your molding as I am.

We have 39" cabinets -- maybe that would be a compromise?

Hmmmm....39" cabs. I've never seen these as an option? Is this a standard "semi-custom" thing or do I have to go full-custom? I'd love to see pics of all the options (36, 39, 42) if people have them. Thanks!!!

We went with 42" cabinets. The 42's probably cost less than 36 + 6" mouldings. Yes I have to get a ladder to access the top cabinets, but I would also need a ladder to dust the mouldings.

I'm with your KD - 42 inches looks too closed in for me and dominating.

8ft ceiling, 30" uppers, 36" corner - still haven't quite put the crown on it.

We have 8' ceilings and chose 36" cabinets with crown and rail, just like your KD is suggesting. If our cabinet company gave had the option of 39" cabinets we would have probably chosen those, but we are glad we didn't do 42" cabinets.

We have 39" cabinets. Luckily, our cabinet choice didn't come in 42" (which was what we thought we wanted). This way we have lots of room for undercabinet lighting and clearance for counters, and still have room for a small moulding. With 42" cabs, and a light valance, you'd either be tight for counters or no space on top.

Don't have crown moulding yet, so no pics. Have pics with space on top if you want that.

I would suggest to consider how much storage you have and need. I have a very small kitchen so going full length to the ceiling helps. My cabinets are 41" (I know, weird, but I don't have full 8ft either) except for above sink and range. All go up to the ceiling though.

Here is a link that might be useful: new kitchen (yes, that's really all)

We had 42" in our last house. I never used the top shelves and the cabinets looked "squished" against the ceiling. This house we are using a 3.25" crown that matches the family room and have ordered 39" cabinets (semi-custom). With the light rail, it leaves just about 17-18" between the uppers and lowers.

Thanks for all the pictures so far! pcjs, call me an idiot, but are the cabs in your picture 36 or 42? Were you giving me an example of why it looks "closed in and dominating"? Sorry for needing it to be so spelled out.

I admit, I'm kind of leaning toward the 36" (or 39") with moldings right now. If there are pictures of 42" cabs out there with people who are happy with them, I'd love to see some more examples.

What would we do without this forum?!

I have 8 ft ceilings and 42" cabinets with 1 1/2" moldings. It's a small, galley kitchen, and after living with inadequate storage for 4 -5 years, I was determined to pack as much storage space into our kitchen as possible. Yes, I use a stepladder to reach the higher shelves, but those shelves are for lesser used items, anyway. I don't think it looks squished or closed in, and I have 18" between my countertops and uppers. I love, love all my storage space!

I think it might make a difference if you use partial overlay cabinets vs full overlay. I deliberately chose partial overlay to get more "space" at the ceiling to apply the molding. With full overlay, you may not be able to see a smaller molding at the top.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Alku05, question for you, what is the total height of your 36" cabinets + all the top molding plus the bottom "molding" for the lighting?

amsunshine, good point about the full vs. partial overlay cabinets. I got partial overlay for the same reason.

I'm doing 39" cabs with 3" crown (which will butt up to the ceiling). The top of the cabinets will be lit for storage of serving pieces and the balance we plan on using quite often. I wanted 42 but that would have been very tight and "squished" in feeling (I was shown a sample cabinet on the wall and knew it was a mistake). The 39 gives me the best of both worlds...room for a nice trim to finish off the project and as much cabinet as possible with room for under and upper cabinet lighting.

Part of the decision should factor in the style of cabinets you're looking at. If you're doing a very clean lined modern kitchen, 42"s right up to the ceiling would look great, with no need for the fuss of molding. For a more traditional or transitional look, the molding does soften the "wall of cabinet" look and in my mind is necessary.

I'm sorry, we did 36". What I like with the 36 inches is we have a little more than standard gap between the upper and lower cabinets so I have no problems fitting my tv (I "had" to have a 17 inch flat panel) and mixer (stole from my mom-old style that goes up and down). We didn't have the option of 39" or I might have considered that but I don't actually use the upper shelves for anything but storage of things I never use as I can't reach it so those few extra inches wouldn't really matter anyway.

We're doing 36" uppers with a 6" crown so we can run our duct from the fan through to the outside wall at the end of the sink run. Otherwise, I would have done 42's (although contractors hate them because ceilings are never plumb).

I'm facing a similar decision with my kitchen design except my ceilings are about 8 1/2 feet. I have a small galley kitchen and need every inch of storage I can get out of it.

My neighbors recently redid their kitchen--I'm guessing on the numbers but they did (I think) 36" upper cabinets, with 12" (maybe slightly more) cabinets stacked on top of those going right to the ceiling. The top cabinets have glass fronts and are lit from the inside. I'm not sure how much they actually use the upper cabinets but it's a nice look and I will probably do something similar in my own kitchen.

We have a really cool '50s ranch. My DIL, a highly credentialed interior designer strongly suggests we use 42" cabinets, BUT that would necessitate removing the soffits, some of which conceal plumbing and wiring. I am not going to go to the expense. Besides, I'm short and 42" cabs would mean I'm on a ladder or chair all the time. We have lots of cabinet space. She says the 36" w/soffits will make it look closed in, but I'm going with 36".

In my last home, I had 8' ceilings, and I had 42" cabinets with a narrow molding. Loved it! You can NEVER have too much storage IMHO. You THINK you'll never use those top shelves, but believe me, you WILL. I am not a fan of a lot of molding - just MHO and my own personal taste, but I think a big molding looks great in a den or library bookcase, but is too fussy for the kitchen (sorry!).

In my current home, I have 9" ceilings, so I have 42" cabs, plus another short set of cabs stacked above them. I don't think it looks closed in at all; in fact I think it makes the kitchen look larger. Also, I toured a mansion (tour was for charity) that had a butler's pantry. The butler's pantry was quite small, but had custom cabinets to the ceiling - gorgeous, and the height really made it look elegant. Also, in my area at least, the realtors say that 42" cabinets are considered more desirable and "high-end". You may choose to believe that or not, but you will see real estate ads here that make a point of saying "kitchen comes with 42" cabinets".

Sudiepav - I too am short (5'3"), and for me, I need a stepstool for anything above the second shelf (or even for the back of the second shelf), regardless of the height of the cabinet. So whether the cabs are 36" or 39" or 42", it doesn't matter, I'll need that stepstool. So not sure if a person's shortness would figure into this decision...I guess it depends on just how short they are!

Annab6, all together including crown, filler, cabinet and light rail, they're measuring out at between 42.5" and 43". (Hard for me to get a more precise measure than that.) This gives me a smidge over 16" between the counters and the bottom of the light rail. Hope that helps!

My cabinets are staggered so I have 1 large 39" x 43.5" (didn't ask for this, it was how CG made it) and the rest are 30", with a corner one that is 36". I'm glad I have a variety because of the option of what I can store where. So far I'm happy with it....but I do know I will put "what I don't use regularly" in the top shelf of the 39" cab : ) I'm only 5' 3".
HTH

Thanks for the great discussion all! I go back and forth on this everyday after hearing everyone's experience and opinions. As for reach, I'm 5'10", so a long reach is never really a huge problem (though I'm sure I'd need a stepstool for the top-most shelves).

amsunshine, thanks for the photo and for pointing out the full v. partial overlay issue.

What makes me want to lean towards the 36" is 1)I have a more traditional look going (much like igloochic's statement that the molding and railing can soften up the look) and 2) I wanted to tie in the small 15" cabs that flank the sink with molding and a valance across the top. Also, along one wall I have a two cabinets that flank a built-in bench/wall hook area that I would again be tieing in with the molding across the top (w/ two shallow shelves going above the bench but flanked by the two uppers on either end). Make sense w/o a photo? But two of the cabinet places are steering me toward the 42 inch.

I'll have to start thinking about how much a small molding on top of a 42" would push down the cabinets into the space between counter and uppers. (Good thing I saw another recent post on this just today!) Anyone else who regrets going with 42"?

Several people have mentioned 39" cabinets. Are these all custom? If not, what are the names of some of the cabinet manufacturers that carry 39" wall cabinets?