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Wall cabinet height with crown molding?

11 years ago

I have 4 1/4" crown molding in my kitchen. I am replacing my 30" wall cabinets with 42" tall cabinets. This will take the cabinets almost up to the ceiling. If I use the 4 1/4" crown molding on the new cabinets, I will have to lower them to 17" above the counter top. Will it be a problem to have the cabinets below the recommended 18" height above the counter top?

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Comments (3)

User
11 years ago
The top alignment of wall cabinets works with the height of the tall cabinets as a system and you can't lower the wall cabinets without making everything off. You have to plan the whole system correctly. What is your actual ceiling height? If you have 96" ceilings, then you don't have room for any molding unless you do 39" cabinets with a 3" molding or 36" cabinets with 6" of molding.
suzanne_sl
11 years ago
I find 17" to be just fine. We had 15" before and it was too short, but it did make an easy reach to the lower shelves. 18" is pretty standard, but I actually prefer 17". Are you planning to keep things like a coffee maker or a stand mixer on the counter that really needs that extra inch?
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Thank you! I twent to look and measure again today and think the problem is that on half the kitchen the starter strip would be 1 to 1.5" but on the other half, there is no need or room for a strip--in otherword the crown moulding would go straight from the top of the cabinet so there would be no space between the cabinet door and the moulding, unlike the other half of the kitchen. I'm wondering if that will look weird--eg, perhaps it would be better for us to get a smaller crown moulding (say under 3") and then all the cabinets would have some sort of starter strip, but it would vary between 1 and 3". Of course, that means the 'finished' kitchen gets pushed off again, but maybe I can find crown moulding locally and paint to match rather than order from the cabinet company. Thoughts?
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Thanks annettacm, for your response. Yes, it would keep the dust from accumulating. I came across your before and after pictures last night, and your floor plan looks very similar to mine. I love how you opened up the dining room and incorporate all the space. Hmmmm (I can't go there - I told my DH I would not move any walls!) Back to my crown molding questions. I want to be sure that the different heights look in proportion, so I think I just need to be careful that the trim extension/filler on the 48" doesn't get too big/tall (the KD is telling me 2-3"). Does anyone think the heights look out of proportion if 48" cabs have that 2-3" filler trim piece and the 42" cabs don't? It adds expense and I'd rather save some dollars there if it would look fine and in proporation without. Thanks everyone!
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"It's not usually done unless it's a kludge to try to hide a mistake." Then I won't do it....Will call on Tuesday and have the 24" changed to a 18" so Crown will all be same size. But won't that still make the height of the cabinets different from the others? Surrounding cabinet on either side is 30" then there is a 36" corner cabinet next to that. These were not Custom made and they only come in standard depth. Here is a picture of the same cabinets (different color) I will be getting but will be using different molding. These were done by someone at the cabinet place where I'm getting mine from. He sent me this picture and said he does the crown molding on these cabinets all the time. I am hoping this will all work out for the best....right now I am worried!
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I have a small kitchen and went with 36" uppers and 4-6" of crown. I don't have a good picture of the crown right now, but I'd say that I didn't get 6" out of it all the way around, actually my ceiling may be an inch or two less than 8ft. I don't think I would have liked the look without the crown and the added storage isn't that much when you factor in how hard it would be to access. I'm pretty tall ( 5'8" ) and with my old 30" cabinets I could reach the top shelf, but not all the way to the back. Now I don't know if I will be able to reach the top shelf at all and certainly not all the way to the back. I'm researching folding step stools! I think if you use your space more effectively less is more. That's what I'm trying to do.
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jakuvall
11 years ago
All of the building inspectors I run into want 18" clearance at the sides of the cooking area. They rely on the appliance mfg specs, some measure from the undercabinet molding.
Most brands have the same number of shelves in a 39 as a 42,... 36's vary.
I'll often work out positioning the first shelf reasonably low and order extra shelves (in 36" cabs) if need be as a way to maximize storage, maintain proportion and fit molding. Easier to reach too.

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