To some degree it is a matter of personal taste and how it works with the design. However, I think if you are going to do cabinets all the way to a ten foot ceiling you have to plan for a way to access them, which at the very least means a kitchen that is easily maneuverable with a 7 or 8 foot ladder, and the ability to store such a ladder nearby, or you'll have a lot of empty expensive cabinetry.

It depends on your space and budget. We did not initially for budget reasons. It added a considerable amount onto the cabinet cost. You think because they're small cabinets it won't be a lot but it is quite a bit more...even more if you have glass in any of them. Then when looking at the space in the overall open living area, I think it might have not ended up being the look we wanted. Our range hood does go to the ceiling as do the hutches on either side of the window seat (right next to the kitchen). I like the balance of having the kitchen cabinets lower. They look good in our space. It's a personal decision.

I will say that I have to use a step stool to access the top shelf in the 42" upper cabinets. And I have to get a taller stool to reach the upper hutch ceiling cabinet that's above the 42'ers. I won't be putting anything up there I need to use often at all.

We took ours to the ceiling and I'd do it again with no hesitation. I did put in a 12" tall utility cabinet next tot eh door that has hooks for the dog leashes and houses the Swiffer and a 3 step step stool.

We have a very modern architecture home and we're going with a top row of backlit frosted glass cabinets to cover the last 21" to offer the most minimalist lines.

But in a more traditional to contemporary kitchen, I really like the look of open space (with cove lighting, of course) above the uppers; it makes your kitchen feel larger (ours are 28" deep, so it removes almost 2.5 ft of apparent kitchen size from the one wall with uppers). Luckily we have a rather large kitchen (19 x 21 ft) so we shouldn't miss the loss of spaciousness.

For the same reason (sense of spaciousness) we are going with "suspended" vanity cabinets in our not so big master bathroom to give the sense that the bathroom extends the full length rather than having the cabinets "cut off" 2 ft of depth from the room.

David

We did not go all the way up on our 10 ft ceilings, except on the wall with the range hood cabinet. I am 5'2" and already can't access the top two shelves in the uppers without a step ladder, if they went to the ceiling, I would need quite a tall ladder, or, more likely scenario...they would remain empty. I didn't need any more storage for items I don't use much as I have a large closet pantry with ample shelves that go up high and I keep that stuff in there (with the ladder!) :)

I think it looks fine in my kitchen, we used big fat stacked molding to make the cabs closer to the ceiling for a lot less than the cost of more cabs. I like the look of cabs all the way up, though, especially in kitchens with 8ft ceilings...it makes them look taller.

I have 10' ceilings. I wanted my cabinets to go all the way to the ceiling because I like the look and hate all the gook that collects on top of cabinets. I decided against stacked cabinets because I would need a ladder to open the doors of the upper cabinets. Instead I did 54" high cabinets with two panels. I don't think they look nearly as big as they are. I can reach the bottom 3 shelves and I can see what is on the top shelf. I haven't put anything up there yet, but I'm sure a tall step stool would do the trick. Here are a couple pictures I just took (still moving in so it's kind of empty).

You could do the same thing with the smaller panel at the top of the door and put glass in the top panel. That gives you the look of stacked cabinets at a much lower price.

I don't have 10ft ceilings, but have made 42" cabinets in my ranch. I made the stacked cabinet look, but have no intention of putting anything up there.

I learned a long time ago, if I can't see it, I no longer know I own it. Hence, no blind corners, no way-up-high-until-I-need-it, no deep, reach-in things, just practical, visible storage for this 5'2" chick.

That said, you could do lovely stacked cabs. With or without them to the ceiling. (I'm not into dust, either.)

Congrats on your new place!

Thank you all for your feedback & pics of your lovely cabs!

I was very afraid that there is a 'rule' I must follow to get the cabinets to 'merge' to the ceiling.

That said, our new house is very open & I couldn't visualize if I ran the cabs all the way to the top if it would stay that way.

I've seen some pics with accent lighting on top of the cabs to illuminate from the top of the cabs to the ceiling - interesting - but not sure what they do??

@ mpagmom - great suggestion on the panels &/or putting glass. Not sure of cost but will bring it up to the cabinet makers.

jillandmatt - I need to move where you are, as I absolutely love your builder's pics and I need a house like that.

Roberta

Is there a link to jillandmatts finished kitchen? Love the stacked cabinets.

Any pics of the house?

No doubt jillandmatts - can we see more pics??!!

OMG - I actually started clicking into the website that jillandmatts posted - WOW!!

Those are amazing interiors & you've got to click through each home - including theirs!

Thanks for sharing!

Here is a link that might be useful: www.stonecrofthomes.net

Mpagmom--yours are beautiful as well. Any other pics??

This is a great thread! I need to make the same decision for my new kitchen. It will have 10' ceilings and a look that's somewhere between contemporary and modern. I'm torn between upper cabinets, a soffit, or empty space.

I think empty space might look better (more open) in a simple, contemporary kitchen. The only disadvantage I see so far is that stacked cabinets or a soffit would give me a place to hide a silencer for the range hood. But if I use a chimney-style hood maybe I can squeeze the silencer into the ceiling somehow.

The homes at that link that jillandmatt posted are great! Much nicer than the cookie-cutter houses I saw when I lived in the South years and years ago. :-)

Laura

I hadn't uploaded any photos since we moved in. But here are a couple to give you an idea of some that don't go to the ceiling and why we chose not to. Our kitchen (sans barstools):

{{!gwi}}

And here you can see how the hutches on either side of the window seat go to the ceiling while the fireplace wall builtins and the kitchen cabinets do not. It gave the room balance:

red_lover, I haven't taken good pictures or posted my finished kitchen. There are a few more pictures in the thread I linked below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tile pictures link

I love the look of your kitchen, babs, I think the open space above is a great look. Unless you have money to burn AND a too-large kitchen, I vote for 8 to 8.5 ft of cabinets with cove lighting above.

What does cove lighting do? It gives soft indirect light which is always more flattering than high wattage central bulbs. Plus for smaller kitchens it highlights the openness of your ceilings and turns dark, murky shadows above the cabinets into a pleasant accent feature.

I love all your stacked/stacked look pics above, guys, especially with the backlit top row. But worth the extra money over cove lighting? Probably not unless you have an unlimited budget or you've REALLY REALLY gotta have it. Then you probably should get it. :)

Davif

I have 10ft ceilings, and we currently have 42" uppers. I want to add the stacked uppers like the pictures, but I'm afraid it will be too small of space. Thoughts?

This post is 5 yrs old.

I think it will look great if you have a 12-18" upper row.

Can you reach out to jillandmatt from 10 years ago (photo above) and ask her the material for her iland countertop. I love her kitchen. Thank you.

dzbeyer@gmail.com.

Does anybody have any ideas in which part of the kitchen will be 10 feet and the other 8 feet?

How does 42” wall cabinets leave about a foot to a ten foot ceiling???

We have 10' ceiling in the kitchen. Not sure I would want to add any cabinets to the top. Maybe just some large, chunky decorative pieces.

We put a soffit of about 18” then brought cabinets up to meet it with the top cabinets being glass doors for display. Very good focal point!