Hey fellow So. Floridian! Since you're not doing anything structural... I suggest you look for a single door that swings left but if your existing frig space is for a 36" frig, look for a 30-33". Then you can put some filler in between the wall and frig and it'll open no problem. Go for the height to the ceiling. There's always husbands and step stools. I'm 5' and have been known to climb right onto the counters as well but I'm not suggesting that!

I don't know the answer to your first question, but I want to answer your second question. IMHO, you should take the cabinets up to the ceiling, whether that means 39" or 42" cabinets (depending on your ceiling height). Use minimal crown molding at the ceiling. I recommend this for several reasons:

- you can never have too much storage in a kitchen! From your pics, the kitchen doesn't seem very large, so additional storage would be welcome, especially to people viewing it when you go to sell it.

- as you say, you need a stepstool regardless, so I'd go as tall as possible since you need a stepstool whether it's a 30" or 42".

- many people don't like the space that occurs between shorter cabinets and the ceiling. It is a dust catcher, and some people are creeped out by that. Also, it visually makes the ceiling look lower by creating a horizontal line.

- some people erroneously think cabinets up to the ceiling make the kitchen look hemmed in. Actually, they make the kitchen look larger by the illusion of making the ceilings seem taller. Interior Designers create this same effect in living rooms with draperies by hanging them from the ceiling height rather than from the top frame of the window. Makes the living room ceiling look taller with those long draperies.

- realtors prefer taller cabinets. In my area at least, real estate listings will brag "kitchen with 42" cabinets" as a distinct selling point.

- 30" cabinets are dated.

P.S. Check out Ikea for very good quality cabinets at reasonable prices. Many Ikea kitchens on this forum!

I agree with taking the cabinets up to the ceiling. My kitchen re-do is almost complete but I haven't "moved into" it yet. I have a small galley kitchen, and realized that to get more storage I would need to use all the vertical space I could. So the cabinets go all the way up to the ceiling (I used to use a step-stool to reach the upper shelves in the old kitchen anyway, and the stuff I stored above the cabinets used to gather dust). And, I added "toe-kick" drawers wherever I could in the base cabinets to add storage for flat stuff like baking trays (have lots of these), so we've literally used from floor the ceiling! Good luck

Your question 1:
Yes, you should change the door swing, although it looks like (from the pics, but it's hard to tell) that you'll still have trouble pulling out the drawers for cleaning because don't you have the closet wall up against the left side of the fridge? No matter, the door swing opening to the left will be a big improvement because it looks like with your current fridge door swing, you can't even open up your cabinets while the door is open. So, the current direction is MUCH more of a "flow interrupter" since it appears to prevent you from opening cabinets and using the counter.

Your question 2:
As the other posters have said, take the cabs up to the ceiling. It'll look more modern, and of course provide more storage. Also, the eye will be "relieved" by removing all those bric-a-brac and stuff that you currently have on top of your cabs. The kitchen will look more spacious and serene without that clutter, most especially to the future buyers (since you say you're not staying).

Thanks everyone for the replies. I respect your opinions and need your help! Now I have some additional comments/questions on my questions.

Question 1:
Here's a closeup of the fridge. The current fridge is 32 3/4 wide and the opening is only 33"!!! It looks like the builder (we were not the original owner) took the edge off the countertop next to fridge to make it fit. So there isn't even any overhang on the cabinets, and as a result we are always getting food in the lower cabinet drawers when we wipe that counter area.

I've manage to find a GE fridge that is only 29 3/4" wide and it goes back a bit deeper. So I think the new fridge door would be even with the short wall to the left and this would hopefully allow it to swing to the left if I change the door swing. This seems like it would be an improvement for cooking and prep, but might feel weird if you are just walking into the kitchen to grab something quick like a snack.

Question 2:
I will definitely look into changing from 30" to 42" upper cabinets. But we would still have an 11" empty space to the ceiling. Would that look weird? I am having trouble envisioning. The overall look we are trying to achieve is sort of a contemporary loft-like look as our ceilings are quite high (10' in adjacent dining and living area) and the feel is that of one big open area.

Also, remodelfla: where are you in s. fl? I'm in Boca Raton.

Can you clarify your ceiling height in the kitchen? From the photos, I really thought you had 8' kitchen ceiling. Also, will you have undercabinet lighting? You should allow 18" between the countertop and the bottom of the upper cabinets. Remember to include the thickness of the countertop in your calculations.

I have a 9' ceiling. On one wall I have 42" upper cabinets, and stacked above them are 12" cabinets, with very minimal crown molding. I will say though that the additional stack was $$$. If you have a 9' ceiling, and don't want to add the expensive additional stack, then just do the 42" cabs with the space above them. Since your ceilings are high, then you won't have the concern about the horizontal space making your kitchen look smaller. It'll be so much better than 30" or 36" cabs.

The fridge door handles should be on the right and swing away from your cupboards. Can that little wall be taken out on the left side of the fridge to give you more room? It doesn't look like it serves a purpose and that's probably 4 inches right there. If you don't want a completely exposed fridge build a cabinet around it so it has a built-in look and will still give you an extra 3 inches.

The door swing on the frig will be fine as long as it's narrower then the opening and it looks like you found exactly that.

I'm not seeing where you'd still have 11" left to the ceiling? How high are your kitchen ceilings?

I live in Coral Springs. The home we're suppose be remodeling (not going anywhere.... long story) is in Hollywood.

Sorry, forgot to mention that our kitchen ceiling is 9' (or close; nothing seems to be quite exact in this place) and the adjacent living area has a 10' ceiling. No plans to add any under cabinet lighting. Currently the space from counter to lower cabinet is 18". From top of existing 30" cabinet to ceiling is 23". We definitely don't have the $$$ to get any custom height cabinets. Right now my DH and cabinet maker have me convinced to compromise and get 36" high cabinets, leaving enough space at top to have some artwork in keeping with the loft style we are going for. I've been leaning towards the 42" suggestion myself.

Think I've convinced them that it would be better to reverse the fridge door opening and bring the front out to be even with the small wall on the left. Unfortunately we can't remove that wall - the closet to the left of the fridge is our laundry room and holds a full size washer and dryer. The cabinet maker that was just here for an estimate just kept looking at our kitchen and mumbling "what a shame".

What is beside the ref now? with the bifold on it?

You said your DH is aiming for 36" cabinets. Here's some points to convince him to go with 42": Aesthetically, the taller cabinets will look much more in proportion with the tall 9' ceiling. Your kitchen will look larger. Your kitchen will look more up-to-date. And as I mentioned earlier, realtors like to cite 42" kitchen cabinets in their listings. From a practical point of view, the 42" size will allow you to fit taller items like wine glasses or cereal boxes easily in the cabinets. I'll reiterate - you can never have too much storage in the kitchen! If you put in 36" cabinets, and then feel you're cramped for storage for the next 5 years, you'll be kicking yourself.

I don't think artwork on top of kitchen cabinets is, as you say "in keeping with the loft style" at all (sorry!). My impression of "loft style" is spare and uncluttered, with artwork hung on the walls, not perched on top of kitchen cabinets where they can't really be seen properly, and are exposed to cooking grease and smoke. I hope I haven't offended you!

I am surprised your cabinet maker is voting for 36". I can see no reason why, since he can charge more for the 42", and the 42" size must be what many of his other customers are requesting.

akchicago, the fear is that the high cabinets will overpower the kitchen area, which is actually fairly small. And although I would go for the 42", I actually rather like some space above the cabinets for display of something such as a glass collection. My problem is that I tend to stick junk up there because storage is so limited.

And of course you have not offended me. You have given some great advice and have already increased our cabinet height by 6"! I probably should not have said "loft style", but was trying to convey that we have a very open living area with high ceilings, and that we are striving for a simple look in the kitchen as much as possible.

At any rate the jury is still out on the upper cabinet height. We still have a few more days to decide on this one. Guess I'll be busy looking at pics tomorrow.

dancingcook - I would love to see pics if you have any. It sounds like you have made the most of your storage issues.

i think the shorter cabs do look 'stubby' in the kitchen. I'd go for the 42" with some trim at the top. then you'll have less than 10" at the top - leave it empty and paint the wall up there white to match the cabs and it'll all flow together and you won't notice it so much. less than 10" isn't enough to put anything up there anyway.

I think with all of that, new counter and appliances and it'll look super!

Peacamp - to try to visualize, find some cardboard boxes that you can tape up to your existing cabinets to bring them to 42" height. See how it looks and feels, although of course brown cardboard will look a bit clunky, and a lot less airy than your white Shaker cabinets will look, but it will help you visualize a bit.

Also note that in high-end multi-million dollar homes that have butler's pantries, those butler's pantries always have cabinetry up to the ceiling. The ceilings are usually 9' or 10', and the butler's pantries are small. They always look elegant and beautiful, and they are much smaller and more enclosed than your kitchen space.

Of course, go with the 36" height cabs if that is what sings to you. I am just trying to give you all the talking points.

Just wanted to let everyone know that we listened to you and ordered the taller cabinets!! In fact, we still have the cardboard box sitting up there as suggested by akchicago, and it will probably remain there until the old cabinets are torn down.

I am so excited now. It's definitely not going to be on the scale of the beautiful kitchens I see pictured by a lot of you on this forum, but it will be quite an improvement over what we have been living with. I can't wait to see that old laminate go.

Thanks everyone! I will definitely post some pics after the new cabinets and countertops are installed (we'll need your backsplash help at that point).