I left 6" for crown molding. It gives the cabinets a finished look IMO. You can achieve a high end look with 3 piece molding by using a combination of much cheaper small moldings.

I wanted to keep the top of the cabinet at 36", not add height to the ceiling.

I think if you want a wall of tile, you need to go to the ceiling. Everywhere. It's odd to stop 6" lower. Why would you?

thanks

if there was a range hood, the bottom line is a place tile could stop.

or on adjacent wall, the top open shelf is where tile can stop.

but I can't stop the tile on the open shelf on one wall and next to it, it will just be all open, no wall cabinet, and no range hood. the tile needs to go to the ceiling and next to that will be cabinet over the fridge that ends 5-6" from ceiling. so I'm not sure if there is enough space to go with a 40" wall cabinet (or if they offer it) to the ceiling or box out a molding to the ceiling.

hope this makes sense.

actually I just a picture that shows tile up to the ceiling only over the range, so it's only on one part of the wall.

If I have molding above wall cabinets this doesn't address the whole issue. There is still the area above the window. I'm not going to tile that also, preferably. I really don't want the cabinets to go to the ceiling anyway. I'll try to mock up what I'm talking about.