Thanks, Joe and Vith - If I go this route, I'd need to guesstimate where the cabinet feet/sides will touch bottom -- or just overestimate and go wider w/ the plywood? So if I went with plywood, just strips underneath the cabinet sides? Or would I need to place a strip underneath the cabinet back? klem - Hmmm, thanks. Had not read this could be an issue, but now you've got me rethinking/worrying about plywood. I guess wood sitting on slab gets moist, right? We did give tile some thought for a little while, but thought even with cheap tile, it'd be overkill to cover the entire expanse of slab. We do have all the tiling paraphernalia, though.

Unfortunately faux wood beams often look faux and an affectation. It depends on how well they’re done which usually means costly for them to look good. I would not jump through hoops for them in my kitchen design. Also make sure the beams don’t interfere with your lighting.

I know it can be difficult to resist a pithy comment toward someone who actually puts her real name on her work, but back to helping the original poster... A soffit might be placed randomly over cabinetry to fill a space or accommodate mechanicals. If unconnected or unrelated to the overall room, it can look like a cheap design element. A tray ceiling is an architectural detail that is meant to create depth, manipulate proportion and add formality to a room. I once went to a presentation by the great Mick Digiulio who said he starts every design with proportion. What an amazing thing to not start a design with a preconceived notion of thinking cabinets MUST go to a ceiling or that you MUST drop a ceiling so that cabinets go to the ceiling. But instead considering the entire space and developing a design that is as interesting as functional and maybe even a bit unexpected. A soffit, a tray, beams, stacked cabinets or cabinets with an empty space above them are ALL options to consider. None of them are "wrong". Hire a designer who can help you with the overall look of your home and then design the cabinetry to follow suit.

"Higher than normal probably lets you have a nicer-looking backsplash." I disagree with @Fori on this - the higher the outlets in the backsplash, the more you have unsightly cords dangling for your coffee maker and other counter appliances. Placing the outlets low is the way to make your backsplash look best, especially if you have spent a lot on the tile. Most people would prefer to have that tile that you just put in not have dangling cords and visible outlets. Having said that, the OP has budget constraints which take precedence. This forum is full of ideas to beautify your kitchen (such as lowering and horizontalling the outlets) but they come at a price. For every decision in a kitchen - whether this one or so many others - the homeowner has to decide whether an extra expense is worth it, or whether leaving as is will be just fine. @Nin - what about lowering just a few of the outlets that are on the most conspicuous wall, or on the wall that you will be putting your coffee maker and toaster, and leaving the rest of the outlets where they are. That would be a compromise - you would still spend some additional money, but you don't have to move all the outlets.