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Remodeling Design Dilemma Kitchens

Help with cabinet crown molding in kitchen with low ceiling.

6 years ago

We are remodeling our kitchen, which has a very low (88 inch) ceiling. Increasing the ceiling height is not an option, but I would like to maximize storage space, as our kitchen isn't very large. We're getting shaker style cabinets and I like a clean, non-fussy look. I'm planning on 33-inch high wall cabinets with a very small (3/4 inch) crown molding on top. This will take the crown all the way to the ceiling. Some designers suggested 30-inch tall wall cabinets with a more typical 3 inch high crown molding, but I'd rather have more cabinet and less crown. We'll also do a 3/4 inch high light rail at the bottom of the cabinets. Do you think this will work? The math adds up, but I'm wondering if anyone has pictures of a kitchen they have done with a similar minimalist crown at the top?

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Comments (5)

PRO
GN Builders L.L.C
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Are you having them custom made? I never saw a 33" high cabinet.

As 3/4" crown goes, that molding looks better if you get framed cabinets and push them up to the ceiling just make sure the ceiling is level.
A R thanked GN Builders L.L.C
User
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
33” with no “crown” just a straight 1x2 trim scribed to the ceiling. Less is more. No bulky light rail either. Same 1x2 turned the 1” direction.

3” increments for height as well as width is standard with any real mid grade cabinet company. Your el Cheapo lines might only have 30”, 36”, and 42”. Something decent mid grade will have everything from 12”H to 66” H even if the tallers are transom Cabinets.
A R thanked User
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FWIW, one of the GC's I interviewed told me that he usually doesn't order the crown molding from the cabinet company. Like some other posters have suggested, he prefers to order unfinished crown and then paint or stain it to match the cabinets. The crown is high up at the ceiling and also the light hits it differently than the vertical surfaces of the cabinets and doors, so the slight difference in finishes is not obvious. One advantage to doing this is that the crown pieces you can get from a cabinet company are usually only 8' sections. The unfinished pieces are available in larger sections which require fewer seams therefore less potential for cracking at the seams with the changes in seasons. Another advantage is that the crown that comes from the cabinet company is usually quite expensive. They use the same 20-step process that they use on the doors and drawers which get a lot of traffic. The crown is a stationary item that will not be opened, closed, bumped or touched on a daily basis. It does not need the super duper finish that you need on your cabinets. Another advantage is that you can use the same crown molding in other parts of your house if you want to have a matching look.
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You've got several problems. If you buy more of the same crown from your cabinet company, you'll still have to deal with the gap above the corner cabinet. If you raise the existing crown to the ceiling, it's very unlikely you'd find unpainted crown that matches it's size and profile, plus you'd then have to deal with a gap between the cabinets and the bottom of the crown. Here's what I would do. Choose the new crown mold you want for the rest of the room and measure it's height (how far down from the ceiling it comes). Make a mark on the wall at that height, then use a level to transfer that height to the stained crown and mark it. Then, trace the old, existing crown's profile onto the wall with a pencil. Now you have a mark where the bottom of the new crown will intersect the old crown, and another mark where the old crown will have to be narrowed to fit underneath the new. Carefully remove the stained crown from the corner cabinet. Next, build a frame above the corner cabinet that's the same height as the new crown, and that extends beyond the cabinet to the point at which the new crown will intersect the old. Now, install the new, painted crown around the kitchen and across the new soffit. Last, run the old crown through a table saw and cut it down so that it fits underneath the new crown. With me? This is a tough one to visualize.
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A R
Original Author
6 years ago
Yes, we're having the cabinets made. They're framed cabinets from Kraftmaid, and come in 3 inch increments for height. I could have gone with 30, but then there's a lot of room left at the top, and I don't want a big crown. 33 inch gives me more storage space and still leaves just enough room for a 3/4 inch or 1 inch crown at the top. I want something straight as Sophie Wheeler suggested, not something that is angled. They have something called "solid stock" that is finished on 3 sides and gives you some flexibility in placement. Same for the light rail - just a straight edge mounted so it comes out slightly beyond the bottom of the cabinet.
houssaon
6 years ago
Here are some examples of kitchens with low ceilings for you see what was done and how good it looks

.
A R thanked houssaon
Fori
6 years ago
Nice examples--but that first one has a gap at the top. EEE. I don't care for that crack even though it looks deliberate.

I think that the flat stock ceiling trim will look nice on its own, especially if it's a modern or transitional style cabinet, but even on traditional it just disappears and is fine. If you want to make it a tad dressier, you can then put a smaller bit of crown on top of it, like Houssaon's second example. The cabinet dealer should be able to stack some chunks of mouldings on door samples to give you a feel for it.

And 33" is definitely the right choice! Waste no space!!
A R thanked Fori

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