If there’s a beam intruding, then you you need a soffit that’s the height of the beam. All the way around. That just looks like an amateur woops. And a dusting nightmare.

Google images shows many slope ceiling kitchens taking advantage of the extra space above stoves, oven and refrigerators. I don't think you have to put anything on top anymore than you'd need to decorate the higher portion. Personally I'd try a color adjustable Phillips hue LED light strip up there to see how that looks to you. I use mine just to color match the light outdoors.. it appears to be light from a hidden window. I love it. Get a plug installed up there!

Thanks, I just added a photo of the actual space at present to my original post, but I'll add it here, too. Building around the Parallam beam (up on right) is the challenge.

Paul f, great idea about an LED strip up there! And GreenDesigns, thanks for pointing out the potential dusting issue--you definitely got my attention with that!

Another view:

An alternative would be to keep the cabs straight to the beam and use open shelving on the right of it.

The other thing I've done in the past is I've used the back splash tile above the cabinets all the way to the ceiling. The area above the cabinets should not be considered a dusty no man's land. Looking at it from across the room it should be dazzling with light and tile. Ok... you could put some pottery up there since it will look so nice. :)

suzyq53, I love that idea (and my DH will be thrilled to have a Houzzer back up exactly what he suggested!). I love the look of open shelving but was always intimidated by the dusting and, well, we are not exactly the "keep everything in its place" types. But I think we should be able to manage this bit of it! Paul f, tile up to the ceiling, wow, I would never have thought of that. Sounds great (if I ever figure out which tile!!!) :-D

You’re going to need to redesign this. The ceiling heights being different and the beam separating these spaces says that these are two different rooms. You can’t ignore the effect that has in the overall. It’s disjointed as is.

Move the sink over to the left, centered between the beam and the fridge. Use the beam as the logical separator between the sections, and use another cabinet color for a to the counter hutch look that delineates the separate rooms better. Maybe the same wood tone that you clad the beam with? Or a separate painted accent color. Teal? For a MCM, maybe something deliberately asymmetric would work.

I would stop to the left of the beam (move DW to other side of sink), and buy a pretty cupboard to use for storage if you want to see your dishes/glassware. Or an armoire to use for a pantry or dish, pots, pans, etc storage.

"Disjointed"....ugh....that's what I feared. Calgon, take me away!

allison0704, interesting idea! I'm not sure we actually have anything real pretty we're wanting to display. I just love chunky walnut shelves! Hmmmmmm...

If you did open shelving to the right of the beam you end up with something like this at the end. You could also raise the cab to the left of the sink and do all shelving to the right of that. I don't like the cabinet over the sink anyway. Are you planning an island?

Fingerpainting, but something like this. Use horizontal lift up cabinets between the beam and the hutch. Add some glass maybe, but definitely keep it not white.

suzyq53, thanks! that looks lovely, though they don't have the sloped ceiling issue. and yes, we have a 4'x9' island (with induction cooktop, wine fridge, cabinets).

The Cook's Kitchen, I'm not familiar with fingerprinting (did you mean finger painting :-) but yeah, that's a good possibility, too. Thanks! BTW, we're not set yet on how much white vs. walnut...maybe it would be better to stick to one or the other on that wall to create more seamlessness?

Yes, finger painting on a phone screen. :-)

I couldn't find a picture with your slanted ceiling and layout, but I think having the continuous countertop with shelving on the end like my picture shows would look cohesive and not disjointed. The right side would be a nice space for a coffee maker. Stacked dishware and glasses can look great and easy to unload dishwasher to there.

If you put the wine fridge on the island near the right side, that end area could be like a beverage station with wine glasses and bar glasses and coffee cups on the shelves.

suzyq53, yes! The wine fridge actually got relocated to that very spot on the island last week. Great idea.

The Cook's Kitchen, thanks for all those! I'm still not using phone to its full potential, I guess! Definitely think you're right about moving the sink to the center, for one! And now that I see walnut on the right, I'm thinking it makes more sense to use it for the whole wall (provided we incorporate proper lighting so it doesn't look ominously dark). Thanks!

Hey thanks @Super Lumen! I missed this suggestion somehow. That IS an intriguing solution! I really love open beams and was thinking it would be a bit of a shame to cabinet over it or close to it, and your idea basically celebrates the beam instead!

p.s. we are thinking of going all walnut on this wall (with white counters and backsplash to balance the dark).