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Building a Home Design Dilemma

14 ft ceilings in kitchen?

last year

Hi everyone,

Building new and doing vaulted ceilings from one side of the house to the other. moving from 9-14 ft. ceilings. We will be at the max (14 ft) in the kitchen.

Is this too high? Thoughts?

Featured Answer

Dee J

last year

I had 14 foot ceilings in the kitchen, dining room and living room of my previous house and loved them. They had clerestory windows at the peak which let in lots of beautiful light.

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Comments (19)

LH CO/FL
last year
Is there a question? My kitchen is part of a gabled great room -- 20' at the peak, but rafter beams and a 21" steel i-beam break up the expanse.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
Why is it 14 feet high?
HU-306737570 thanked Mark Bischak, Architect
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acm
last year
You just end up with a lot of awkward space above your cabinets (to collect dust and cooking grease), so most people prefer a lower ceiling in the kitchen. Could you reverse the vault?
HU-306737570 thanked acm
User
last year
Yes, much too high to be functional, or to scale, for a kitchen.
HU-306737570 thanked User
PRO
JAN MOYER
last year
last modified: last year
what's the point of 14 feet in a kitchen? There isn't a point. Too high and a lot of dead space above cabinetry. Anything over ten feet is too high. ......in fact? Nine is plenty unless you have a ton of money

Post your FLOOR PLAN of the build
HU-306737570
Original Author
last year
Thanks everyone!

It is 14 ft only because it is at the side of the house with the max vault.

Floorplans dont show ceiling height unfortunately.
HU-306737570
Original Author
last year
The only way I can think to make it not so high, woukd be to start the vaukt at 8 ft and move to 12-13 ft.
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
What is the point of a 14' ceiling anywhere ? We need the plan and you need to slow down until you get some real help. I agree anything over 10' is not prctical or needed . heating and cooling is never going to get cheaper so why waste it ever. As for your question how do we know what the plan looks like so post that and also the exterior elevation
worthy
last year
last modified: last year
No point in high ceilings.

Consider this 1952 home, where the draftsman couldn't even figure that right angles are the easiest way to build. And all that wasted space above the cabinets. Jeesh!
chispa
last year
Worthy, when we relocated to CA for work many of the older (circa 1920s) homes we saw while house shopping had high ceilings. It isn't a new concept, specially in warm climates.

You get the usual half dozen people who hate high ceilings chiming in and making it sound like high ceilings are evil !!

Previous house had vaulted kitchen, dining and game room with 9 ft walls and 14 ft peak. New build has 12-13 ft ceilings in public areas and 10-11 ft in private areas. Love the higher ceilings, specially in warm climates.

OP, search Houzz photos for examples of similar sloped 14 ft ceiling heights and see how you feel about them. Some people are claustrophobic and love large open rooms and others have altocelarophobia ... the fear of high ceilings! Don't design your house based on other people's preferences or phobias! ;-)
houssaon
last year
I would not want such high ceilings in the kitchen. I've seen many examples where the ceiling over the kitchen area is eight or nine feet and the adjacent space is vaulted. I think you should consider that.
chispa
last year
I think these are around 12 ft high:
Design Ideas by Waypoint Living Spaces · More Info

Probably closer to 13-14 ft:
Kitchen · More Info

This one is 9 ft wall to 14 ft at peak:
Moji Residence · More Info
worthy
last year
last modified: last year
If high-ceiling kitchens make no sense, what about studies with 18' ceilings?

Or apartments with double height ceilings?

Nothing more than ostentatious symbols of ill-gotten wealth. And if they're in white, they're clear signs of white supremacist thinking, say many.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
Are yo going for a 'warm and cozy' feel in the home?
PRO
Beth H. :
last year
last modified: last year
older homes (pre-AC) in the south all had tall ceilings. Heat rises. That's why an 11ft ceiling would be better than an 8'.

of course, if you're living in an area where you'll have ac or very cold temps, then yes, the energy bills will be high.

Are you putting in solar?

why take a look at kitchens w/tall/vaulted ceilings and see what you like?

Have you seen this article?

https://plankandpillow.com/vaulted-ceilings-in-the-kitchen-pros-and-cons/

lots of ways to build it so you don't have the dead space above the cabs.

like this one

https://www.hunker.com/13765068/kitchens-stunning-high-ceilings-instagram
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
"It is 14 ft only because it is at the side of the house with the max vault."

If that is the answer to "Why is it 14 feet high?", then yes it is too high. Pretty pictures of kitchens with high ceilings are nice, but those kitchens were probably designed by someone that knows what they are doing, and 98%* of the houses built now a days are designed by someone that do not know what they are doing.

*statistic provide by those that think 2% of the house built are designed by architects is the fault of the architect.
btydrvn
last year
If you have beautiful views and lots of windows …that is not too high
btydrvn
last year
It is wise to also install exhaust fans in the highest areas.. for summer heat….and regular circulating fans to push warm air down in winter…

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