In that drawing, doesn't it show the cabinets being 42" and a 31" backsplash? Has that changed? (I would not want that high a backsplash/distance to bottom shelf of upper, as a short person.) I took cabinets to the ceiling and got a library stool (kikstep) and that allows me to reach the whole cabinet - if it was 54" I would probably need a dedicated taller stepstool to reach the top. I'm sure I'd find SOMETHING to store up there but I wouldn't want it to be things I access regularly because I don't have a dedicated space to store the taller style stepstools.

ETA: Make sure you order extra shelves for those uppers, too - mine came with 2 standard, but I ordered extras for every upper because I did not want to have to deal with stacks of baking dishes like I had in my old kitchen, which had fixed shelves. The daily dishware is reached easily, and I use my stool for the bakeware.

Are you putting a crown molding along the top of the cabinets? My cabinets go to the ceiling (I only have 8 foot wall height) and I think the crown gives it a finished look and breaks up the height.

Building a new home and I thought kitchen cabinets that went to the ceiling were cool and high end looking.

I'm not sure I agree with "cool and high end", but I definitely prefer cabinets to the ceiling; in my opinion, they look calm, finished, polished. They're practical in that they provide more storage and don't collect dust up top. Overall, just the right answer ... the question is, How to do them right?

I just now realized I've got 54" tall upper kitchen cabinets (9ft ceilings). That's way too tall, right?

Yes, that's too tall. Think about it: Though I'm short, I'm 59" tall ... your cabinets are only 5" taller than a short girl. Your doors will feel and look "off" and will almost certainly warp with time.

But you haven't ordered them yet, right? The answer is, Keep your upper cabinets 54" ... but divide the doors. You can do this in two ways:

- "Stack" your cabinets ... go with a 30-36" cabinet, topped with a 15-18" cabinet, finished off with a bit of trim at the top.

- If you're having cabinets custom built, go with one big box but two cabinet doors, again finishing with a bit of trim at the top.

- The negative to both options is that it costs more than a single cabinet, but your finished product will look better and age better.

- Don't neglect the bit of finish at the top.

I think your cabinets will look great to the ceiling!

Agree.

You can never have too much cabinet space.

Disagree. I had too much in my last kitchen. This is a Goldilocks situation ... you don't want too little or too much; you're aiming for "just right".

What most do with tall upper cabinets is to break them up visually , vertically. Or break the 54" height into 2 cabinets. You do have a visual break, so not bad.

Yes, this is what I said ... but it's said better. But it's not just a visual thing; two separate doors in that tall space will be easier to open and will not warp over time.
Most people are going with drawers now on the base cabinets.

Definitely, though you might want a traditional drawer here or there, drawers rule.

Or, if you want doors, for some reason, I would have gone with 24" wide single doors on the lowers instead of 2 12" wide doors.

I'd consider two 36" base drawer units flanking the stove. It'll cost less, you'll lose less space to cabinet sides /hardware, and it'll match the uppers better. Consider that you're looking at large uppers ... balancing them with large lowers will be a good choice.

In that drawing, doesn't it show the cabinets being 42" and a 31" backsplash?

That has to be a mistake. 36" base cabinets + 18" backsplash + 54" upper cabinets = 108" total.

"In that drawing, doesn't it show the cabinets being 42" and a 31" backsplash?

That has to be a mistake. 36" base cabinets + 18" backsplash + 54" upper cabinets = 108" total."

If it is a mistake, I would review all the plans clearly to make sure it's all what is intended. I am looking at the measurements on the far left, not the product number on the cabinet.

There is some confusion as to the measurements on the side for sure but the uppers are 54 and I agree they would have been better as stacked instaed of all one height bit the fact they visually look fine IMO is okay. I do not like crown if you can avoid it unless the whole house has crown.

I think it is better to be too tall than too wide. Tall cabinet doors have a tendency to warp; You should have at least four hinges on each tall door to keep the door from warping (too much).

@snappity The 31 1/2" measurement is not to the bottom of cabinet. There's not a measurement break there. It's to the top of the oven.

I prefer the look of stacked cabinets but I don't think this is way out of proportion.

The cabinets should be a few inches shorter so there is some crown or flat trim piece above. If the ceiling isn't perfectly flat, the builder is going to leave a gap anyway. With a crown or trim piece at least you can scribe them to the ceiling for a gap free look.

Swap out to drawers on your base cabinets. Our cabinets feel very tall inside for accessibility and we still have a band around top to the ceiling. Excuse the mess but this is ours. And here is our plan.

If the tall doors become a problem, for any reason, the single door could be replaced with two shorter doors reusing the same box.

Your cabinets will be fine. Your wallet, however, may take a beating...! :-)

We have 54" cabinets on either side of the hood, broken up with reeded glass, and scribed to the ceiling. Yours look like they'll be broken up with the trim so I think you're good. I agree with others about drawers in the base--they're the best!

What I think is throwing things off is the base cabinets are so narrow. This makes the visual of the uppers feel like they are towering over the base cabinets.

Most people are going with drawers now on the base cabinets.

Agree 1000%. Not only that but you'll get more storage in drawers than those too small base cabinets. If it were me, I'd do this:

Definitely 36" drawers on either side of the cooktop.

If you aren't bothered by asymmetry, which I assume will be visually blocked by your island anyway, I would do a 4-drawer stack on the left, and a 3-drawer stack on the right of the cooktop.

I did that in my previous kitchen and no one ever noticed. My KD was a bit bothered by the asymmetry when I told him what I wanted, but it wasn't visible or obvious from most angles, and gave me more storage flexibility.

If it is a mistake, I would review all the plans clearly to make sure it's all what is intended.

Good point -- if the creator of this sketch made one mistake, what other mistakes has he or she made?

If the tall doors become a problem, for any reason, the single door could be replaced with two shorter doors reusing the same box.

True ... replacement doors could be made, BUT they would cost money and would require effort. Matching the wood tone or paint can be difficult.

Aside from multiple doors, a couple thoughts on getting these cabinets right:

- Someone else said increase the number of hinges. A good idea.

- If you're going to have extra space, order an extra shelf ... it'll give you more flexibility.

Your cabinets will be fine. Your wallet, however, may take a beating...! :-)

Yes, to the ceiling cabinets /stacked cabinets /whatever else will cost more than standard height.

What concerns me is that the drawings don't show any crown molding. Even if you didn't want traditional crown molding, a flat strip to create a transition between the cabinet and the ceiling would look better.

Not sure where you are in the ordering process, but if you can make the change to add a 3-4" crown and shorten the cabinets by the same amount, do it.

- the distance from the counter to the bottom of the upper cabinets should be 18". I think that is what you have, but your drawing is confusing about that. Make sure you get that specified.

- You do not appear to have crown molding. If your uppers are 54", then the math bears it out that you do not have crown molding. That is a mistake. You need crown molding both for appearance, and because all ceilings are uneven. The crown molding is used to disguise an uneven ceiling by scribing the middle piece of the molding to the uneveness of the ceiling. If your contractor looks at you blankly when you mention this, you need a new contractor.

- pullouts next to the cooktop are a poor choice; they aren't done much anymore because people who had them didn't like them, so when they did their next kitchen, they did not opt for them. The problems with spice or condiment pullouts are that you have to bend and peer at them to get the spices you need, the bottles jostle and fall over, and if you are standing at the cooktop, you don't want to have to squat down to get your spices. Instead, make the cabinets on either side of the spice pullouts wider to be 36" wide. Have your spices in a spice drawer insert in one of the top drawers to the right or left of the cooktop.

- as others have said, the base cabinets on either side of the cooktop should be drawers.

- @Mrs Pete's suggestion to stack your upper cabinets would be good, but stacked cabinets increase your cabinet cost substantially. It would be quite an increase to your budget. If you want stacked cabinets, make sure you understand the impact to your cost.

- Here's the math, assuming two different sizes of crown molding:

• 36" base cabinets and counter + 18" backsplash + 3" crown molding + 51" uppers

OR

• 36" base cabinets and counter + 18" backsplash + 6" crown molding + 48" uppers

Ditto to everything M Miller said.

@M Miller Thanks for the great feedback. With those pullouts, one is for larger utensils (whisks, spatulas, etc). Do you hear of people regretting those too? I liked the idea of hiding away those utensils vs using the typical large jar on the countertop. But then I felt like I had to do another pullout drawer on the other side to match, which I hear you on the spice issue.

@Jeff - my plan has a pullout that captures those larger utensils. I did not see the need to balance it. However, in my last kitchen I had one of those spice pullouts and I loved it -

@cpartist I love that idea of wide drawers on the bottom. Looks so much better. But functionally, do you think drawers are better in that space? We'd lose both pullouts (utensils and spices), but I hear mostly bad things about those. Are all drawers on the lower cabinets a popular choice?

Since you said you already ordered the cabinets, what options do you really have??

There is no crown at the top- that would have been nice. I am not a fan of those tall doors. It will be like opening a pantry door every time you open them. JMO

Yes, go ahead and lose both pull-outs. Wider drawers are so much better. I have my utensils in one, and spices in a different one. Much easier to access everything. I would worry about those super tall and skinny doors warping...

Cabinets that physically touch the ceiling physically scrape the ceiling low spots when the doors are operated. You HAVE to have at least a minimum 1 1/2" piece of trim at the top to be scribed to the ceiling, to provide a level surface for the cabinets to butt to. You also need to watch door widths vs recessed light placement, even with minimal trim. How much the lights project beyond the ceiling plane matter a whole lot to if your doors will actually open. You also need a light rail trim at the bottom. Again, even a plain straight 1 1 /2" stock allows for a finished look, and for your tape LED under cabinet lighting to not glare, or be seen from a seated position.

A spice drawer will be easier to use than a spice pullout, I think. You can see them all at once and not have to dip down and read the labels from the side. I love my spice drawer. Utensils would be great in a drawer as well.

I did all drawers all the way around and love it. I have ikea and did the hidden inner drawer on the tops to keep the fronts all uniform in size, and really like it.

May I ask who created these elevations for you? Not the name, but the occupation of the person?

"I didn't pay close attention to the measurements when I ordered these because the drawings looked good"

@Jeff - please address the point that @Debbi Washburn mentioned earlier - you said these cabinets are ordered. So it's too late. Why this thread?

The lack of crown molding - unacceptable. The errors in measurements on the drawing - unacceptable. The backsplash height of 18" not notated - unacceptable. The backsplash confusingly notated as appearing to be 31" high - unacceptable. If the 31" dimension is meant to be to the top of the oven as a previous commenter said, it's poorly notated for that - also unacceptable.

Who made these drawings? And if the cabinets have been ordered as you said, it's too late to change them. I would be extremely concerned with the lack of expertise demonstrated by these drawings. It does not bode well for your kitchen.

@RoyHobbs They're ordered but I'm not opposed to ordering new ones. We just have 1" of flat/square crown molding. Agree with all your points though, I had trouble with this company getting the finer details right. I'd rather not say who it is, I don't want to stir up any trouble. But they have a good reputation around town and my builder uses them a ton.

What we are asking is that can the order be cancelled? Honestly, I would start over with someone else if you can. To do this correctly, one has to have both the art and the science of kitchen design and keep up to date.

One of the goals of our kitchen remodel was to get clutter off the countertops (including a jug of utensils). A nice wide drawer next to the cook top is a perfect place for utensils - if it is well organized. I made the dividers for this drawer.

If you do decide to reorder, I recommend that you go with 20" backsplash instead of the standard 18". There are a number of "small" appliances (e.g. Vitamix, stand mixer, some coffee makers, Sodastream) that are just a tiny bit taller than 18". It's like the designers have never been in a kitchen!

@Jennifer K - agreed! one wall of my cabinets has a 20” backsplash to fit my cuisinart

"I recommend that you go with 20" backsplash instead of the standard 18". There are a number of "small" appliances (e.g. Vitamix, stand mixer, some coffee makers, Sodastream) that are just a tiny bit taller than 18"."

While some people do decide to have a backsplash taller than the standard 18", keep in mind that makes the upper cabinets higher. If anyone in your family is 5'5" or less, the higher backsplash may make access to the second shelf difficult or impossible for them. Also, small appliances like stand mixers and most coffee makers should fit within the 18". Even Sodastreams are about 17" tall. I believe that Vitamix has only one model that is 20" tall, and the rest are 17.5" or less. The small appliance manufacturers are aware of the 18" standard, and do not want their customers unable to find a place for their appliances.

With that being said, some people opt for the 20" backsplash height and really prefer it. I just want you to think of all the considerations about that.

if these are already ordered what are your options?

@M Miller Thanks for the great feedback. With those pullouts, one is for larger utensils (whisks, spatulas, etc). Do you hear of people regretting those too?

Yes they do.

I liked the idea of hiding away those utensils vs using the typical large jar on the countertop. But then I felt like I had to do another pullout drawer on the other side to match, which I hear you on the spice issue.

If you do 36" drawers on either side, you can put all your whisks, spatulas, etc in the top drawer on one side and your spices on the other side. Or put your spices in the upper cabinets. Here is my spice cabinets

And here is how I store my utensils. And in fact it's even better than in a container on the counter since I can open the drawer and see exactly what utensil I need.

@cpartist I love that idea of wide drawers on the bottom. Looks so much better. But functionally, do you think drawers are better in that space? We'd lose both pullouts (utensils and spices), but I hear mostly bad things about those.

They function so much better too. No having to open a door and then bend down to grab a pullout shelf. And yes, you'd be surprised what fits in drawers. In reality you can get more in drawers than in a cabinet.

Are all drawers on the lower cabinets a popular choice?

Honestly, nowadays they should be the only choice.

Here are my lower drawers on either side of my cooktop. Yes that's my Cuisenart, and my blender in the bottom drawer.

These two photos below are my drawers under my cooktop. The first photo is the bottom drawer where I store my wok and my large pots and the middle drawer stores my smaller pots and pans.

This below is the bottom drawer to the left of my cooktop. That is my ice cream maker that fits in there, along with some baking stuff.

If you do decide to reorder, I recommend that you go with 20" backsplash instead of the standard 18". There are a number of "small" appliances (e.g. Vitamix, stand mixer, some coffee makers, Sodastream) that are just a tiny bit taller than 18". It's like the designers have never been in a kitchen!

I disagree if you have uppers because that limits using the uppers unless everyone in the house is very tall. I'm 5'2" and when I lived in a rental where the upper cabinets were 20" off the counter, I could only comfortably reach the first shelf.

Lower cabinets have become unpopular because of the functionality: any item that is in the back of a lower cabinet is difficult to reach. Yes, you can add internal drawers, but that adds more cost and internal drawers waste a lot of valuable interior space.

Where is your sink?

I have kept with the 18 inch height with multiple remodels and builds. My wife is 5'3" and it was her insistence. We have had a light rail and a Cuisinart - the larger one. It is tight but works.

Now large mixers can't open - but that might be an issue at 20".

I don't see a light rail - Doesn't need to be big but most people want undercab lights and don't want to see wires or fixtures.

I just measured my soda stream (glass bottle) and it is 21.5" so 20" wouldn't help. We have a prep sink in a butler's pantry that has become a scullery so that it where it lives. There is a window there and so room around the sink for the soda stream. Vitamix is 17.4 inches tall --- for a reason -- to fit under 18 inches.

Now - our trim carpenters assume 15 inches for shelving but we have done one at 18 inch for the mixer. Done at the right height to not have to bend down to bring it out.

All drawers in the base cabs. Always the best. We have spatulas, etc in those drawers (like cpartist's pics). We put spices in the cabinet next to range. High up - easy to read.

I suspect KD's have heard feedback so even if they don't cook personally, they would tend to hear about things. We used a KD for a remodel and then not when we built twice since. Each kitchen got better - I am a bit of an efficiency nut and my wife is culinary trained.. Except for the microwave drawer - who wants to wait for a motorized drawer - what a mistake. Thankfully it melted down and was covered by a recall.

Canceling cabinet orders is generally not something you can do without a big penalty...

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I knew I was going to have a shorter than average backsplash, it's ALMOST 18" but the trim to hide the lights makes it about 17.5. My vitamix slides in and out as long as the plug in the lid isn't in place, so I am storing it in the jar when not in use. The lid fits - just not that little plug/cup.

Get a blendtec instead. Those fit under the cabinets and don't require tamping :)

Regardless I wouldn't want that on my counter and if you have an island that's probably where you'd use those appliances anyway, so I wouldn't adjust upper cabinets for that. The only appliance I tend to use on the wall counter is my crock pot. Everything else is used on the island.

"With those pullouts, one is for larger utensils (whisks, spatulas, etc). Do you hear of people regretting those too?"

I think those kind of pullouts are better than they would be for spices, because you do not have the issues of bottles jostling and falling over, or the need to squat and peer to see the labels.

Having said that, I still prefer shallow drawers for cooking utensils similar to what @cpartist posted above. I have three drawers for different purposes. One is the top drawer directly next to the range, and that drawer stack is just 15" wide. That top drawer has the cooking utensils I use constantly such as spatulas, wooden spoon and wooden spatula, can opener, butcher shears, and tongs. The drawer just underneath it has my knife insert. Oh, I do love that knife drawer insert. I like it so much better than a bulky knife block on the counter. Then separately I have a wide shallow drawer for my utensil and gadget addiction, but they are things I do not use so often - whisks, baster, meat thermometer, spider, lemon juicer, onion goggles (yes, that is what I said), offset spatulas for cake frosting, dough scraper, potato masher, and more. I opted not to get the dividers that cpartist has in her drawers. My cooking utensils/gadgets are tossed in willy-nilly. If you do not have an addiction to those utensils/gadgets like I do, you won't even need that third drawer haha.

Here is a pic of a knife drawer insert similar to mine. They come in many different sizes, widths, number of slots.

I have a knife drawer too. I absolutely LOVE it. So easy and convienent.

To the OP: I even store my everyday dishes in drawers. My island has my drawers, sink, then dishwasher, so it's easy to take something out of the dishwasher and then turn half a step to put it away in the drawer. My top drawer is for silverware, the middle drawer is for dishes (Fiestaware so you know they're heavy) and the bottom drawer holds my plastic classes.

I love my knife drawer as well - but my kids are teens, I can see how it would be harder if they were still little! that would be the con.

Glad everyone else's appliances fit. That doesn't negate my experience or my advice. It's just one more thing for the OP to consider before they reorder. YMMV!

In case RES's ladder is not enough:

Regarding height and room for appliances: Do you have or are you adding a pantry that you can have wired. I keep all my appliances in my own and just plug them in there. I never bring a toaster or coffee grinder out. I can fit a blender (not sure on mixer). For a mixer you can add one of those pull out and up drawers. But I have no idea on cost.