@Jamieh922 I see where you're going, but easy is a relative term. Straightforward is a more apt term. But it's not exactly cheap. Here are some things to ponder:
- Assuming a 42" cabinet height is replaced, you have a 12" gap to fill.
- Are the cabinets going to be painted or stained?
- If stained wood, then the crown and frieze board (what you call the "slab wood") needs to be the same species and stained to match. Cabinet manufacturers charge astronomical per linear foot charges for frieze boards and crown - all trim essentially. It's a huge money maker for them. Depending upon crown height, a roughly 10" tall frieze board would be needed. The cost of solid wood 10" wide frieze board (if it were even offered) would add up quick and then there's the issue of dimensional stability with solid lumber of that width and length. The better, more economical option would be a veneered ply or furniture board, again, assuming that's even offered at those widths or offered at all. And not cheap.
- If painted, then the same issues apply. And do you field paint it by brush? Hire a painter to spray it? Will the color match exactly or do you have to settle for close enough? Will the texture and sheen be a match? So you might say why not order it from the cabinet company? Because the cost will add up quickly. And again, it may not be offered in the needed width.
One advantage to painted cabinets is you could "mimic" the look of wood in the field with drywall or cabinet grade plywood and make it look like you have built in cabinets all the way to top. Plywood could also be used. But the issue of matching color, sheen and texture to the finish remains. That's what they did in this kitchen - which is why I posted it for the OP to see.
This picture is your exact solution, which is a essentially a soffit flush with the cabinet face frame.
The OP's options, from low cost to high cost are:
Keep existing soffits and use 42" uppers
Tear down existing soffits, patch ceiling as needed, and use 36" or 42" uppers
Use 42" uppers and rebuild the soffit flush with the cabinet face frame
The biggest advantage to Option 2 is flexibility in upper layout and design.
Q
White and cream kitchen
Q