Plumberry - how many times will you NEED to access the top areas of your cupboards in an average week? For me, I purposely am putting only infrequently used items up at the top past where I can relatively easily reach. Even though our kitchen isn't done yet, I have most things in the cabinets. So far, aside from putting stuff in the higher places, I've needed to use my step stool twice in the past month or so. Because of that, my step stool won't occupy a "prime" area and is a simple fold-flat plastic step stool that will go in my toekick drawer...it needs to take up some of the least prime areas. I do have another taller, more robust step ladder that resides in the basement that I typically don't need to use in the kitchen but in other areas of the house.

I'm also rather short (5'3"), so it's not that I am tall and don't need boosts, I just planned my storage so that the things I need the most are handy in the areas where I will be able to reach them most easily. I've also attached a picture to explain how I have set up most of my kitchen storage...if you try to keep this in mind, you may find that you need your stepstool much less often than you imagine, even with tall uppers.

I'm 5'4, and put in 42" uppers, so I do need a stool sometimes. I really like the one I got at Bed, Bath & Beyond, though it's not on their web site. Mine is similar to the one I linked below. It folds easily, and fits neatly under the sink. I use it once a week or so.

In my old kitchen, even with 30" uppers I needed help, and would usually haul a chair over from the dining room (or climb on the cabinets). The stool is more convenient.

Like Andrea, I try to put less-used things on higher shelves. I ordered extra shelves for most of my upper cabinets, so I have more space at a height I can reach, and don't have to stack things.

Here is a link that might be useful: step stool

I have this one. I like it because I can keep it in my pantry and roll it out to my kitchen to access my tall cabinets. Small footprint. Very stable.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stool