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Remodel kitchen with 8 ft ceiling

jjnv
12 years ago

We are finally moving forward full speed on kitchen remodeling :-) I'd like to get help from you expert. Our house was built in 1985. We lived in it for over 12 years now. It has 8 ft ceiling throughout. The kitchen also has box-head on top of the cabinets.

We'd like to remove the box-head for sure. We know it can be done since the neighbors already did it. They replaced the 30" cabinets with 42" cabinets. The kitchen looks too crowded IMHO. We have a few estimates and got the following options so far

1. use 36" cabinet with 6" molding for center cabinet and corner cabinets, 30" for the rest

2. use 36" cabinets throughout with 3" molding

3. use 36" cabinets throughout with 6" molding

3. use 39" cabinets with 3" molding.

Has anyone done this before? I'd love to see finished pictures. Also wants advice on lighting options.

I will upload design once I figure out how.

Many many thanks for your help,

Jane

Comments (22)

  • joaniepoanie
    12 years ago

    Wouldn't it look more crowded and busy with shorter cabinets and moulding all around as opposed to cabs straight to the ceiling, not to mention the extra storage....I have the same thing...house built 1984, 8'ceilings with soffits over cabs. I'm getting rid of soffits and running 42" cabs not only for storage, but for a clean, streamlined appearance....

  • writersblock (9b/10a)
    12 years ago

    Personally, I think 39" cabinets look much better with 8 ft ceilings than 42" cabs, but don't forget to allow for light rail beneath if you mean to have undercabinet lighting.

  • badgergal
    12 years ago

    My kitchen has an 8' ceiling and is not a large room. We removed the soffits and put the cabinets to the ceiling. According to my order form the cabinets are 39 1/2 inches. The 2 piece crown molding is about 3 1/2 in. I just measured the total height (cabinets plus crown) and it is 41 inches. I have 18 1/2 inches from the bottom edge of cabinets to the top of my counters tops. There was space under the cabinet bottoms to install under cabinet lights. here is a picture of one section of my cabinets.
    {{!gwi}}

  • gardenpea_gw
    12 years ago

    We've almost finished redoing our 1978 ranch galley kitchen with 8-foot ceilings and soffits. We put in 42-inch cabinets to the ceiling, and I love them so far, although I do have to have a step stool to reach the uppers. But I have room for all the once-a-year stuff now, and I love that. I don't think it looks too crowded, and my kitchen is probably smaller than yours. I would definitely go to the ceiling with taller cabinets or the shorter ones with crown to the ceiling.

    As far as lights go, people will tell you recessed, and that's what I wanted; however, two electricians said my galley was too small (Looking back, I'm thinking that's really not true.), we searched high and low for something besides the fluorescent tubes we had before. Finally settled on a couple of Kichler semi-flush lights that took the highest watt bulbs I could find. So far we've been very pleased.

  • GreenDesigns
    12 years ago

    These decisions aren't made in a vacuum. They are made within the context of your home's architectural style, your personal style, and your budget. What type of home do you live in? Is your budget low, medium, or high? What type of style are you? Modern? Traditional? Transitional? Each will have a different molding look. What's your door style and color? What does the rest of the house look like? What type of moldings does it have? All of these things work together to create the total style that makes the kitchen work in your particular home.

    If you are modern, you might want 42" cabinets to the ceiling with no molding, or 39" cabinets with no molding and a 3" shadow line. If you are traditional, you might want the 36" cabinets and 6" of a compound stacked molding to the ceiling. Transitional could mean a simpler type of stacked to the ceiling molding with 36" cabinets, or the 39" cabinets with a simple classic cove molding or something equally simple.

    You do not want any gaps between cabinet tops and ceiling. Even if you do a shadow line, use a black molding pulled back from the box to create it. Skyscraper style cabinets are a trend that's already past. Don't go there unless you really love it and want to live with it for the next 20 years.

    Molding is expensive too, so that will probably also factor into your decision. A simple single molding treatment could cost you $500 with installation costs, or a stacked molding could run you 2K. However, you can't do a traditional style without some molding, so if that's your style, make sure to make enough room in your budget for the appropriate details.

  • trailgirl
    12 years ago

    We have 8 foot ceilings and put up 42 inch cabinets. We love them. We did choose to have glass doors on 4 of the upper cabinets which does lighten up the look. If you don't like the look of 42, then I would advise going with 39. I think 6 inch moldings look better in a larger more formal kitchen.

  • Anthony
    12 years ago

    We are going with option 4, 39" cabinets with 3" of moulding.

    Sadly I'm just doing the floors now, so I can't tell you how it turned out, but we plan on installing the cabinets this weekend.

  • formerlyflorantha
    12 years ago

    The top of our cab doors is 2.5 inches from ceiling. Our trim is minimal. Ceiling is 8 feet.


    In this photo it is clear that the space around the window was necessary and that the glass fronts do help cut down the claustrophobia. On the other cabinet wall we only have glass on the unit above range.

  • sixtyohno
    12 years ago

    8 foot ceiling in an 11'7" x 13' kitchen. We took out the soffits, and the cabinets go to top. No moldings. $19.00 step stool to get to once in a while stuff. It's cleaner looking and simple. That was our goal.

  • christine40
    12 years ago

    WE have 8ft ceilings, and I wanted 42, but the KD, talkked me into 36 with 6" moulding! Hr second choice would have been 39 with 3" moulding.

  • Cloud Swift
    12 years ago

    You also want to think of some additional things. 18" is standard for the distance between the counter tops and bottom of uppers. Do you truly have 96" between the floor and ceiling all around?

    Will your cabinets have a light rail underneath that adds to the height? Frameless cabinets often do. Framed cabinets may have a frame that hangs below the box bottom enough to cover under cabinet lights that is included in their height.

    96" - 36" (bottom cabinets) - 42" (uppers and molding) = 18"

    I'm short, so we were willing to have less than 18" between the uppers and cabinets to get the bottom shelves a little more reachable for me so we planed on 17" which still left room for our stand mixer (42" uppers with a 1/4" molding and a small light rail).

    It turned out that due to small variations in the ceiling and floor we had 95" between the floor and ceiling at the lowest point. To make room for the stand mixer, we had to end the light rail a few inches before the end of the upper in the area where we keep the mixer.

    You might want to go for a total of 40 or 41" for uppers plus molding unless you are okay with less than 18" between uppers and counter.

    Our style is contemporary or transitional so we didn't want a molding other than a minimal one to adjust for ceiling variation. I don't think that it looks crowded. I think the smooth uninterrupted lines make the low ceiling look a bit higher. Possibly your neighbor has less than 18" between the uppers and counters and that's what makes it feel crowded?

  • Cloud Swift
    12 years ago

    Another thought: do you notice that badgergal, florantha, sixtyohno and I all have very simple cabinet styles. They are either shaker or slab. The moldings are also relatively simple ones Those simple smooth lines can also make the kitchen feel open and roomy despite the 8' ceilings where a more ornate door style might make it feel more crowded.

  • jjnv
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Wow, thanks a lot for all the responses. Great pictures. I am still digesting them one by one. Here is a link to pictures of a house in my neighborhood with the same floor model.

    http://matrix.mris.com/Matrix/Public/PhotoPopup.aspx?tid=1&mtid=1&L=1&key=10362332016&n=15&i=0amp;View=G

    Hope that will give everyone some idea of the house style. It is traditional colonial with many small rooms except the two story foyer. Living room, dinner room, foyer area and outside of the house have dentil molding.

    I like wall ovens but I don't have room for it. What is the corner appliance in badgergal's picture? I am thinking I might be able to use something like that, never seen that before.

    Please keep the suggestions coming.

    Thanks,

    Jane

  • jjnv
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Testing picture posting. I found two more pictures showing the kitchen layout. I have uglier walnut cabinets :-(

  • marcy96
    12 years ago

    I have 8ft ceilings and used 36" cabinets with about 6" of molding to the ceiling. I love not having the "dust catcher" space on top and don't think it looks crowded at all. In fact, I feel it makes the kitchen ceiling feel higher than it is.

    {{!gwi}}{{!gwi}}

  • badgergal
    12 years ago

    jjnv, I don't know why the picture disappeared in my previous post but here it is again. I did get your email and responded to it with the info you wanted. I hope you got it.
    {{!gwi}}

  • jjnv
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks a lot, badgergal!

    I got your email and pictures. Smart design! I need to investigate in the corner oven cabinet option since I did not do any research on custom cabinets.

    I have a guess on why your picture disappearing. It happened to me once before when too many people accessing it. Photobucket had a limit on the number of access for free picture hosting.

    Thanks again,

    Jane

  • Patty18longIsland
    12 years ago

    What color are your cabinets? Looking for different off white options. Thanks.

  • Linda
    12 years ago

    Great question, and wonderful answers. I am also pondering the same issue, but my remodel is a ways off yet. Interesting that you call the area over your old cabinets a "box-head". I usually hear them called soffits, but when we were in Texas they were furr-downs (or fir downs?).

    You said you had gotten a few estimates -- I was just wondering what the price differences were for the different sizes? I imagine the shorter cabinets would cost a bit less, but as Green Designs pointed out, the more complex mouldings would end up costing $$$. Was curious as to if or how it balanced out.

  • prospect711
    12 years ago

    We put in 42" cabinets with minimal molding. We needed to maximize storage space (we are both tall but still need a stepstool).

  • formerlyflorantha
    12 years ago

    cloudswift, your observation is interesting and accurate. Without an elaborate crown, the vertical lines of the cabs bring eyes higher up. I very much agree!