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Design Dilemma
wkschmit

Cabinet height for 10 ft ceilings

wkschmit
8 years ago
We have 10 ft ceilings in our kitchen and we are wondering if the cabinets should be 42" or 48" high. We have decided not to take the cabinets to the ceiling. We would appreciate any advice. We are mostly concerned with the look vs functionality. Thank you.
Featured Answer
  • PRO
    Kyle Moulin
    8 years ago
    I would do 48" cabs split them so you have a top section of 12 to 15 ". Then I would put frosted or some type of decorative glass in the upper sections. This leaves you 36 to 33" of usable space and a 12 to 15" section to put lights in and put decorations in or just to put stuff that you don't use often in the upper section. But it will look way better than a 48" cabinet door with no split.

    Comments (8)

    • D M
      8 years ago
      I would go with 48's. Chances are you will never be able to reach the top shelves, or even the middle ones, but I fear the 42's would look too short. I have 9ft ceilings and I put in 40's. We will be adding crown molding on them as a future project to block all the dead space up there.
      Just my 2 cents :)
    • Xochitl
      8 years ago

      I'd go with 42". More separation between cabs and ceiling and easier to clean.

    • Judy Mishkin
      8 years ago

      this is 42" with a 9' ceiling. i think you might consider stacked cabinets and not 48" ones.

    • PRO
      JDC Remodeling, LLC
      8 years ago

      Here's a kitchen we completed with 9' ceilings and we used 42" upper cabinets with a large crown moulding. The homeowners still prefered to have space above the cabinets rather than having them go all the way to the ceiling. Even with tall ceiling, 48" cabinets could make the cabinets feel top heavy. If you want them taller, stacking would be a better option.




    • PRO
      JAN MOYER
      8 years ago
      last modified: 8 years ago

      An unbroken door height of 48 will loom over lower cabinetry, I'd investigate a beautiful detail to visually "lower" the ceiling a bit ! .....beams, coffering, something lovely and fitting the rest of your home, and use 42 inch uppers. Or stack glass doored cabinets over 42 inch solid doored cabs.

    • PRO
      Patricia Colwell Consulting
      8 years ago

      I would stack the cabinets to the ceiling with the ones on top glass with lighting and display nice things you don’t use every day.

    • PRO
      Rosenhaus Design Group, Inc.
      8 years ago

      You can emphasize the ceiling height without all the cabinets going full height which will probably overwhelm the room. Have the cabinet over the refrigerator or pantry or wall oven go all the way, but leave the others lower.

      Do an overhang, ala Frank Lloyd Wright.

      Try an interesting shape extended up.

      See all attached photos.


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