Kitchen Cabinets to Complement Your 9 Foot Ceiling

Designing a kitchen with a 9 foot ceiling comes with its own unique set of challenges. Standard cabinet sizes may leave an awkward gap between the cabinets and ceiling or result in lost storage space. The key is finding the right combination of cabinet heights, organizational features, and design details to make the most of the extra vertical room.

From leaving breathing room to adding stylish moldings, you'll find tailored ideas to maximize storage and style.

Measure Your Kitchen Carefully

The first step in planning new kitchen cabinets is carefully measuring the entire space. Be sure to accurately note the ceiling height, which for this article we are assuming is 9 feet. It's also essential to mark the locations of doors, windows, appliances, plumbing fixtures, and any other architectural details on your floor plan.

Pay special attention to ceiling details like beams, soffits, or lighting fixtures that hang below the actual ceiling level. These may limit the maximum height of your wall cabinets. Knowing the exact dimensions and clearances will help you design a kitchen layout optimized for your unique space.

Leave Breathing Room Above the Cabinets

While it may be tempting to build cabinets all the way up to the 9 foot ceiling, most designers recommend leaving some open space. Having at least 9 to 12 inches of space between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling helps avoid a cramped, closed-in look.

Leaving breathing room above eye level also creates a more open, airy aesthetic. The space can help define the kitchen's proportions and make the room feel larger. An extra visual bonus is that the ceiling will actually appear taller than it is.

Guidelines for Leaving Open Space

As a general rule of thumb, plan to leave between 9 and 12 inches of open space above standard 36-inch tall upper cabinets. The exact amount will depend on your ceiling height and personal preference. Here are a few options to consider:

• 9 feet ceiling - Leave 9-10 inches above cabinets
• 9.5 feet ceiling - Leave 10-12 inches
• 10 feet ceiling - Leave 12-15 inches

The open space above the cabinets can be left empty for a streamlined look. For a more finished appearance, add architectural details like crown molding, decorative corbels, or wallpaper.

Select Appropriate Cabinet Heights

Since you likely won't build cabinets completely up to the ceiling, carefully consider the height of both your base and upper cabinets. Standard cabinet depths may leave you with awkward proportions or limited storage capacity.

Base Cabinet Considerations

The typical kitchen base cabinet height is 36 inches. But with the extra ceiling height, you may prefer taller 42-inch cabinets for more storage. The downside is that taller base cabinets can make a kitchen feel dark and closed in.

A compromise is to do a stack of a 36-inch cabinet with a 6-inch filler or bookshelf above it. This provides more storage than a 36-inch cabinet alone, while maintaining an open sight line across the top of the base units.

Finding the Right Upper Cabinet Height

For the upper cabinets, the standard height is usually between 30 and 36 inches. To make the most of a 9 foot ceiling, you'll likely want to opt for taller 36-inch uppers. This additional height accommodates more storage than 30-inch cabinets.

When combining with a 36-inch base cabinet, a 36-inch upper cabinet with a decorative trim buildup fits nicely below a standard 9 foot ceiling. The trim piece, which may be 4-6 inches tall, helps transition smoothly to the ceiling.

Consider Glass-Front Upper Cabinets

Glass-front upper cabinets are a great choice when working with a taller ceiling. The transparent glass fronts create the illusion of more space and light. This helps maintain an open, airy look even when installing taller cabinets.

Being able to see cabinet contents also makes it quicker and easier to find items. The transparency reduces the need to open multiple doors when looking for a particular ingredient or cooking utensil.

A tip if going with glass-front upper cabinets is to make sure interiors stay neatly organized. Anything crammed inside will be visible. Use risers, racks, and trays to keep things tidy.

Include a Range Hood or Microwave Vent

Proper kitchen ventilation is important for any kitchen remodel. With a 9 foot ceiling, you have ample room to include a range hood or microwave vent hood.

Typically installed over the stove or cooktop, range hoods help remove smoke, grease, odors, and moisture. They are available in different installation styles. An exposed hood makes a bold visual statement, while an integrated flush style blends seamlessly into cabinetry.

Over-the-range microwave vent hoods are another option that saves space by combining two appliances. Downdraft systems are very effective but do require cutting into the countertop.

If venting to the exterior isn't feasible, installing a ductless or recirculating range hood is an alternative. While not as effective for removing airborne grease and smoke, they are still far better than no ventilation.

Add Architectural Interest with Moldings

Moldings are a great way to add polish to a kitchen with 9 foot ceilings. They camouflage any rough edges and create defined sections within the wall of cabinetry.

Crown molding installed at the top of the upper cabinet helps transition the cabinets smoothly to the ceiling. You can also add filler strips between the base and uppers or vertical pilasters for more detail.

Material and Profile Options

For crown and other trim moldings, choose a style and finish that complements your cabinetry. Elaborate, ornate molding pairs nicely with ornate cabinet door styles. Simple trim profiles suit Shaker or contemporary designs.

Wood, polyurethane, or PVC are common molding materials. To blend with painted cabinets, use molded millwork trim. For wood cabinets, select solid wood trim that matches the cabinet stain.

Creative Applications

Get creative with trim moldings to add interest to your kitchen design. Some ideas include:

• Add layered crown molding for extra height and shadow lines
• Use decorative corbels or brackets in place of standard trim
• Install a plate rail molding midway up the wall for display space
• Coordinate molding finishes for an upscale built-in look

Include Thoughtful Lighting

With a taller kitchen, lighting takes on increased importance. Carefully placed lighting helps eliminate dark, shadowy areas that can occur with tall cabinetry and high ceilings.

For maximum visibility and utility, include a mix of task, ambient, and accent lighting. Task lighting like undercabinet lights provides direct illumination for food prep areas. Ambient overhead lighting fills the entire space with background brightness. Accent lighting adds style and highlights specific features.

Ceiling and Undercabinet Options

Recessed ceiling lights positioned over the main work zones help eliminate shadows cast by wall cabinets. For a soft ambient glow, install recessed lighting around the perimeter of the room.

Undercabinet lighting is essential for illuminating countertop tasks. Opt for LED strip lights with high lumen output, typically at least 2500 lumens per foot. Position the strips to avoid glare and shadows.

Leverage Cabinet Lighting

The additional cabinet height also presents great opportunities for cabinet lighting. Consider lights above or inside glass-front upper cabinets to showcase contents. Hardwired or battery-operated puck lights work well.

Installing lighting on the inside front edge of wall cabinets casts helpful downward task lighting when doors are open. Dimmable cabinet lighting gives you flexibility to set the perfect brightness.

Maximize Storage with Organizational Features

Unique organizational elements are invaluable for truly making the most of the available space with 9 foot ceilings. They can help you efficiently use every inch inside base, upper, and tall pantry cabinets.

Pull-Out Base Shelving

To fully utilize deep lower cabinets, have pull-out shelves installed instead of fixed shelves. Full-extension shelves bring items right to you with just a gentle pull. Upgrading to deluxe versions with integrated racks keeps items neatly organized.

Pull-out cabinet shelves are also great for blind corner cabinets or any hard-to-access spaces. They make contents totally accessible instead of trapped in a lazy susan or dark corner.

Specialized Storage Inserts

Take advantage of wasted vertical real estate inside cabinets with features like extra-tall drawer inserts. Specialty storage systems like pull-out spice racks, bakeware organizers, and divided cutlery trays keep everything neatly at hand.

For frequently-used small appliances, install roll-out trays or vertical storage lifts. Sliding trays allow you to easily access bulky items stored at the back of deep cabinets.

Solutions for Awkward Spots

Take stock of any awkward narrow spaces next to refrigerators, ranges, and dishwashers. These spots are perfect for narrow pull-out cabinets like spice racks, vertical tray dividers, or storage for trash and recycling bins.

Leverage the area above the refrigerator or mastery for extra storage. Cabinetry designed to align with appliances looks custom for your cooking space.

Consult With a Kitchen Designer

For kitchens with 9 foot ceilings, a consultation with a kitchen designer is highly recommended. An experienced professional can help you select cabinets and layouts to make the absolute most of the available space.

Kitchen designers have the expertise to identify potential pitfalls and solutions before installation begins. They can provide 3D renderings showing how cabinets and organizational systems will fit your ceiling height.

Custom Cabinet Design

In situations where stock cabinetry sizes just won't work, a designer can provide custom options. This includes tailoring cabinet heights and depths or modifying interiors for specialty storage inserts and pull-outs.

With custom cabinets, you can get exactly the size and configuration needed to optimize every inch. Unique sizes like 33-inch cabinets or 8-inch filler strips help fine-tune proportions.

Hiring and Working With a Designer

When hiring a kitchen designer, look for an experienced professional with extensive knowledge of cabinets, lighting, and storage solutions. They should be able to deftly translate your wish list into a practical layout.

Provide them with your kitchen measurements, photos, and inspiration images. Be ready to convey how you use your current kitchen and what your needs are. Maintain an open dialogue as the design develops.

The designer can help you select attractive, functional cabinets and thoughtful accents tailor-made to complement your 9 foot ceiling. With their guidance, you'll create a kitchen that's high on both style and storage.

Designing a kitchen with a 9 foot ceiling offers wonderful possibilities if you select the right cabinetry configuration. Leaving some breathing room above the cabinets, adding trim details like crown molding, and installing specialty organizational features are key strategies.

Rather than settling for awkward proportions or wasted space, a 9 foot ceiling allows you to customize cabinets to suit your storage needs. Get started by carefully measuring your existing kitchen and consulting photos for inspiration. With clever planning and quality cabinetry designed around your space, you can create a kitchen that feels tailor-made.