Too Much Open Space? Extend Cabinets to the Ceiling

If you're like most homeowners, you want to maximize every inch of storage space in your kitchen. Yet the gap between your cabinets and the ceiling, known as a soffit, often feels like wasted real estate. While soffits allow for easier installation and conceal infrastructure, they present a disjointed, unfinished look. If you're tired of staring at that empty void, extending your cabinets to the ceiling can create a built-in, seamless aesthetic that also increases storage.

We'll explore the pros and cons of kitchen soffits, provide tips for visually expanding cabinets upwards, and offer alternatives to full-wall cabinetry so you can make the best choice for your space.

Why Do Kitchens Have Gaps Between Cabinets and Ceilings?

The space between your kitchen cabinets and the ceiling is called a soffit. This architectural feature serves several key purposes:

• Allows room for installing and adjusting wall cabinets
• Conceals wiring, plumbing, ventilation, lighting fixtures
• Adds dimensional details and design interest

Typically ranging from 1 to 2 feet high, soffits account for variables like uneven ceilings and potential settling. They also eliminate the need to painstakingly integrate infrastructure within cabinetry. However, soffits disrupt visual continuity and limit storage potential.

Pros and Cons of Cabinet Gaps

Should you keep the soffit or lose it? Here are some pros and cons to weigh:

Pros

• Allows flexibility in kitchen layout and future design changes
• Provides access for maintenance and upgrades
• Creates decorative settings for lighting or displaying special items

Cons

• Appears visually unfinished
• Accumulates dust and dirt
• Reduces usable kitchen storage space
• Makes kitchen feel smaller than it is

Reasons to Extend Cabinets to the Ceiling

Several compelling reasons may convince you to extend your wall cabinets upwards:

• Create a built-in, seamless aesthetic
• Maximize every inch of available storage space
• Enhance visual harmony and spaciousness
• Showcase your unique style

Continuous cabinetry minimizes disjointed lines for a polished, upscale look. It also eliminates wasted space to fit more dishes, glassware, gadgets, and pantry essentials. Visually, expanded cabinets can make your kitchen appear larger.

Cabinet Extension Design Considerations

Expanding your existing cabinetry is a major project requiring careful preparation:

• Precisely measure from countertops to ceiling
• Select complementary cabinet fronts to match existing
• Check ceiling level and smooth uneven surfaces
• Include interior shelves/drawers for access/storage
• Factor in potential changes like new countertops

Cutting corners here jeopardizes functionality and aesthetics. Invest time planning cabinet height, fillers, custom trim, hardware, lighting, and accessories.

Cabinet Extension Tips and Tricks

Pro techniques prevent problems as you link lower and upper cabinetry:

Select the Right Cabinets

• Identify original cabinet door/drawer manufacturer and style
• Match wood species, finish, and hardware
• Order filler panels, false fronts to integrate appliance surrounds

Prepare the Space Properly

• Remove soffit structure down to wall studs
• Install horizontal support ledger board anchored securely
• Upgrade electrical, plumbing, ventilation as needed
• Address potential piping, ductwork, or wiring re-routes

Install New Cabinetry Securely

• Shim meticulously to adjust pitch/level
• Attach to ledger and wall studs with long screws
• Use levels, diagnostic tools to fine-tune
• Test doors/drawers for clearance, smooth gliding

Rushing cabinet installation jeopardizes safety. Verify all is plumb, true, and reinforced before loading with heavy dishes and equipment.

Finish the Transition Professionally

• Bridge old and new cabinetry with trim molding
• Caulk gaps; touch up paint on ceiling
• Install crown molding, under/over cabinet lighting
• Add racks, shelves, other built-ins as needed

Well-executed details integrate everything seamlessly while allowing you to accessorize for personal style.

Alternatives to Full Cabinet Extensions

For those seeking more subtle solutions, partial cabintry extensions, creative architectural features, and accessorizing offer workable options, including:

• Glass cabinet tops for display and decor
• Wall-mounted shelves instead of upper cabinets
• Narrower filler cabinets to reduce height
• Floating shelves, pendant lights, art in the void
• Painted murals or decorative wallpaper

The choice comes down to your priorities - storage, aesthetics, and budget. Even smaller upgrades can transform awkward soffits into focal points.

FAQs About Expanding Kitchen Cabinets

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about extending cabinets to the ceiling:

How much does it cost to extend cabinets?

The cost can range widely from $2,500 to $5,000+ depending on factors like cabinet quality, customization needs, countertop modifications, added molding/trim, and appliance updates involved.

What are the hardest parts of this project?

Making structural changes to the home, properly supporting new cabinet weight, finding matching cabinetry fronts/hardware, and flawlessly integrating trimwork present top challenges.

How can I make new upper cabinets match old ones?

Finding the same manufacturer or custom replicating the door style and finish often yield the best results. Filler panels bridge gaps between old and new units.

Crown molding is typically installed to create a seamless transition line between the top of cabinetry and ceiling. Quarter-round molding then borders countertops.