If there is nothing concealed in your soffits (which is often the case)--specifically, no plbg because electrical is usually easy to deal with--removing them will give you about the biggest bang for your buck of anything you can do to improve a kitchen.

If DIY, the $ cost is next to zero. DIY or paid labor, remember to include the cost of dressing them up, materials & (labor)...and for strictly aesthetics because you don't gain anything practical in terms of space or storage.

Look through the FKB. There are at least two kitchens I can recall although I don't remember who they belong to. (OK did a quick search and look at legallin, knroberts, gail2 and socabeth although none of those are the ones I was thinking of LOL)

One is cream and they did what you want and covered the soffits in wood and crown molding.

The other left the soffits in place but put in taller doors so the doors covered both the soffit and the cabinet. when you opened the door you did see the soffit but the rest of the time it was hidden. I don't recall if they had trim.

Here is a link that might be useful: FKB Blog

I have 3 images of dressed up soffits. Of course I think I got them off of GW, but it was a while ago and I don't know whose kitchens they are. I'm still hopeful that soffit removal will stay in my budget, but thought these were excellent treatments if they have to stay.

Justnotmartha, how tall would your soffits be? How high are your ceilings? Any chance of stacking cabs to get closer to the ceiling?

Becktheeng - thanks! The white kitchen is one I had seen and was trying to find!

It's not the expense of taking out the soffit that is leading me down this path, it's the need (okay, want) to dress up the Ikea cabs. I had planned to go custom so I'm trying to make the best of the hand I've been dealt. The ceilings are only 8' and the soffit is 12' - there are currently 30' uppers in there (in a lovely Brady Bunch brown stain!)

I've been scouring Ikeafans for more custom options and have lots of ideas, but this seems like a easy way to give them some punch.

Worth it or no? Should I go back to 39' uppers and try for 'custom' a different way?

Depending on my size of kitchen and how much storage I needed, I would consider going with the 39" uppers. I know the tops of the cabinets don't provide much, but there are definitely a few "tools" that I only use a few times a year that I can store up high.

Justnotmartha, I would do the 39" uppers. You will only be 3" from the ceiling then, right? Seems like it would be easy to do a trim treatment on top to cover the last 3 inches. Heck, isn't the deco strip 3"? Maybe you could use 2 deco strips, using one as filler to hide inconsistencies in ceiling height. Or you could use HD moulding in a matching paint. I'm sure there is a way.