Positano, your crown looks great & has given me inspiration. I have 11' ceilings & had cabinets built to about 9-1/2 - 10' but I never gave much consideration to how it would look if I left the space above it open. I hated it but I ran out of money & decided to wait until a 'vision' appeared to me before doing the cornice. That was 6 years ago - & you've provided the vision. Thank you.

My kitchen ceiling is 8ft. 9in. In order to run the venting for the hood to the outside, we had to run it above the cabinets. As a result we have 10 inches of moulding-6 inches of crown, and 4 inches of "library" moulding.

I was terrified of that much moulding, but it's been in now for about four years, and I really like the way it turned out. It adds a lot of architectural interest, and doesn't seem too overwhelming(at least to me)!

Rich

Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen pics

I have 21" of crown (and paneling).
Just to give you an idea that a swath of filler can be broken up into panels:

Those are great examples of big mouldings. Sorry I don't know all the names of mine! I forgot to mention that I also had big moulding to hide the ac vents. They needed at least 6 inches to do that.

These mouldings are wonderful. I need to hide a vent duct for the range hood and this is a great idea.

positano - how did you get the paint on your mouldings to match your cabinet finish?

athomedad - I love your kitchen island/table. Can you share where you got that?

Thanks in advance.

Tina

Thank you Positano, athomedad, and sombreuil mongrel for posting your pictures. I am still a bit concerned as my crown will still be about 3.5 inches larger than Positano and athomedad's. Does anyone have an opinion on how it would look to leave a small space (about 3-4 inches) between the crown and the ceiling? Do you agree with the GC that if the space is that small, I should just take the crown all the way to the ceiling? If I don't take it all the way up, I'm afraid it might make the ceiling look lower if it stops a few inches shy of the ceiling.

Also, any opinions on how valuable that visual space is between the top of the cabs and the ceiling, and if it's worth loosing to the big moulding? The room measures about 18'x12' and the upper cabs take up a little over 50% of the wall space. I am used to seeing behind the upper cabs, which I feel adds extra depth to the room. But I do think that a nice big crown moulding adds so much to the cabinetry that I've not had with my current builder grade cabs, so if it will look good, then I wouldn't mind loosing the visual space so much. I'm just afraid I'll loose the visual space to have a crown moulding that looks weird or top heavy and then I would regret it. Thanks again for any and all opinions/advice, I really need it! I had no idea these decisions would be so overwhelming!

I think just a few inches shy of the ceiling would look strange and be absolutely impossible to clean (there was a post about staggered cabinets by luvnlife that got into the dust issue). Seems like 6 inches is about the least space you can really do (I hope, b/c that's what I'm going to have eventually).

If you have that much room and are worried about huge moldings, how about adding stacked cabinets (like Casey's but with doors that open instead of decorative panels)? Gies you extra storage room, and you don't even have to buy new cabinets - just extend the end panels, make up some face frames, and paint them the same as your (refaced?) cabinets? Only major added expense would be the additional doors.

I love Casey's kitchen - now I wish that I didn't have the one taller corner cabinet in my kitchen, and almost that I had let the builder do a soffit that I could trim out like that. Just wondering Casey, what did you do over your door, though? If I had a soffit, it would have gone past the fridge and over the door.

My gut says to take it all the way to the ceiling too. Maybe your GC could do a mockup for you on a computer?
Have you looked thru the finished kitchen blog slideshow. I just zoomed through and saw a few with mouldings that seemed higher than mine. Decordiva, forkfriend, Gailia and Kophiphi.Look around for other examples, lots with mouldings that stop before the ceiling too.I wish I knew the answer to this. I think that 3 inch gap would bug me though, and might draw your eye up to the ceiling more.Maybe ask Live Wire Oak what she thinks since she posted on your other thread. She has great kitchen designer views!

Tina- My cabinet maker ordered all the crown and mouldings and had them painted the same color as the cabinets.

Here is a link that might be useful: finished kitchen slideshow

ajsmama, ITA about the dust issue. I hadn't thought of that, but that would be an issue. And you're right, it would look strange. I don't know if 13 inches would be enough space to do a stacked cabinet like Casey's. I'd either have to skimp on the smaller cabinet or the moulding, and I'd still like a large moulding. Also, I'm really trying to keep cost down now. This project has snowballed from just replacing the floors to getting all new appliances, granite, backsplash, refacing, adding all new lighting, etc. We will only be here for about 2 more years, so I want to do things I can appreciate while I'm still here and that will help with resale, but I don't want to overdo it for the neighborhood. I do appreciate your suggestion.

So, it's looking like maybe 13" built up crown moulding is the way to go...right? :)

mybrowneyedgirls, your cabinet guy should provide you with drawings or photos to show you exactly how your cabinets will look with 13 inches of molding so that you don't have to just try and imagine what it looks like. I usually like cabinets that go all the way to the ceiling, but 13 inches just seems way too much -- it's almost 1/3 the height of your cabinets -- especially since you said your cabinets are Shaker style. To me, Shaker means simple, clean lines. I don't think 13 inches of molding lends itself to a Shaker style. I hate to be the lone dissenting voice, but I'm afraid it will look extremely top-heavy.

Here's a Shaker kitchen with simple crown molding, probably no more than 3 inches tall, and a good amount of space above the cabinets. I think it's gorgeous. What do you think?

From Crown Point website
{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Here's another stunning kitchen with lots of space above the cabinets:

From houzz.com

If you're worried about dust collecting up there, you can do what I've seen other people on the forum do. They place paper towels up there that can easily be changed out every now and then.

Good luck!

Erika

positano - thanks for the paint info. I am a bit confused and forgive me. I saw from your thread that you have Wood Mode cabinets so did you get them unfinished and have them and the moulding painted or are they able to match the Wood Mode paint color? If the latter how do you match the finish also? I am just learning - thank you!

Tina

Those cabinets are stunning! But there's definitely more than 3 inches to the ceiling. I'm taking one cabinet (and over the fridge) that are already 6" from the ceiling all the way up, then the lower ones are going to end 6" from the ceiling. I won't worry about what's enclosed, and I'm hoping that 6" will be enough (esp. with crown angled out) to get up there and dust or even get the vacuum hose (if it's long enough) up there occasionally.

Mockup (sitting slightly behind cabinet for pic, but it will be stacked flush and come all the way up to current top of corner cabinet, which will go all the way to ceiling)

{{!gwi}}

This one (same piece) is being held in place by tape so it's really where it's supposed to be, minus the bead at the joint. Better pic of how far it is from ceiling.

{{gwi:1448178}}

I don't know when we'll actually get this done - too many other priorities now that the weather's nice)

Hello mhybrowneyedgirls. Most of the crown molding in my kitchen has just, finally, been installed. I have the same set up: 42" cabinets and 9 foot ceilings. We used a simple crown and have about 6" of wall space above the cabinets. The crown molding is substantial enough and it looks lovely. You can definitely do this.

I will take some pictures tonight and post them later or early tomorrow.
Either way I am sure your kitchen update will end up beautiful.

Hey Tina,
I have Adelphi custom cabinets not Wood Mode. All I did was order everything in their eggshell color. Sorry for the confusion.

Browneyedgirls, hopefully marciag will post pictures. That sounds like a good solution. I wouldn't mind the 6 inches, I just thought the 3 might look like it was a mistake.

I just tried to measure it all by standing on a little stepstool with a ruler (not even a tape measure)...so the measurements are all approximate but it appears my crown is only about 4" high. It really looks big enough in person!! There is about 7" of wall space -- I am short and couldn't reach too well with the ruler I grabbed so the wall measurement might be off an inch).SORRY the pictures are so large. I am in a rush to get to work. Hope this helps

marciag, thank you so much for posting your pictures. It really helps to see a kitchen with the same cabinet and ceiling height as mine. I think your cabinets look beautiful, and the crown gives it a finished look without being overpowering. I am now thinking I'll probably end up with something similar to your crown. That way I don't get something too big, and I get to keep some extra wall space behind the cabinets. I think I either just have too much space to do the 10" crown I wanted, or not enough space to do a stacked cabinet. A 4 inch crown seems like the best compromise. If anyone else has advice to offer, I'd love to hear it. I could still be convinced to go really big :) Thanks everyone for your help!

marciag, love your kitchen, simply gorgeous!

mybrowneyedgirls, photos really are a huge help aren't they?? I can't wait to see photos of your kitchen!

thanks erikanh. It was somewhat of a 'budget' job but I am very happy with it. Everything is just that much better and more convenient than my old kitchen. I looooove my new range!

Mybrowneyed...I think you will find 4-6" crown molding is pretty beefy , if you like the open space above your cabinets. We had a soffit that was removed so it feels nice and airy to me with that size molding.

My soffit is only over the cabinets. I had to stick in a shallow bulkhead above the door to a) hide heat pipes; b) give room for can light on a joist.

Casey

Thanks for the pictures and suggestions! I appreciate everyone's help! I emailed my cabinet guy this morning and told him I want to go with a shorter crown--about 6"--which would leave me about 7" of space between the top of the crown and the ceiling. Does this sound like enough space, or should I do something a little shorter like marciag's 4" crown?

I know this question is on a very old post....but, i like the large crown you did in your kitchen. We have open plan with kitchen/dining room/sitting room connected. Do we need to continue the 10" trim all around the other rooms as well...or would you end it at the end of the cabinets. thank for any comments!