Quickly please- give your opinions on kitchen trim choices

12 years ago

Hi, finalizing my order and wanted help with 2 choices.

1. Curved vs straight valence?
I wanted a straight valence over the kitchen window but now an second guessing my decision since my husband pointed out that the arched valence does reflect the corbels under the cabinets and would work as well. I need the valence to hide the wiring for the under cabinet lighting.
There is one picture each of the proposed curved and straight valences. The kitchen designer set the curved valence slightly back from the front of the cabinets. The straight valence would have one routed narrow runnel in it for decoration as well as the tiny straight molding across the top that continues from the cabinets. It is in plane with the front of the cabinets. The third picture is my existing cabinets (ignore the hood height mockup contraption over the sink) which have the straight molding across the top already . The fluorescent light will be changed to a recessed light. New cabinets will be white painted inset.

2. Beauty molding on bottom of soffit yes or no?

I added a tiny beauty molding to the bottom of the soffit. It adds a few hundred dollars and if it was clearly a plus I will keep it. However I am not sure if it is a plus or minus. I am re-showing the arched valence picture here since it best shows the beauty molding.

This next picture is an earlier rendition that shows the soffit without the beauty molding . Crown molding has since been changed to the one in the previous picture. There is no longer glass in the cabinet on the left and this does not yet show any valence in front of the window. BTW window has white trim not sure why it is brown in these renditions.
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thanks in advance for your help!

This post was edited by scrappy25 on Thu, Aug 28, 14 at 10:45

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Comments (9)

kcorn
12 years ago
If you are having an electrician run new wiring for the under cabinet lighting, they should be able to run it separately for the pieces on either side of the window. But if you still need or prefer the valance, then I think the squared off style works well and I would chose the extra trim for the soffit.

Good luck!
scrappy25
Original Author
12 years ago
thanks, for the UCL, I was thinking of having one transformer in the blind upper corner cabinet with connecting wires to the mirrored uppers, hence the valance. If the electrician runs wiring separately, will I need 2 transformers?
thanks for your opinions!
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kcorn
12 years ago
We are hiding our transformers in the drop ceiling in our basement below the kitchen. That said, I am not sure how they wired everything and the exact number of transformers they needed for all the UCL. Maybe you could verify with the electrician if that was your only reason for having the valance. You might save money even if you need an extra transformer if you eliminate the cost of the valance (of course I have no idea how much either of those cost!). But if you like the look of the valance then it's a non issue.
scrappy25
Original Author
12 years ago
Valence is $175 so the cost might be a wash once electrical labor for extra wiring and transformer is factored in.

So, choices now:
1. Valence over sink: Curved or straight or none?
2. small beauty trim on bottom of soffit, yes or no?
taggie
12 years ago
1. Straight valence. Generally I'd say no valence, but in your case I think the valance adds form as well as function. Form in that it helps to draw the eye down to the cabinetry as your focal point. In the pic without a valence, the soffit stands out (because the window disappears so deep into it) and draws the eyes up.

2. I think the beauty molding (but the pic is had to see on my ipad).

Good luck. Looks like you will have one *gorgeous* kitchen whatever you decide!

This post was edited by taggie on Thu, Aug 28, 14 at 13:32
CEFreeman
12 years ago
I like the straight valance. It's less fussy.

What's that thing over the sink in the wood picture?

I look forward to your reveal!
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
12 years ago
I find these pics really hard to discern what you mean(about the trim on the soffit) but I think trim on the lower edge of the soffit draws my eyes to the soffit.

I vote straight trim too, the curved just seems a little too busy combined with the corbels -- but I really really like plain trim, so take that grain of salt with my opinion!
scrappy25
Original Author
12 years ago
CEFreeman, that contraption over the sink is from when I mocked up the hood height for my family , to see if they knocked their heads on a 30.5 inch high 24 inch deep hood (they didn't).

Looks like the consensus is for a straight valence. That was my preference also. Thanks everyone!

Looks like the beauty molding is generally a positive but raee does have a point about it perhaps drawing the eye up. Anyone else on that?
bluetea57
12 years ago
I like the straight valance and no beauty molding. I like the look of the straight line of the ceiling molding with the straight line of the soffit reinforced by the straight line of the valance. It makes the soffit look like part of the plan while the molding kind of looks like you're trying to "hide" it. Just my opinion; I happen to like simple straight lines!