Typically, 18" between counter top and base of upper cabinets. Some people change this by an inch or two depending on individual height and so on.

In the kitchen we inherited, the space is 16", I'm fine with it at 5'3", but we will go back to standard height when we redo our kitchen.

Maybe someone else can suggest a website, but honestly, just by reading through here, you are going to find a tremendous number of answers to your questions.

Starcraft Builders on Ergonomics

Starcraft Builders on the NKBA design guidelines

This is just a general FYI for anyone considering a backsplash less than 18"...........

The standard is 18"...regardless of the reasons why, it's still the standard..

How this affects your kitchen....

• Refrigerator and other tall cabinet heights...Because wall cabinets are meant to be mounted at a standard height, cabinet manufacturers take this into account when designing tall cabinets. Tall cabinets are designed to be the same height as the installed wall cabinets so the tops all line up. When you change the height a wall cabinet is installed at, it affects cabinet top alignments. (Note: With custom and some semi-custom cabinets, this is a non-issue b/c the cabinetmaker/manufacturer can adjust for this.)

• With the refrigerator you can usually mount the upper cabinet a little lower OR order a shorter upper cabinet, but be sure you don't make the alcove any shorter than 72" tall b/c newer refrigerators are 70" to 72" tall (and seem to get taller each year!)

With other tall cabinets like oven cabinets and pantry cabinets, they're a standard height and designed so they're the same height as the wall cabinets when those wall cabinets are installed 18" above a 36" high counter. If you have custom cabinets, this may not be an issue b/c your cabinetmaker can adjust the cabinet heights. But, if you are using stock or even some semi-custom cabinets, you cannot change the height. You can often get taller cabinets for use w/36" or 42" tall wall cabinets, but not shorter for 30" mounted lower. But, even those that are taller are also adjusted based on standard wall cabinet heights + an 18" backsplash height.
Small appliance height...Small appliance manufacturers often design their products to meet this 18" standard...for example, my KA stand mixer (bowl lift) is around 17" and many coffeemakers and blenders are just short of 18". So, you need to be sure you have room under the cabinets + light rail to fit those appliances.

Small appliances...

Keep in mind that if you're using an appliance on your counter, you must be sure you have room under the base cabinets to move that appliance around easily. Don't, for example, tell yourself you're only going to use it in front of your upper cabinets so you don't need to worry about its fit. In reality, you will be moving things around on your counter while you work and most likely your appliance will be moved under the cabinets at some point. You don't want to tear your light rail off or damage it (or the cabinets).

Also remember that "standard" upper cabinets are 12" deep + 1" for the door...so they stick out 13" over your counter...leaving you only 12" or so of workspace in front of the upper cabinets...not much room to work in by itself! (If you have deeper upper cabinets...say 15", there's even less counter frontage in front of your upper cabinets...3" less, so 9".)

Vertical workspace...

Another consideration is vertical work space for you and your family. If anyone...

I've 8' ceilings (96"), I chose 36" cabinets. There will be a 6" space to the ceiling if I put the cabinets at 18" above the counter. I also have an 18" above the microwave cabinet, which puts the microwave lower than I want. I'd like to put the cabinets 20" above the counter. 4" of molding looks and sounds better than 6" for my small kitchen (& budget) and it raises the microwave just enough. I am a tall woman. Will that be a problem for resale in the future? Should I stick with 18".?

Tish, no one is going to buy your house or not based on a 2" difference in the distance between the counters and the upper cabinets. Also, there are plenty of people, like me, who prefer a space greater than 18" (I prefer 21").

Something to keep in mind when planning for and figuring this dimension is if you will have a light rail attached to the base of the upper cabinets. If so you should know how big the light rail will be. For instance if the base of your upper cabinets are set 20" above your countertops and your light rail is 1 1/2" you will have 18 1/2" between your countertop and the bottom of the light rail while still being able to place your microwave where you want it. I hope this helps.

bump

The biggest issue is the top alignment with the other cabinets in the room. If you do something other than 54" above the floor for the bottom of your uppers, then the tops don't line up with the tall cabinets like the fridge and oven or pantry. It looks haphazard and unprofessional, which is never a good look.

True but not an issue if you can alter the heights of the talls which even many semi custom brands allow nowadays.

I'm 5'7 and I have about 20-1/2 inches right now because the current cabinets were put in high to allow clearance for one of those old first-generation giant microwaves.

It's not that much difference from normal, but it's amazing how awkward it makes reaching way into even the second shelf in the cabinets.

It's not that much difference from normal, but it's amazing how awkward it makes reaching way into even the second shelf in the cabinets.

True, so you have to decide what's more important to you. I'm short, but I'd prefer to have what I consider to be a visually more appealing distance between countertop and bottom of cabinets and have to stand on a stepstool to reach into the upper cabinet shelves than to have the lesser distance.

Also, dittoing what SaltLifesaid about the rail. The rail made it difficult to put our SodaStream device under the upper cabinet (I think it fit under, but was hard to get in and out, so we had to move it elsewhere).

SaltLife631 and others - in the Sep 16, 12 at 20:40 post above, see steps 4 & 5 under "Measuring for your minimum backsplash height..." where the light rail is accounted for.

buehl- I think your original post was well thought out and did a great job of outlining the process. I wanted to highlight this aspect of the process for the individual who bumped the thread because your post stated it was for anyone looking for a backsplash less than 18" and the person who bumped the thread was looking for a backsplash greater than 18".

Thank you for all the advice. It really helps. Yes I will raise the pantry 2" for cabinets @ 20" above the counter. The moldings should be the same throughout.
Lowe's has a neat on line visual aid called Virtual room designer.(most of their employees, even kitchen design,, weren't even aware of this) You can see if your design looks good or even fits,

My cabs are 20" above by my design and I love it. Never any issues with the blender or other appliances fitting underneath, and it's a perfect height for me at 5'8.

No issues reaching to the back of the second shelf or the front half of the top shelf, and that's over extra-deep bases. I can only reach the wine glass stems in the back of the top shelf from my tippie toes ... but still no step stool needed. I think I may have gorilla arms though!

subscribed.

My uppers are higher than usual. I wanted to be able to easily slide my big KA mixer under them. I asked for the same in my last kitchen but no one took the light rail into account and the mixer didn't fit under. On the wall where the mixer is they're 20", on the other wall they're 19". You cannot tell they aren't the same.

Typically, wall cabinets are hung 54" from the finished floor.

I went with 15" between mine as a preference in my vintage home. I love it! My next door short neighbor came over and said, "why didn't you do that for MY kitchen!!!"

The kitchen place - is that 15” with the light rail or without? Thanks

I’m doing a renovation right now with an original ceiling height of 8’. With an added layer of sub floor, the final ceiling height is 95”. I elected to go with 36” uppers even though I want the cabinets to go all the way to the ceiling. 42” were an option, but it would result in a 17” clearance to the countertop. With under cabinet light i thought it would be far too crowded. The 36” cabinets will give a 23” counter to bottom of cabinet clearance. That seems high but it’ll give ample room for mixers, under cabinet lighting, etc. I’m also considering adding a floating wall mount shelf under the uppers at about 17” above countertop. I’d make the shelf maybe 8” deep to maintain the open workspace while adding display storage. Thoughts?

I'm not at home right now....but I think It's 15" WITHOUT the light rail molding. I'll check when I get home.

We’re in the initial stages of our smallish (7‘ x 12’) NYC kitchen design.

Our ceiling is 9’ 1” tall. We plan on 46” wall cabinets leaving us with 10“ + above our cabinets. What should we do to fill the upper space?

Thanks for reminding us about light rails and we like the idea of a shelf above the counter 4+” deep. Thanks to all for your insights.

Well, I screwed up and told my contractor the height was 92" in my kitchen when it's 88" and thats without the new oak floor going in so figure 87". That technically leaves me only 15" but he builds the base cabinets assuming a 1-1/2" granite or formica top. I'll be using a Quartz and those all look like 1" in the pictures. so I may pickup another 1/2". It's what it is . . . .

No one has addressed code requirements or manufacturer’s recommended distance for the uppers to the left and right of stove.

According to this article, there is no code requirement for distance to uppers but there are other recommends here.

https://kitchenseer.com/how-much-space-between-stove-and-cabinet/