to ceiling kitchen cabinets with no trim?

10 years ago

Remodeling the kitchen with brand new cabinets that goes up to the ceiling.

My designer suggests to install cabinet without any trim on top, so we can go for a taller cabinet. Is this a good idea though?

I am concerned as the house settles, the cabinets and ceiling will have an uneven gap. The gap will be obvious without trims to hide it.

Featured Answer

kathleen currie

10 years ago

if your style is very contemporary, no trim is a nice sleek look but there still needs to be a certain amount of space, however minimal to allow your doors to open comfortably -- even pot lights have a trim kit ! a kitchen designer will take this into account. ask for a picture or drawing that explains this detail to your satisfaction.

if your style is more traditional, perhaps you need to discuss the concept further. it can also make a difference if you are using stock size cabinets rather than custom built sizes which are much more expensive. if you find 20 houzz kitchens that you love and 19 have trim..........

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Comments (8)

Judy Mishkin
10 years ago
you also need to begin with a really level ceiling, as there is no wiggle room.

most photos have molding, but not all....

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qam999
10 years ago
Are we really talking "trim" here? Or are we talking soffit? Your designer's comment would make sense applied to a soffit, but not to trim. Taking cabinets all the way to ceiling (actually, to within 1-2" of ceiling, hence eliminating the need for a soffit) is a great idea. However, trying to do this without trimming the top, yet still having it look good is semi-impossible. The reason is that ceilings are not perfectly level, and without any trim this gap would be an uneven dark line that would spoil the appearance, making the installation look messy and amateurish. Well-chosen and well-cut trim can conceal this gap and avoid highlighting ceiling inconsistencies. Any decent cabinet installer can clarify this for you.
User
10 years ago
Shadow lines are popular in very contemporary spaces. But to have the whole ''no, trim'' thing work involves redoing the ceiling with shimming, strapping, and new level drywall. Nothing looks worse than trying to butt cabinets to a wavy potato chip of a ceiling.
Judy Nash
Original Author
10 years ago
We are indeed talking about trim here. Not soffit.

Thanks for the responses everyone. The feedbacks might have saved us from making a huge mistake. We shouldn't go with no trim.
reasons:
1) The kitchen is not contemporary. It's white shaker cabinets with Rocky Mountain granite top and white subway tiles for backsplash.
2) We love the trim look.
3)Our ceiling is sloped already with 0.5 inches difference from one end to the other.
User
10 years ago
Then you need at least a 2 piece, and possibly 3 piece crown molding to disguise the slope.
PRO
In Style Modern
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I think trim less cabinets are perfect to save space. The
space will probably be just minimal and you can discuss the remedies with your
designer on what to do with the gaps. Are you planning to have a modernized
kitchen? Or contemporary?
PRO
Dream Kitchen Builders
10 years ago
I might answer your question differently for an 8' vs a 9' ceiling.

In a kitchen with an 8' ceiling and when cabinet storage is critical I have compensated by decreasing the space between the countertops and bottom of wall cabinets. This is one way to have crown and not lose storage.

If you do this, measure all countertop appliances to make sure they will fit and make sure the wall cabinets in the cook surface zone will pass code.