It's your house and your money. You get to make the decisions, not him.

More than likely, the contractor doesn't have it in his budget to take the time to scribe a crown molding to the ceiling. Yes, it can be done, but can be very labor intensive. Maybe your contractor doesn't feel he has the skill to do this. You also have to understand that the crown will not have it's full profile height across the room, and the waviness of your finished ceiling may be more pronounced with a crown, versus the square molding you have.

Is the ceiling waviness an error? I don't know enough about the project to comment on that. There also appears that there may not be enough ceiling space to fit a crown molding under your current soffit.

It's up to you, the decision shouldn't be made on your behalf. The ceiling being even doesn't really make a difference in this. That said, I like the straight up crown.

I'm not too fond of the molding your contractor gave you, either...it looks rather inelegant/clunky, somehow. As has been pointed out, any decent contractor will be able to make the molding fit the ceiling. The challenge may be the amount of space you have between the soffit and the top of the cabinet. Can you measure it and let us know what it is (vertical height of current molding)? It doesn't look like there is a lot of room there, so something simple and in keeping with the Shaker cabinets would be best. See: https://goo.gl/images/cmCDs9 - and also Google "Shaker crown molding" (search on images) - there are a number of alternatives that aren't too fussy, but much will depend on the amount of space. Less space=less detail. Also, when you go around the corner to the window wall, you have very little horizontal space where the crown meets the soffit - depending on the angle and the height of the crown, it might not fit. (and while I was typing, Ellsworth-Hallett pointed out just this problem)

First off, you should have what you want and they should do it no matter if crown or not. However, I feel that a crown on these is not simpatico

Agree with Ellsworth......

you can do something more simple that is coved... yet, not a lot of busy crown.

I wouldn't put a real traditional angled molding on such modern looking cabinets. I would keep whatever you end up doing very simple. I just redid a kitchen similar to yours. I had the soffits removed, however, so that the cabinets could go all the way to the ceiling. And then because nothing is ever perfectly straight, I ended up having to stain/paint a two inch piece of wood that attached to the tops of the cabinets. So then when I installed the molding along the ceiling line on top of that piece of extra wood, I let that two inch wood make up any difference there was so that the molding could remain along the ceiling line. That was much less noticeable than if the molding didn't come up to the ceiling all along the cabinetry. It ended up actually making the cabinets look more custom as well. I also unfortunately have one section where the angled molding sticks out past the wall and it doesn't look very noticeable there either. Sometimes, realizing it's not perfect and that most things aren't in life, you just have to do what you have to do. In your case, if you're going to keep that straight molding there and put the angled over it, in essence your straight molding could work the same way as my 2 inch piece in terms of bridging any gaps you may have.

Simply le is best. Tooboverwrought always looks wrong. I like what is there.

After looking at several pictures I've saved over time of shaker cabinets and what my dream kitchen would look like, my favorite look has an angled crown molding. I cannot live with what they have done so far, it really bothers me. I'd rather go with the traditional and figure it out another time if it's not right. Thanks for all the pictures and advice, I appreciate it.

One other thought - try a stepped design. I'll try to describe it but think of an upside down staircase. You could have the angle but with the square profile that is more similar to the cabinets. Try different step heights and widths - they don't have to be equal! Play with some scraps of wood and see if you can stack them in a profile you like. Try two steps or three steps - mix the heights. I bet you will find something you like! By the way, your kitchen looks beautiful!

I came home to the exact same thing! Our kitchens look very similar...I wanted an angled moulding with a bit of some design element...what did your molding end up looking like? would you mind sharing a photo? my contractor told me he'd build it out, but I was surprised to see the flat plain straight up and down molding. I think it looks terrible too.

You may be able to add an additional small piece of crown molding to give the straight trim a little style.
Cabinet people seem to think the straight simple trim goes better with Shaker doors, because my cabinet people did the same simple molding, but just a tad taller. The important thing is, if you add an additional piece, it must be painted the exact same color. I am still
considering such an addition.

I completely agree with you. Crown or cove trim would look so much nicer than the plain, boxy stuff they installed. I think the solution they offered is good. And I think that with light cabinets against a white ceiling, any gaps can be filled with caulk. Get what you want, do not settle for less.

There is dedicated CABINET moldings NOT crown molding. Crown molding is cut at an angle at the ceiling and wall/cabinet. Cabinet molding is usually a solid piece of wood with a 90 degree back that goes flat on the cabinet and then perpindicular with your ceiling. The difference is crown molding needs the ceiling to support it where cabinet molding doesn't. Tell your supposed carpenter to go to a molding store not Home Depot.

It looks fine as is or use what Porter Edun? has shown as that would be the appropriate molding for your cabinets. Notice how that molding doest protrude past the face of your doors?

I like the squared off look. I am joining this conversation with hopes of a few opinions. I am in Ohio and had an Amish cabinet maker do my cabinets. I told him I wanted a small molding about 2 inches. He kept insisting on 3 and I told him that is not what i want. Well cabinets started going in yesterday.. he put in 3 inch crown.. i measured it last night. i feel like it looks too traditional especially above my refrigerator..he also got the shade of the cabinets off..

I agree with you the cabinet maker should have went with what you said. I like the clean edge squarish look. 3 inches is too big. Tell him to change it!

Just remember “caulk and paint make it what the carpenter ain’t”

shaker style cabinets are a modern euro design and should have a modern square design for crown moulding and I'd to wanted the angle 52\38 or the 45 degree crown it should have been in the plan from the start. if your ceilings are uneven, it's easier to make them look good with straight square crown, if you have angled crown, it would be harder and more noticeable that your house is crooked.
I usually drop the cabinets down to allow for crown but on uneven ceilings I drop them down an extra inch so not to deal with ceiling unevenness but use a cove crown and nothing too of a Victorian style

Oh my goodness! So many opinions. They are all correct and they are all wrong. What is right is to get what you want. Only you have to live with them. (For the record, I’ve had both. I think it depends on the height of your ceiling, whether your corners ar sharp or Rounded like yours, and the design of the kitchen).

I was surprised to see this boring modern straight trim in my traditional designed house too. I was expecting something beautiful. I liked the option you were given. How did it turn out? I would love to a picture.

I kept the trim like it is in picture. I got used to it.

Thank you.

I'm having the same problem. Remodeling kitchen & refacing our traditional cabinets to shaker. Just had gc here and although I wanted to have soffets removed & cabs go to ceiling its not feasible without a Ton of ceiling work which hubby doesn't want to do. So I'm stuck with it. I do really like the look of the crown molding on there now but apparently its a no no? I'm going white to brighten up this kitchen. New counter height island, taj majal quartzite countertops,chevron backsplash & Ge Cafe white appliances. Has anyone kept their " fancier" crown with shaker? Or should I just change it? Thank you in advance.

Our cabinet maker did a bigger crown on our shaker style cabinets and I really like it.

Looks beautiful. Thank you.

I have shaker style cabinets that do not go up to the ceiling and we do not have soffits. We have ceiling crown molding and the contractor put a small crown molding on the cabinets. I was not thrilled with what he put up because the two architectural styles seem to be fighting with each other. I was thinking a more plain, simpler, cove style would look best or nothing at all. I, too, do not like the traditional square shaker crown molding - too modern looking for me. I have more of a colonial/primitive decor. What are you thoughts?