Hello Amber,
Thank you for your gracious compliments.
After reading your comments and reviewing the dimensions you have provided me, I would suggest that you remove the soffit and increase the size of the upper cabinets. I would then add a large multi-piece crown molding above the cabinet that would increase the cabinet height to just below your upper windows.
The tricky part would be to incorporate the existing walls that include doorways into the new design.
Also, maybe another option would be to use different height wall cabinets so it will eliminate the dividing line at the top of the cabinets.I also, know your concerns regarding the non-existence of a mantle hood, but I think your tall center cabinet give the room the focal point it needs.

I'm attaching a few photos of different sized soffit/crown combinations for your reference.

Please feel free to tell me your thoughts.

Torry Manzo
Renaissance Kitchen and Home

Torry thank you. I think the first two look great because the molding attaches the cabinets to the ceiling. The third is most like mine. I agree with your thoughts about the center cabinet becoming a focal point. Do you think it would look good to shorten the soffit to like 6" and take the depth back so the cabinets attach to it? No forget that if the center cabinet is higher and more of a focal point that might not look right. Since this kitchen is so light and bright do you think a more medium wood would look better on the wall cabinets and a different color on the island and breakfast bar versus a cream glazed. Even though all the windows are a north face we have a lot of light. The windows above the cabinets are East. We do have darker tile being put down as I type this and new paint afterwards.

Amber,
I think the cabinets should be light painted for the walls and bases on the perimeter and a dark wood island will keep the room grounded.We haven't discussed your new cabinet style, is it going to be elaborate or contemporary? Also, to answer your question, yes you should reduce the soffit material to the same depth as the wall cabinets and should be made of the same material as your new wall cabinets.
Finally if you are going for a more elaborate look than maybe you could install wall molding above the cabinets to add to the height of the cabinet and get the feeling of woodwork going all the way to the ceiling.

Here are some basic examples.

Torry Manzo
Renaissance Kitchen and Home

Torry,
The style we like is exactly the style you are showing me. However I'm confused. Say we go with taller cabinets, then crown molding....are you saying the soffit should be the same material as the cabinets? I see that in your pics but the wooden soffit above your crown molding all attaches to the ceiling. We still will not be near the ceiling. Now we have 30" cabinets, a 16" soffit and 4 ft. from the top of the soffit to the ceiling. And the base of the windows hits the top of the soffit. Nice fireplace in your picture. We have a crew here this morning taking out all our tile and they also removed our fireplace. I'm looking at canterra stone or perhaps something similar to your's.

The wall color just above the cabinets must be Ivoire, SW 6127 - not Nomadic Desser. It's on the same paint strip as Blonde, SW 6128.