Hi Cheryl,

I am doing 27 inch lowers to ensure symmetry of a window - our cabinet maker has advise that he will make our uppers wider to ensure a cohesive design and better ventilation as we have a built in range hood.

I am doing a wider depth counter so that my counter depth refrigerator is more flush with the counter.

You might want to rethink 12" uppers though as many people have 14" or 15" uppers to accommodate larger items.

I pulled my base cabinets on the range/fridge wall out to 27", to accommodate a counter MW, but I also pulled the range out the same distance from the wall. Check your manufacturer specs to see if the range door needs to be in front of the base cabinet face, for safety.

I'd make the uppers 15" deep. I have an 18" deep upper cabinet, and IMO it's too deep--I lose things in the back. I have some 12" deep upper cabinets on that run, too, that were not replaced, and they are fine--not difficult to access.

I pulled a galley of countertops forward to 27" to accommodate a wash machine and plumbing. It looked and functioned fine with standard cabinets above.

A lot of those bump outs for ranges do not actually work with the range’s required clearances. They’re fire hazards. To bump out counters, you’d need to bump out he range too.

Start every design with the specifications for safety clearances from the appliances, and fire code. That includes the wider than the range, hood. Especially if you want a wood hood.

What range are you planning to use?

All of our base cabinets will be 27" deep with the exception of our island cab's at the standard 24" (on 2 sides, so 48" wide). The uppers will all be 15" deep for extra storage space. If you can swing it, I'd go for 15". 2" more is a good thing.

I love my 18" deep upper cabinets over 30" lowers.

The oven door on my range has to stick out--if inches are critical in your design, be sure to check range installation specs beforehand.

One other thing to think about, if there are windows above those counters, try to open them standing a couple inches back. I had 27" cabs in a previous house with double hung windows, and they might have been hard to open had I not been the proud owner of "ape arms".

As Sophie mentioned, check your range specs. Typically, if you bring the cabinets and counters out, you will need to bring the range as well as the hood out the same amount.
And yes, 15" uppers would be appropriate for 27" lowers.

I don't think you would actually have to have 27" deep lowers. You could have standard 24" , but just pulled out from the wall with a wider countertop. My previous cabinets had standard 13" uppers. I do think I would want deeper than 12" in your situation.

Your range's oven door must sit proud of the base cabinets. Otherwise, when the oven door is open, the combustible materials of the cabinets would be exposed to the oven's heat.

If you want deeper counters - and people who have them love them - you can buy standard 24" depth base cabinets, and pull them away from the wall by 3" for example. That way, your counters would be 27" deep, plus the counter overhang which is usually 1-1/4". If you instead buy 27" base cabinets, they will be much more expensive, and it will mean having to dig farther toward the back, and/or for the drawers you will need heavier duty rails to support the drawers pulled out so far.

Definitely get deeper uppers if you are going for deeper counters. 15" deep uppers are commonly available.

A pic of an oven that was not installed proud enough of the cabinets, and the resulting damage.

Gas range? On the wood hood I'm assuming (which I shouldn't) that you are referring to the depth? I'd go the full 27" probably with a gas range. We are installing an induction, and with 27" deep cabinets the hood (also wood) will protrude 24" to 27" for good capture. Also you should probably go 3" wider on either side. There are those who think this isn't necessary but frankly, for gas I would.

BTW, I think you'll be happier not to have that bump-out now that you are going with 27" and 15" : ) Even if your cabinets are only 24" deep but are pulled out to 27" you'll have those 2" of counterspace. I have cooked in kitchens with bump outs like the one you show above and find them in the way.

I LOVE my 27 inch countertops - have had them for over 30 years. Specifically, I have room to place appliances like a toaster and mixer or just a bowl on the counter and still have lots of space for working. I actually feel sorry for those stuck on 24 ". Our cabinets are 24 deep, wtih a 3" chase behind them, but it is the wonderful countertop space I love the most.

For those who have installed their cabinets 3” from the wall, how did ypu do this? did you have to build something behind the base cabinets to secure them to as normally they get screwed into the wall?