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jessica_tonjes

how does this crown look on cabinets?

Jessica Tonjes
last month
last modified: last month

This is my first time remodeling a kitchen. We are not currently living there until the renovation is done. And have run into a problem with our kitchen cabinets!
Our current kitchen design has 5-1/4” crown with 36” wall cabinets that go to the ceiling. We have 8ft ceilings.
The project manager was with me during kitchen rendering with the cabinet company. The installer signed off on the final rendering, so we went ahead and ordered the cabinets. Will attach photo of kitchen elevations.

Now after the fact, the installer is saying the 5 1/4 is WAY too large for the cabinet size and ceiling height. He said we will not be happy with the overall outcome. He suggests a smaller crown.
I am so frustrated because this is after the fact and cabinets were suppose to be installed this weekend. If we decide on a different crown (through the cabinet manufacturer), we will have to wait for him to come back.

He installed one cabinet for me to make a decision over night about what I want to do.

How do you think this looks? Thought and opinions suggestions appreciated!


editing this post;

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE SUGGESTIONS AND LAUGHS! the crown is too big!!! we will be using something else :) will update with photos once we decide.








Comments (27)

  • vinmarks
    last month

    It looks too large.

    Jessica Tonjes thanked vinmarks
  • rebasheba
    last month

    Sorry to say, he is right, it is disproportionate especially on that single cabinet! Maybe this will not bother you, only you know that, but you can probably see what he is saying.

    I'm not sure what it means that the installer signed off on the design...not his responsibility to plan the kitchen, no? And there is no crown in the drawing at all.

    I can understand why this would be driving you crazy at this stage, but at least the crown issue he's bringing up is something that you can still change if you want to.

    In my kitchen, I had ordered simple crown that we ended up not using at all for Reasons when the install happened, so I guess I don't think it's completely wild to troubleshoot certain things when you actually have the materials in the real space.

    Jessica Tonjes thanked rebasheba
  • mxk3 z5b_MI
    last month

    Too large.

    Jessica Tonjes thanked mxk3 z5b_MI
  • Jessica Tonjes
    Original Author
    last month

    @rebasheba,

    Thanks for your input!! Yes I can definitely see what he is saying. To be quite honest I did not expect it to look that big. And I thought the KD would’ve mentioned something about the crown size/height looking off.

  • kculbers
    last month

    It does look too large. Our crown moldings are about 4.5 “.

    Jessica Tonjes thanked kculbers
  • darbuka
    last month

    Way too large, and too ornate for Shaker style. A simpler trim/molding, would be more in keeping with the style.

    We also have 8’ ceilings, There was no need for anything but a modest trim piece atop.




    Jessica Tonjes thanked darbuka
  • Jessica Tonjes
    Original Author
    last month

    Thank you for the examples. Love seeing your beautiful kitchens!!

  • chicagoans
    last month
    last modified: last month

    I'm another who thinks it looks too big, especially on the single cabinet. In case these help...

    Here's an example of a simple crown on shaker style cabinets (try to imagine that the hood is a stand alone cabinet):


    Here's an example of a stacked crown, which works a bit better (IMO) because the crown continues along the ceiling above the window and connects to the other cabinets:


    Jessica Tonjes thanked chicagoans
  • catspa_zone9sunset14
    last month

    The crown is way too massive. We also have 8' ceilings and shaker-style cabinets. Did not want to leave the space above the cabinets not closed in, but have never liked those way-overhanging cornice crowns which have, to me, always looked weird (as in, "why are they shaped like that?"). Nor did such a crown seem compatible with shaker. So, went with the simplest finish possible on top, which we like very much:



    Jessica Tonjes thanked catspa_zone9sunset14
  • cat_ky
    last month

    The crown is too big. Take a good look at catspa above, cabinets. The simple boards she has there look fantastic with shaker style cabinets.

    Jessica Tonjes thanked cat_ky
  • vinmarks
    last month

    We did a very simple flat trim piece as well with our simple shaker cabinets.



    Jessica Tonjes thanked vinmarks
  • latifolia
    last month

    Ask if you need to wait for the trim from the cabinet company. If you know the color and finish, they may be able to pick up the trim pieces needed from a local millwork place. They can be painted in situ. Unlike the cabinets themselves, the trim is not really subject to abuse.

    Jessica Tonjes thanked latifolia
  • pkpk23
    last month
    last modified: last month

    My cabinets have a three piece stacked crown to fill the 6” gap between my cabinet top and the ceiling and it looks much smaller and more refined than the one big clunker on your cabinet. Can’t imagine what that crown will look like all over the kitchen.

    My crown was installed three weeks after my cabinets and one week after my counters because of a shipping mix-up. Ask your installer to return to install the crown pieces after the cabinet install. I did have all my window and door trim installed and the walls painted before the cabinet install.

    Jessica Tonjes thanked pkpk23
  • HU-910663146
    last month

    That looks awful.


    Plus the color looks wrong.

  • Kendrah
    last month

    It is not the size. It is the shape. It isn't the right match for your cabinets. It is the kind of crown you'd use in a massive McMansion kitchen with really tall ceilings.


    You could have a flat board installed that would look much better. Catspa's kitchen is a great example. (Catspa your kitchen is perfection!)


    Talk to your installer about the look and how it could be fashioned. Is it something you have to order or something he could build? He sounds on top of it and I'm glad he gave you his opinion now.

    Jessica Tonjes thanked Kendrah
  • shirlpp
    last month

    You're saying your installer critiqued other things about your design. Maybe he has other valid points - after the fact.

    Jessica Tonjes thanked shirlpp
  • chicagoans
    last month

    @catspa_zone9sunset14 Great kitchen! Love the combination of your cabinet color, counters and backsplash.

    Jessica Tonjes thanked chicagoans
  • chispa
    last month

    The scale of it is a bit large, but more importantly, it isn't installed correctly and cut too big for the size of the cabinet.

    Jessica Tonjes thanked chispa
  • Design Fan
    last month
    last modified: last month

    The scale is off (size/shape). Is this the right crown molding selected by the kitchen designer? I don’t see crown molding shown in the 3-D rendering you posted.

    You probably just want to be done with the renovation which is understandable as kitchen remodels are tough to live through. But get the right size/shape crown molding even if it means you have to wait a bit. It will be worth the wait. Be sure to finalize the molding decision before the rest of the uppers are installed in case the uppers need to go a bit higher/lower with the new moldings.

    Good luck and please post pictures of your finished kitchen!

    Jessica Tonjes thanked Design Fan
  • rebunky
    last month
    last modified: last month

    As soon as I got to the photo, I instantly said, ”Whoa! That looks ridiculous.“

    I am not an expert, but I think what you need is called a “riser” molding that you use with a smaller crown.

    Are you planning to have a light rail molding for under cabinet lighting? If so, could you do something like this with 96” ceiling height. 60” above counter?

    18” backsplash

    + 1.5” light rail

    + 36” wall cab

    + 1.5” riser molding

    + 3” crown


    ETA: to fix my numbers

    Jessica Tonjes thanked rebunky
  • Jessica Tonjes
    Original Author
    last month

    I do not know how to individually respond but all of your suggestions, advice, jokes, and photos are SOOOOO appreciated! I agree that it does in fact look ridiculous lol! 🤣🤣 very happy we caught it early on. Lesson learned :)

  • S M
    last month

    here’s what we used on our shaker cabinets

  • badgergal
    last month

    I agree with those who have said that the crown looks too big. With and 8ft ceiling and 36” tall cabinets you really only need about 3” of crown. That’s what I have in my kitchen. The crown on my cabinets is made of two 2” boards that overlap. The top board is the full 2” and the board under it has 1” showing.

    Heres a couple views of it



  • kculbers
    last month

    Badgeral: beautiful cabinets!!

  • kculbers
    last month

    SM: Your kitchen color is stunning!!

  • PRO
    Patricia Colwell Consulting
    last month

    The easy solution is raise the cabinets up and have avery simple fill to match the cabinets . I never like crown in a kitchen when the rest of the house has none.I often do wll cabinets 21" from the counter to the bottom f the upper it allows for tall appliances to fit better too