Hmm. Normally, truly custom cabinets are preceded by shop drawings that show dimensions and details, and you pore over them and verify and specify all the points that are important to you. If exact spacing between pairs of doors or exact reveal of frame was important, that should have been specified. If they were specified, then the cabinet maker should adhere to the specifications. If they were just assumed, then there was no specification that they missed. On the light rail, I think it makes a nice symmetry between the top and bottom of the cabinets, but that’s just taste.

How does the cabinet maker make these decisions on his own? Didn't he present drawings for you to sign off on? f course hget rid of the light rail of you do not want it. Have the doors amde the way you want. This is all the more reason why this needed to all be approved on the front end.

nexp thank you for writing again. Are the drawer fronts going to be 5-piece shaker style? I agree with you that the space at the bottom of the doors would bother me, and I'm kind of confused how the designer didn't mention duplicated lighting (light rail in addition to the channel) during the planning process. I also think that in terms of the cabinet doors alignment to the sides, you've got something hinky going on with those "full overlay" doors, especially over the stove. I assume those conceal your venting?

Out of curiosity, for your backsplash, what do you have planned?

A light rail is useful and completes the look as "finished". Unfinished cabinet bottoms with no moldings always look off.

You've got some fire code violations there that need redesigning.

I don't care for the light rail - that would bother me. The space between the cabinets doesn't bother me but I don't think that's right for full overlay doors. It makes me wonder what the lower doors are going to be like. The whole thing makes me wonder about the credentials of your cabinet maker.

I just noticed that ALL the doors are short (not really full overlay) and the light rail is attached to the FRONT of the cabinet. I’ve never ever seen this before. I guess there’s nothing wrong with it, but for the fact that the shorter hood cabinet allows you to see the seam between the layers. Clearly he made the hood cabinet doors short just as he did the other doors, but as there is no light rail attached to the front, it doesn’t look right.

There is always going to be some gap between boxes with doors even with full overlay cabinets. Otherwise the doors would bind. Frameless doesn’t have this issue.

Your cabinets are not 100% full overlay. I would not be happy with the gaps showing between each cabinet box.

What bothers me, is the gaps aren't even consistent. Over the stove won't be noticed by people visiting the house, but it would drive me crazy to know it was like that, in my own kitchen.

Minardi, would you please point out the code violations? Thanks!

Look at the specs for your range and see if the gap between the top of it and the cabinet above meets requirements.

Spacing between doors is janky. What’s going to the right of the stove? (Please not a pull out spice drawer) Light rail and crown riser project too far on the sides. It’s all fine and would be acceptable to most consumers. You worked with a designer and expected better finish.

Most Shaker kitchens do have a light rail on the bottom of the upper cabinets:

Arlington S Pershing Ct Kitchen · More Info

However, they tend to be slightly inset from the cabinet doors, not protruding outwards like yours are doing. I think your cabinet maker should remake the rails to be less obtrusive, not forego them altogether. The only cabinets I've seen that don't have this are cabinets with slab doors for a more modern and minimal look:

modern kitchen in piedmont · More Info

Pro tip: Have the contractor put in LED tape lighting under the cabinets to minimize the depth required for the rail.

chispa: "Your cabinets are not 100% full overlay. I would not be happy with the gaps showing between each cabinet box."

The gaps allow the doors to open. Wouldn't changing the doors to full-overlay require a different type of hinge? In other words, the cabinet maker can't simply make larger doors, right?

bjstem: "What bothers me, is the gaps aren't even consistent."

The gaps are per-cabinet. The doors on the over-the-range cabinet and the cabinets on each side all open, hence the double-gaps between them. It appears that the far-left-hand cabinet door does not open so there is only a single-gap between it and the cabinet to its right.

Patricia, the drawers are awaiting their fronts - no door over drawers.

Minardi, the cooktop is induction with an in cabinet vent hood - the amoint of space between the two is up to code…is there any other fire violation possibilties that you spotted?

bjstem, yes the vent hood is over the induction cooktop. The backsplash (shown below, please ignore the black rectangle drawn over the sample) will be up to the bottom of the lower floating shelf, which I think needs to be lowered if we remove the light rail.

When first installed my cabinet boxes looked just the OPs, but my doors are full overlay and you don't see any of the frame. I like to have the ends "framed in" so I have extended end panels.

Simple light rail, flush with the door fronts.

No, that isnt going to meet the fire code cor clearance. That would be 30”.

You can get taller doors to eliminate the reveal at the bottom. Wider doors with different hinges might make all the gaps equal, but the doors might end up slightly different widths.

Are you using all of those materials in the room???? Where specifically?

Well I missed that part but I still think you will not have full overlay the looks right with how those are built . IMO full overlay works best with frameless cabinets and the storage is better. The light rail is a bit odd but how does it light the counter is really what is imporatant since that is the pupose of it. The hood IMO will be too low too but maybe it goes inside that cabinet somehow. I sure hope thta skinny cabinet is noot planned for spices and oils

nexp- yes, the drawer fronts are not attached yet.