@Mark Bischak, Architect the OP has decided against glass uppers, but I'm giving bonus points for the picture, mostly because of the dog staring longingly at what I'm sure he believes is a bowl of treats, and perhaps a pie?

I’ve been enjoying @Mark Bischak, Architect’s humor for many years. 😁

@Mark Bischak, Architect - I adore that drawing and would greatly appreciate more of them in comment sections, please.

Sorry Mark, but some of us do love tall ceilings. For me, it's mostly because I can then have tall windows, and have a lot of natural light as well as see lots of sky, tree tops, birds, moon and sun rises/sets etc.

I think that if you use good insulation, good windows, have a properly sized heating and cooling system, and site the house with solar principles in mind as much as possible, the 11 foot ceilings won't be a problem. My monthly electric bill in my new home (with tall ceilings and good insulation, etc.) has been substantially less than it was in my previous home that had 8 foot ceilings and was about 500 sq ft smaller. Even the last month with the bitter cold that lasted for several weeks (but felt like months) the bill was about 1/3 of what it would have been in the other house. I have tall cabinets that do not go to the ceiling. I know that is a big no-no here, and Houzzers everywhere are horrified that anyone would do such a thing in a new build! Alas, while my ceilings are tall they are also angled, in that the house has a split shed roof design. Even if I took one wall of cabinets to the ceiling, the other wall run of cabinets would not go to the ceiling, so they stop at the same height. Instead the tops are just dust collectors. I'd like to tell you that I dust up there from time to time, but I wouldn't want to lie. Maybe some day I'll dust, then again maybe I won't...

As for falling from a step stool or ladder, it is ALWAYS a concern. Getting up on one must be done from time to time, whether your ceiling is 8 feet or 18 feet, so use them properly when you need to do so. I have seen a lot of injuries from ladders, as well as from bikes, snow, ice, flip flops, trampolines, and oddly enough, cows.

And Mark, I, too, think that it is an adorable drawing!

So enjoy your tall ceilings, and hopefully you are planning some tall windows to go with them!

You did not mention 'human scale' and 'ergonomic design'. How the space relates to the human body and psychological effect it has on the occupant has a greater effect on people than the view of fluffy clouds in a blue sky through a window; it is just easier to capture views than it is to shape a space to be comfortable. There is a psychology to spaces built by man, it is not just good views, short trips to the bathroom, grocery travel paths, refrigerator placement, and pretty colors. Much like the front of the house with the stone, brick, and three siding materials while the rest of the house is vinyl siding.

I like the way the sketch turned out too. Hopefully everyone recognizes the boy and dog from a photograph that I could not find the name of the photographer. It is not my creation, only my sketch to illustrate excessive height.

Our main floor kitchen under construction below an 11' bulkhead.

We've since tiled the backsplash and added a bulkhead with false doors at the top of the exhaust vent. The quartz counter is 17' long.

For those of average height--men 5'9"-women 5'3.5" in North America--it's absurd as a practical matter. At 5'6", I can't reach past the first shelf without a step up. In hindsight, I would have lowered the cabinet height if I had any say beyond "yes, dear" to mrs. worthy and 5'10"daughter

Library nearly finished under an 11'bulkhead.

The open shelves at the top will be fronted with dark green glass doors. More feature lights coming over the shelving and the centre area.

Mark, I love the drawing, and the original picture—which I confess was new to me. An image search informed me that the photographer is Howard Berman and the photo is called "Pie in the Sky."

My current kitchen uppers do not go to my eight-foot ceilings, btw. I was able to create storage space elsewhere, so I've reduced my need for step-stools and ladders. So now I've had the tall and the short of it!

My sketch is now called "Pie in the Thermosphere."

Thank you, everyone! I really appreciate the thoughtful comments, the humor, and the shared experiences — and yes, the dog may have stolen the show. It’s great to see lively discussion and different perspectives on design, human scale, and functionality. Your input is genuinely helpful!

Yes Mark, I agree that the human scale and ergonomic design are so important too. We do build houses to shelter. So maybe for some people, they prefer lower ceilings as a sense of sheltering. When I walk into my house, I feel happy and comfortable. I don't feel like the ceilings are uncomfortable or out of proportion with the rooms. We paid attention to this, because it can go all wrong. We dropped a portion of the ceiling in our bathroom, otherwise it would have felt like some weird shaft in there. The dropped ceiling makes it feel comfortable/relatable, and we still get light from the clerestory window. We also have dropped ceilings in other rooms as well. To me, it was a necessary solution for those spaces when we were designing the home. Mammoth ceilings just for the sake of having tall ceilings can be uncomfortable and unnecessary in a home. They can actually make a house feel unwelcoming and cold, but not every tall ceiling in every home is poorly thought out. Obviously, there are those that are, or we wouldn't be having this conversation.

For me, I find the outdoors inspiring. I try to get outside every day. This winter that didn't happen for a few days because of ice and temperature. So it was lovely to be able see the expanses of the outside. And the inside was comfortable and warm-yes I know I am greatly blessed and lucky, and I am so very grateful for these blessings.

I appreciated my previous home with 8 foot ceilings, because it, too, had its charms. However, that had very little to do with the initial design of the house, or the ceiling height. For me, a ceiling lower than 8 feet starts to feel cramped. Eight feet might feel cramped for those 7 foot something B Ball players. So as with so many things in design and art, people have different ideas of what they like. I do appreciate hearing other people's perspectives on these things.

I didn't realize the sketch was from a photo. But alas, that pie is really only about 7-8 feet high, and yet still out of reach!

Not "unusable". I have something similar in my kitchen with glass doors in the top cabinets, and I've stashed some of my Asian ceramics there so that they can be seen and enjoyed, rather than having them tucked into a cabinet in another room.

I just remembered that one of the guests (friend of a friend) coming to my house this week will really appreciate my 12 ft ceilings and 10 ft front door and sliders ... he is 7 ft tall and yes, he was a professional basketball player, with a few rings!

We only have 10’ ceilings and even then we have a soffit above our cabinets. I am 5’6” and cannot reach the top shelf, comfortably, even on a stool. I like the look of cabinetry going to the ceiling though. Our soffit has cabinet front on it not drywall.

Mark, your picture reminds me of this Far Side cartoon:

@Mark Bischak, Architect - I am not an architect or a kitchen designer, but have used the golden ratio in photography and art and know it is often applied in architecture.

Is there an ideal way to use the golden ratio to determine the height of upper and lower cabinets based on the golden ratio and a ceiling height of 11' similar to this example of a full height wall unit?

Obviously applying ergonomics to the comfortable use of the space as well as the application of the golden ratio. (Don't want lowers so tall that they are unusable).

"Is there an ideal way to use the golden ratio to determine the height of upper and lower cabinets . . . "

Only if you are going to only look at the kitchen and not use it. Ergonomics apply in a workspace one hundred times more than proportions and aesthetics.

I'm with Mark -- just say no to 11' ceilings.

Yes, yes, I understand about tall windows, natural light and sweeping views-- but it's a matter of proportions. 11' tall in a private residence just doesn't make sense. At this moment I'm in a very large classroom, and the ceilings are 10'.

Over-tall ceilings create problems: Cabinets are just a start. Over-rall windows, window treatments, taller stairs, more difficulty decorating "up high". And then there's the cost that keeps on costing: Excessive heating and cooling.

Thank you for your response.

I have been noodling this post and trying to determine how I would want the kitchen designed if I had 11' ceilings and I keep thinking that the space will look top heavy with cabinets all the way to the ceiling.

I may opt for adding clerestory windows to allow more natural light to come into the space, but I am a great fan of clerestory windows.

All y'all with your "no 11-ft ceilings" have clearly never lived in a brownstone. I've no use for so-called great rooms in McMansions, but brownstones tend to be elegantly proportioned and lovely to live in. Whether or not an 11-foot ceiling will work well in a home is determined by context, not height alone.

I would recommend going up with cabinets only as high as you are comfortable using them.

Here's how to handle a 12' kitchen ceiling if you're not an NBA centre. Kylie Jenner kitchen.

Who sold her a kitchen with barely no drawers?

On the other hand, she probably isn't the one who has to get on her knees to find something at the back of a cabinet!

Definitely not taking any decorating/lifestyle cues from that family! lol

Here are pics from Brownstone kitchens with ceilings that seem 11-ish tall. The cabinetry looks more restrained and less fussy than some of these McMansion new build kitchens.

It also really helps that the windows and doors are proportional to the ceiling height. Noticeable light fixtures help draw the eye towards the center of the room and away from the height of the perimeter cabinets.

(A loft space, not brownstone)

@chispa - Her sister Kendal even managed to engage Heidi Caillier to make a home that looks unappealing. I didn't even think that was possible.

@Kendrah, the photos you posted are perfect examples of why I'm always repeating on these forums that people need to spend the money on proportional windows and sliders/doors when they choose high ceilings.

Lovely windows on those old brownstones. I wonder when builders switched to short/squat windows in so many houses? Technology has allowed windows/doors to be built taller than in the past, but home buyers haven't benefited from that.

When we bought our multi-slide doors in 2021 the company (Euro-wall) could only make them 12 ft high to meet hurricane/impact ratings. When I last looked they can now do sliders that are 16 ft high and meet those ratings.

@Kendrah "It also really helps that the windows and doors are proportional to the ceiling height. Noticeable light fixtures help draw the eye towards the center of the room and away from the height of the perimeter cabinets." I think these are very good points. It's easy to focus on one aspect of a design, but all the pieces play a part in the overall look and feel.

"It also really helps that the windows and doors are proportional to the ceiling height."

It helps even more if the space is proportional to the person in the space.

Did you say "turn it up to 11"

Proportional windows and doors and eye-catching light fixtures still fail to extend my grasp!

11 foot windows are proportional to my love of natural light.

In a society of increasing random violence, I find myself preferring a little less visibility. Unless it's armoured glass!

According to Google, overall property damage crimes have decreased and there have been surges in specific areas. I am all about glass and light. Love these very tall windows and doors.

@Jeffrey R. Grenz, General Contractor LOL to the Spinal Tap reference!

We have 12' ceilings (at peak), We used 8' tall cabinets. As to proportions, I installed transon=ms over regular size doors to be proportionate to the hall height.

You’re right to question this, because 11’ ceilings change the rules completely.

Going straight cabinets to the ceiling sounds good in theory, but in practice it usually looks off. One tall cabinet run at that height can feel stretched and top-heavy instead of clean.

What works better in most cases like yours is breaking it up.

Stacked cabinets or a second tier is usually the move. It keeps the proportions right and still gives you that full-height look without making the kitchen feel like a wall of cabinets.

A few things to think about before you lock it in:

If you go full height, the top cabinets become more decorative than functional. You’re realistically not using anything above 8 or 9 feet without a stool, so don’t design it like everyday storage.

Soffits aren’t always a bad thing. A lot of them exist because of structure or mechanical runs, and sometimes they actually help control proportions instead of forcing cabinets too high.

Also, empty space above cabinets isn’t automatically a problem. What matters is how it’s finished. Trim, lighting, or even leaving some breathing room can look more intentional than forcing everything to the ceiling.

If your goal is purely aesthetic, then yes, taking cabinetry up higher makes sense. It creates a more built-in, custom look and eliminates that awkward gap.

But the cleanest result usually comes from balance, not max height everywhere.

In a lot of kitchen remodels we do, especially with ceilings over 10 feet, we’ll mix it. Some sections go higher, others stay lower, and we use glass or lighter finishes up top so it doesn’t feel heavy.

That’s what keeps it looking high-end instead of overwhelming.

This is also one of those decisions that affects cost more than people expect. Taller cabinets or double stacking adds up quickly, so it’s worth being intentional about where it actually matters.

If you want, share a bit more of your layout and elevations. This is one of those details where small adjustments make a big difference in how the whole kitchen feels.

All this time I overlooked the obvious, the OP can just fly up to the top cabinets.

(if you give yourself enough time you'll get it)

Love it, Mark!

Sometimes the space above your cabinet line adds another dimension. A blank dead space can still look very attractive. Clean lines are the key and can be just as attractive.

^^ I think I agree with that.

Mainly, I do not understand the obsession with taking cabinets to the ceiling... unless someone is an NBA player- or married to one.

I agree, freedomplace1. I also don't understand the obsession with 12' ceilings, unless someone is an NBA player-or married to one! I've lived in homes with 8' ceilings my entire life, and as you mentioned on another thread, I'm still alive.

Sometimes the space between the top of the wall cabinets and the ceiling is so small it looks like a mistake or something went wrong, and not to mention the difficulty in cleaning the top of the cabinets that accumulates dust and grease over time (a fire hazard).

Also when a cooking area and an eating area and a lounging area are combined into a "Great Room" (an architectural term to label a room that contains the three functions) there should be a continuity of design and many times maintaining the definition of the spaces.

I understand your points, Mark. And I think if it makes sense to take the cabinets to the ceiling, and/or if people really desire to do so, by all means. To me, it often seems more odd than not. At the same time, I do understand there are situations where it would be the logical choice.

I agree, Diana. Especially with the 20 foot ceilings. Sort of like living in Madison Square Garden.

I like high ceilings- in some contexts. The place where I currently live has high ceilings; house built in 1940, with original moldings, original sconces, etc.- all architecture intact. Ceilings are at least 10 feet- maybe higher. I like it and I grew up with it. But 8 foot ceilings are fine with me, too.

Lots of reasons why some people choose to do higher ceilings.

It isn't an "obsession" ... which is an odd word to use.

It is just a personal architectural and design choice based on many reasons ... we like open spaces, capture as much of the views, we built in a warm climate, etc.

We also installed around 85 solar panels on the roof, which is also a choice that makes sense in a warm climate.

View from foyer with 12 ft ceilings and 10 ft tall sliders

Of course the view is even "bigger" if you are sitting where the floor outlet is.

View from foyer with 8 ft ceilings and 7 ft tall sliders.

I blocked off what you wouldn't see from the original photo if you did the lower ceilings.

10% agree Chispa.

100%

Beyond kitchens, spec builds near us are trending towards 20'-25' main floor ceilings. Many of them feel like you're entering a grand hotel. You half expect to see a Persian John Wick!

The downside are the small second floor secondary bedrooms. Many of the listings don't even bother showing them.

I feel like the designer of those houses has a lot of experience designing shopping malls.

Didn't we do the 2-story rooms with catwalks back in the mid 1990's ?

Those designs do have some issues with balancing HVAC and noise transmission. If it works for someone else and their particular lifestyle, it doesn't make a difference to me!

Ps Punchout - Did you design that cabinet layout in the picture you posted or were you just involved in the construction?