How to Extend Kitchen Cabinets: Enhancing Your Kitchen's Layout

Ask any home designer what the most common request they get when remodeling a kitchen is, and they’ll tell you that their clients want ceiling-height cabinets and existing empty space closed off. The good news is that there are several ways to extend kitchen cabinets or give them the appearance of extension, such as adding stacked cabinets, multi-panel cabinet doors, or crown molding.

Ideas for Extending Cabinets or Their Appearance

You can certainly go all in and buy kitchen cabinets in Las Vegas or use another cabinet design solution for closing the gap above the cabinets. The approach you use will depend on your budget, the height of the ceiling, the size of the opening, and the look you’re trying to achieve.

Here are a few ideas to consider:

Stacked Cabinets

Installing a second set of cabinets on top of existing cabinets is a great way to cover an empty wall space, increase your storage and display space, and elevate the aesthetic of the kitchen. It is a solution often used in traditionally designed kitchens with at least nine-foot ceilings (anything shorter can make the room feel too crowded).

If you are considering the addition of stacked cabinets, you will also need to budget for custom overlay panels to cover the faces of both the old and new cabinets to disguise the fact that they are actually two sets of cabinets. Strategically placing decorative glass inserts on the front of the upper cabinets near windows or large appliances can open up a space and provide a place to display your glassware or other unique kitchen items. Interior cabinet lighting (and any needed electrical work) and cabinet box alterations to accommodate existing bulkheads may also add to the labor costs involved in the installation.

Trim, Crown Molding, Paneling

As great as stack cabinets look, you might not be interested in the additional storage (which can be difficult to reach without a stepladder). In this case, consider covering an open space above your existing cabinets by installing a bulkhead and then adding crown molding to achieve the illusion of added height and cabinet toppers. This solution is best for kitchens with eight to nine-foot ceilings. If the ceilings are higher, it can be challenging to configure the bulkhead and molding to be proportionate to the rest of the kitchen.

Molding can also jazz up an existing bulkhead that can’t be removed if there are air-conditioning ducts or other utilities inside that can’t be moved. Alternatively, you can cover the bulkhead with an interesting ribbed paneling, a popular and timeless touch.

Multi-Panel Cabinet Doors

Similar to putting overlays on stacked cabinets, multi-panel doors can be used to cover existing cabinets and the space above them. The one door will give the appearance of two doors as seen with stacked cabinets. The viability of this solution will depend on your ceiling height and any height limitations of the manufacturer for these lookalikes.

Other Tricks of the Trade

By learning how to fix kitchen cabinets that are peeling or painting the upper cabinets, ceiling, and surrounding exposed walls the same color, you can add to the appearance of height. This approach distracts the eye from any gaps and draws your focus to other aspects of the kitchen such as the island, unusual lighting fixtures, or funky backsplash.

Instead of extending cabinets, you can also install drywall flush with the cabinets and extend the appearance that way. You lose the option of extra storage and it might make the kitchen feel closed in, but it is an option. If you end up with any extra wall space, use it to creatively display some art, woven baskets, or other collectibles.

Parting Thoughts

Cabinets that extend to the ceiling are a higher-end design that covers unsightly gaps that can make a kitchen feel smaller or incomplete. It is a way to take advantage of extra space and convert it into much-needed storage or display space.

Many homeowners prefer to do their remodeling projects. However, before you start down this path, make an honest assessment of your carpentry skills. By extending your kitchen cabinets, you are not only making the room more efficient and spacious, you are making an investment in your home that could significantly boost its value–so, you want to make sure it’s done right. Discussing your ideas with 27estore and hiring a professional for the installation may be the best way to go.

If you end up removing some existing cabinets, don’t throw them away. Learn more about what to do with old kitchen cabinets–such as repurposing them as extra storage units in a garage or in a children’s playroom to reduce clutter–in our latest post!