Small Kitchen? Why Ceiling-Height Cabinets Actually Might Be Your Best (or Worst) Move

The height and placement of your cabinets have a huge impact on your kitchen, both in how it feels and how the overall proportions read. In a large kitchen, experts usually advise taking cabinets all the way to the ceiling, but what about smaller spaces?

We often think about the color and functionality of kitchen cabinets, but the placement is just as important, especially in a small kitchen where every detail works a little bit harder.

And as with most things, there's no one answer for every scheme. Here's how designers decide whether to take the cabinets all the way to the ceiling in a small kitchen or to leave a gap – and don't worry, it's simpler to figure out than you might think.

When to Take Your Small Kitchen Cabinets to the Ceiling

In most cases, small kitchens look best when the cabinets go all the way to the ceiling. It elongates the room and usually looks more considered and well-finished than it would with a gap.

'In a small kitchen, I almost always recommend taking cabinets all the way to the ceiling. It draws the eye upward, which makes the room feel taller and more expansive, and it eliminates the gap above cabinetry that collects dust and tends to look a bit unfinished,' explains interior designer Kathy Kuo.

'With floor-to-ceiling cabinetry, you gain valuable vertical storage for the things you don't use daily, like seasonal serveware, extra glassware, and large platters, which frees up your prime cabinet real estate for everyday essentials.'

While that taller storage proves undeniably useful, it's the illusion of a taller room that makes ceiling height cabinets a great option in a smaller kitchen. It's a trick favored in larger kitchens, so it seems like a no-brainer to embrace the trick in compact schemes.

'In a small kitchen, I would usually take the cabinets to the ceiling or at least make them look as though they do. Stopping short often creates a shadowy, awkward strip above the wall units that breaks the eye line and makes the space feel smaller, while full-height cabinetry draws the eye upward and gives you more storage,' agrees Charlotte Butler, Kitchen Design Manager at BK Eleven.

When to Leave a Gap

There are some circumstances where a small kitchen can look better when the upper cabinets stop short of the ceiling. And one of the biggest reasons is your home's architecture.

'There are exceptions – it isn’t a one-rule fits all approach. If the ceiling is very high, uneven, heavily corniced, or the upper run would become impossible to access, full-height cabinets can feel overbearing or overly expensive. In that case, stopping short can work, but it needs to look like a design choice rather than a compromise,' says Charlotte.

'In a small kitchen, my advice would be to forego upper cabinets altogether to make the most of the space,' adds interior designer Bethany Adams, who says if you need the upper storage, using the existing architecture is a great way to choose the height of your cabinets.

'I suggest stopping them at the same height as other architectural elements in the space, like a window and door casing. This carries a line around the space, which is very pleasing to the eye.'

When leaving a gap between the cabinets and the ceiling, it needs to look really intentional, and there are a few ways to do this. 'The top gap should either be generous and beautifully styled, or closed off with a neat bulkhead, fascia, or cornice detail. A narrow, leftover-looking gap is usually the least successful option,' suggests Charlotte.

How to Make the Right Choice

The key to making the right choice is not to overthink it. Take a step back to look at your small kitchen and the architecture to gauge whether or not your space would look better with taller or lower cabinets.

'My rule of thumb would be: if the ceiling is standard height, take the cabinets up; if the ceiling is unusually high, create a finished architectural top line rather than chasing the ceiling at all costs,' says Charlotte.

The key here is understanding your space and its proportions. The last thing you want in a small kitchen is for the room to feel unbalanced or claustrophobic.

The right cabinet heights can make a small kitchen look bigger, so getting it right is key to a successful design. Then, you can think about the more decorative cabinet details, like the best colors for a small kitchen.

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