Why Your Kitchen Cabinets Should Go All the Way to the Ceiling

As an Interior Designer in Los Angeles, one of the most common questions I get during kitchen remodels is:
“Should my cabinets go all the way to the ceiling?”

My answer, almost every time, is a confident yes and here’s why.

1. It Makes the Space Feel Taller and More Finished

Kitchens are full of visual lines. Upper cabinets, tile, range hoods, and lighting all compete for the eye’s attention. When your cabinets stop short of the ceiling, the result can feel visually chopped up, making the room seem smaller than it is.

Cabinetry that extends all the way to the ceiling draws your eye upward, creating a clean, continuous line that elongates the space. Even in homes with standard 8-foot ceilings, this design choice adds a level of sophistication and polish that short cabinets can’t match.

As an Interior Designer in Los Angeles, where many kitchens are open-concept and flow into living spaces, that sense of height and cohesion is especially important.

2. You Gain Valuable (and Hidden) Storage

Let’s be honest, no one has ever said, “I wish I had less kitchen storage.”
That extra 12 to 18 inches above your upper cabinets? That’s prime real estate for items you don’t use every day. Holiday platters, serving pieces, or those special-occasion wine glasses.

When we design kitchens at Ethan Charles Design, we often use those uppermost cabinets for concealed storage with seamless fronts keeping the look elevated while maximizing every inch. It’s the perfect marriage of beauty and practicality.

3. Dust-Free (and Stress-Free)

Another major reason to take cabinets to the ceiling? You’ll never have to dust up there again.

That awkward gap above traditional cabinets tends to collect grime, dust, and kitchen grease. Not exactly the easiest place to clean. By extending the cabinetry, you eliminate that hard-to-reach ledge altogether, leaving you with a cleaner, more streamlined kitchen that’s easier to maintain.

4. It Feels Custom and Intentional

Ceiling-height cabinets instantly signal custom craftsmanship. They look built-in, thoughtful, and tailored, not “builder basic.”

Even if your budget doesn’t allow for fully custom cabinetry, there are clever ways to achieve the look. For example, your Interior Designer in Los Angeles can design a faux cabinet panel or crown molding that extends the cabinetry upward, creating a high-end appearance without the high-end cost.

5. They Balance Proportion and Scale

When cabinets stop short of the ceiling, it can throw off the proportions of the room. Especially if your kitchen has tall walls or dramatic lighting.

Cabinets that reach the ceiling create a better sense of vertical balance, anchoring the space while allowing other elements (like your backsplash or pendant lights) to shine.

Design is all about proportion and full-height cabinets help everything else feel intentional and harmonious.

6. It’s a Long-Term Investment in Your Home’s Value

Kitchen renovations are one of the biggest returns on investment for homeowners, and cabinetry plays a major role in perceived quality. Ceiling-height cabinets not only look more luxurious, but they also appeal to future buyers as a functional and elevated design choice.

As an Interior Designer in Los Angeles, I’ve seen countless listings where full-height cabinets became a major selling point. They communicate that the kitchen was designed thoughtfully and professionally.

7. Aesthetic Cohesion With the Rest of Your Home

In homes with open layouts, the kitchen often blends into the living or dining area. Taking the cabinetry all the way up creates a strong architectural moment that feels cohesive with the rest of the design.

It prevents that “floating box” look and helps your kitchen read as part of the home’s architecture, not a separate afterthought. Whether your ceilings are flat, vaulted, or detailed with beams, we design cabinetry to complement the structure, not fight it.

The Bottom Line

If you’re redoing your kitchen, don’t overlook the vertical space above your cabinets. Extending your cabinetry to the ceiling is one of the simplest ways to make your kitchen feel more intentional, spacious, and luxurious. At Ethan Charles Design, we believe every inch of your kitchen should be working for you both functionally and aesthetically because good design isn’t just about how it looks, it’s about how it lives.