Simple Ways to Fix Kitchen Cabinet Open Soffits

Written by Lee Wallender

One inescapable feature of kitchen wall cabinets: the long, open soffits that run across the tops of the cabinets. Cabinet soffits are, at best, dark spaces that need aesthetic attention. At worst, open cabinet soffits eat up valuable storage space.

Build Wall Cabinets That Reach the Ceiling

From a functional perspective, the best solution to open cabinet soffits is to build ceiling-high wall cabinets. Taller cabinets must be purchased and installed in the first place; there are few, if any, acceptable retroactive methods of making your cabinets taller. Shoving the existing cabinets upward is not an option. While this will fill the upper open space, it also means that lower shelves can become too high.

Standard wall cabinet height is 30 inches. Tall wall cabinets will be either 36 inches or 42 inches high. A reliable footstool that tucks out of the way is a necessary component of owning taller wall cabinets.

Install Crown Molding on Top of the Cabinets

One popular way to deal with wall cabinet open soffits is to install crown molding along the tops of the cabinets. A nail gun, an electric miter saw, some furring strips, and several strips of crown molding are about all you need to do this project. Crown molding on kitchen wall cabinets dresses up your kitchen with ease. Add rope lights behind the crown molding for a luminous glow at night.

Keep the Cabinet Soffits Open

The most common response to cabinet soffits is to keep them open and clear. As an example, 30-inch high wall cabinets would create about a 9-inch space between the top of cabinets and the ceiling.

Create a Bulkhead in the Cabinet Soffits

When installing taller cabinets or adding embellishments to open soffits do not work, consider building a closed bulkhead. A bulkhead is any solid structure that covers up unsightly areas or items such as vents and pipes. Cabinet soffit bulkheads can be constructed of drywall, metal, wood, or any other structurally sound material. Paint the drywall, burnish the metal, or stain or paint the wood.

Another approach is to use the bulkhead as a base for applying other decorative items. A row of ceramic tiles can be applied to the bulkhead. Or a line of metal or faux metal ceiling tiles can be applied, with construction glue, to the face of the bulkhead. Basically, anything that fits that space and which fits your tastes is appropriate.