It has been several months since we added the glass uppers to our kitchen cabinets and I’ve been meaning to share our kitchen with you for a while now. Whenever the thought enters my mind to snap some photos there’s usually an island full of random dishes and paper piles. By the time it’s picked up Sam has woken up from his nap and craziness ensues. A kitchen photo shoot just ain’t gonna happen. But, by some miracle, it finally worked out!
Here’s how the kitchen looked before we added the glass uppers to the ceiling. Forgive the horrible photo.
BEFORE
Certainly nothing wrong with them, but I felt like the cabinet on the left side of the large hood looked like it was floating and not in a cool floating shelf sort of way. I always kicked myself for not extending them to the ceiling when we built the house.
AFTER
Installing the glass front uppers totally upped (har, har, har!) our builder’s grade cabinet’s game. It feels much more finished and the ceiling feels so tall! They freed up a lot of cabinet space too as I can now stash bulky serving pieces and glassware that aren’t regularly used up high.
When we first spoke of adding to the uppers, the DIY person in me thought I could do it myself. Then reality slapped me back and I realized there would be no way I could get the color and finish to match, and I was really worried about the seam that would be created by adding new boxes on top of the old cabinets. Every image I searched for of these style of cabinets didn’t show a seam since they were a continuous cabinet (if that makes any sense). This was way beyond my DIY level. We ended up using the same cabinet maker as our existing cabinets so we could match the color and finish and have a professional look. At the seam a thin piece of trim was installed. I was concerned it wouldn’t look so hot, but it looks great and truthfully I don’t even notice it. I’m just so thrilled with how everything turned out!
Even though my DIY fibers were cringing with having to pay someone else to do the work, sometimes it’s best to hire it out. I’m curious, what have you ended up hiring out that you thought you could do yourself?
SOURCES // wall color – PPG Palomino Grey // white cabinet color – SW Snowbound // black island color (I’m sorry, but I don’t recall!) // counters – Silestone Lyra // sink faucet // wall mount pot filler // pendants (ours were purchased at the outlet for a song, similar look here) // cabinet pulls in nickel // cabinet knobs // counter stools // paddle cutting board // rope handle cutting board – Homegoods // fruit bowl // utensil crock // clear storage jars // DIY inlay mirror //
SHOP THE LOOK:
love those cabinets so much! your kitchen is stunning!
Thanks Cassie! If only it were this clean all the time 😀
Your kitchen is amazing! The cabinets look beautiful going all the way up to the ceiling and you would never know you added them later.
Shelley
Thank you so much, Shelley! The contractor we used kept trying to get me to have their cabinet maker build them so that they would be a nicer quality (our cabinets are builder grade) but I just knew they would look different. It's weird to say but for this project going with the lower grade cabinets was the best option. Kinda like having a Yugo: If you need to get the fender replaced your better off going with another Yugo part instead of putting in a Porcshe fender. It's gonna look stupid ; D
So glad I dropped by today….I spent 3 hours with my cabinet guy on Sunday to make new Shaker cannot doors and that led to making boxes on top of the cabinets to take to the ceiling…..which led to new crown moulding….which led to moving a canned light fixture….which led to changing out the backsplash…..well you get the picture right:)
Aw hell, I didn't even think about the possibility of running into canned lights when adding to the tops of the cabinets! Yikes. Thank God that wasn't an issue or else I'm sure my husband would have put the kibosh on the entire project. I hear ya, it's always one thing after another. But, you have such amazing style, I say let those dominos fall because the outcome will be killer 🙂
Wow, that really made a big difference!
I feel like I forgot how much of a difference it made until I went back and compared photos side by side. Definitely glad we did it!
Hello lover. To the ceiling cabinets are always something I notice when I see kitchens because it just elevates the space (aesthetically & literally). You took it further with glass fronts, something I would never have thought to do. Such an impact!! Love the glimpse of that fab stenciled mirror, too.
If we didn't have a lot of cabinet space for the everyday necessity items, I probably wouldn't have done the glass front. Just because I'm not one that has the pretty organized, color coordinated dish and glassware. No one needs to be assaulted by the craziness that is hidden behind my solid cabinets. But since it was just for the serving pieces and vases which are all white or glass, I thought I'd go for it. But man, I love the kitchens where all the uppers are glass.
Hello lover. To the ceiling cabinets are always something I notice when I see kitchens because it just elevates the space (aesthetically & literally). You took it further with glass fronts, something I would never have thought to do. Such an impact!! Love the glimpse of that fab stenciled mirror, too.
I just love your floors! Could you please tell me the manufacturer, color, etc., etc.? We will start remodeling our kitchen around the first of the year and this is the look that I'm going after. Beautiful!!
Sorry it took me so long to respond about the floors! They are from Hill Country Innovations, Nappy Valley collection in Syrah. They're a 5" hickory. Best of luck on your remodel!
I would have never thought of putting glass uppers in my kitchen, thanks for the great idea. It makes the kitchen look amazing and you are right about it making the ceilings look so much taller. I am always in need of extra space so putting in glass uppers will change that very soon.
Thanks for these outstanding pictures . These are really beautiful. thanks for sharing with us
Just discovered your site and I love it!and This kitchen is absolutely fabulous!! Love everything about it.
I absolutely LOVE the look of your kitchen now. It's so gorgeous. You should be proud of yourself!!