9 Brilliant Fixes for Awkward Kitchen Cabinet Soffits

When it comes to designing your kitchen, both function and aesthetics are important. Making design decisions that prioritize both can be challenging, but the best kitchen design ideas manage to do just that. 

If your kitchen has soffits, you may face an additional challenge when it comes to maximizing space and keeping things attractive. Depending on who you are, kitchen soffits may not bother you at all, or they may drive you batty. If you fall into the second camp, this post is for you.

Generally speaking, a soffit is an architectural term for something that covers up important internal features in your home. Kitchen soffits are often used to hide and cover wiring (especially for lighting), plumbing elements or even vent systems. Other times, they’re simply placed above cabinets to fill empty space. 

While cabinets generally come in standard sizes, ceiling heights do not. In situations where the cabinets don’t quite meet the ceiling, many builders will cover that space with a soffit. Others will leave it open, with empty space above the cabinets. Whether you’d prefer a soffit or an open space is a totally personal choice!

If you do find yourself with a kitchen soffit you’re not fond of, there are plenty of options for concealing it, removing it, or replacing it. Check out the ideas below to get your inspiration flowing.

If the gap between your upper cabinets and the ceiling isn’t particularly large, you can fill it in with trim running along the top of your upper cabinets as shown in this Ontario home. This makes for a cohesive, built-in look, and a lot less potential for collecting dust. I Heart Organizing has a great tutorial on how to do this.

In this Australian home, the fill in between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling becomes a design element thanks to its contrasting color that matches the countertop beneath. It also provides a little storage — there’s wine stowed in one spot and a cabinet above the refrigerator.

There’s no standard for the distance between your countertop and the bottom of your upper cabinets — so one solution to the cabinet gap issue after removing a soffit is to raise your upper cabinets until they hit the ceiling.

Whether you have a soffit or an empty space, the area above the cabinets will be less noticeable if the cabinets and the wall behind are painted the same color. In the Oakland loft pictured above, an unusually large gap between the upper cabinets and the ceiling is treated as an opportunity for a little expression.

If you don’t like the look of really tall cabinets (or your ceiling is so high that even the tallest cabinets won’t cut it), consider adding a second row of cabinets. A row of cabinets with a second, shorter row stacked above will often look more proportional than a single very tall row. This is a great way to add extra storage, though you’ll probably want to limit the top cabinets to things you don’t use often.

You don’t have to add your extra storage into the space where the soffit once was. Instead, think about the space below your cabinets. Moving them up to reach the ceiling creates room underneath to install open shelves for decor or frequently used dishware.

This idea is for anyone who wants the monochromatic look of matching cabinets and soffits but prefers natural wood over paint. Instead of painting your soffit the same color as your cabinets, cover it in veneer or wallpaper that matches the finish. It will make the entire assembly look like it’s all one piece, instead of separate cabinets and drywall.

There’s no rule that says you need to add more cabinets where a soffit used to be. Instead, it can be a fun opportunity to install a long open shelf to show off favorite decor or plants, as shown in this cozy rental apartment.

If none of these options appeal to you, or remodeling just isn’t in the cards, consider embracing that soffit by using it as a place to prominently display favorite artwork.