Your Guide to Choosing the Perfect Depth for Upper Kitchen Cabinets

When designing your dream kitchen, one key decision is selecting the ideal depth for your upper cabinets. The standard depth is typically 12 inches, but you may want to go deeper for more storage or shallower for a more airy, open look.

We'll cover the benefits of customizing depth, how layout impacts depth, and factors like kitchen size, storage requirements, and style. You'll learn tips for accurately measuring your kitchen and find the right balance between form and function. Let's dive in!

What is Considered the Standard Upper Cabinet Depth?

The most common depth used for upper kitchen cabinets is 12 inches. This depth provides enough room for dishes and storage while still leaving suitable clearance for countertops and movement underneath the cabinets.

Some homeowners opt for deeper upper cabinets around 16 inches to gain more storage capacity. Others may choose more shallow cabinets at 10 inches to give their kitchen an open, airy aesthetic.

Factors That Impact Standard Cabinet Depth

While 12 inches is typical, the standard depth can vary based on:

• Kitchen size and layout - Long galley kitchens often use more shallow depths, while larger kitchens can easily accommodate deeper cabinets.
• Available wall space - Limited wall space may dictate shallower depths to allow room for appliances and countertops.
• Ceiling height - Low ceilings may require shorter cabinet depths to maintain clearance.
• Countertop depth - The thickness of your countertops affects the gap needed between them and upper cabinets.
• Appliance sizes - Check that your desired cabinet depth leaves clearance for taller appliances like microwaves.
• Design styles - Contemporary, modern kitchens tend to use more shallow depths than traditional designs.

When to Customize Your Upper Cabinet Depth

Benefits of Deeper Upper Cabinets

Customizing your upper cabinets with depths of 16-18 inches offers several advantages:

• Provides substantial kitchen storage and space for large items
• Great option for large, spacious kitchens
• Accommodates storage of bulky dishes or small appliances
• Allows you to maximize every inch of space

Benefits of Shallower Upper Cabinets

Opting for more shallow upper cabinets around 10 inches deep gives you:

• An open, airy aesthetic even in a smaller kitchen
• Ability to incorporate more natural light
• A lighter, less bulky look
• More visual clearance if your ceilings are low

Tips for Choosing Non-Standard Depths

When deciding on custom cabinet depths, it's important to:

• Measure your existing kitchen space accurately
• Take into account your kitchen layout and size
• Consider the look you're aiming for - more storage or visual space
• Check that depths accommodate ceiling height, windows, and appliances

How Does Kitchen Layout Affect Upper Cabinet Depth?

Depth in Galley Kitchens

For long, narrow galley kitchen layouts, it's best to stick with more shallow upper cabinet depths of 10-12 inches. The limited floorspace in galley kitchens can feel cramped, so minimizing upper cabinet depth helps keep the space feeling more open and airy.

Visually, the eye is drawn down the length of the galley, so shallow upper cabinets won’t protrude as much. Deeper cabinets would look and feel too imposing. Save your deeper cabinet space for wall, base or pantry cabinets to maintain a lighter look.

Depth in Larger Kitchens

In larger, more spacious kitchen layouts like L-shaped or U-shaped designs, you have more freedom to consider deeper upper cabinets in the 14-16 inch range. The expansive floorspace and high ceilings allow you to maximize storage with deeper wall and base cabinets without the kitchen feeling crowded or enclosed.

Since the eye isn’t drawn down a narrow galley, deeper cabinets won’t impede sight lines or movement in an open concept larger kitchen. Take advantage of the available space to gain storage through those extra few inches of depth.

Depth for Wall Cabinets

Wall cabinets typically offer more flexibility than base cabinets in terms of depth. Not being limited by kitchen layout, wall cabinets can be on the deeper side, usually ranging from 12-16 inches deep. Custom depths are also easier to incorporate on wall cabinets.

If storage is a priority, consider sizing up just your wall or tall pantry cabinet depths to 12” or beyond. This less frequently accessed storage space is a smart spot to maximize depth without taking up counter space.

Key Factors to Determine Ideal Upper Cabinet Depth

Kitchen Size and Layout

Carefully evaluate your current kitchen footprint. Long, galley kitchens will likely benefit from shallower upper cabinet depths like 10-12 inches. The limited floorspace makes every inch count, so minimizing protruding cabinets keeps the traffic path open.

With larger, more spacious kitchens you can incorporate deeper 14-16 inch upper cabinets without choking the room. Measure to find the sweet spot between maximizing storage and maintaining open sightlines.

Countertop and Appliance Depth

Pay close attention to the edge of your countertops to ensure there’s adequate clearance between them and upper cabinets. Standard countertop depth is 25-26 inches, but thicker materials like quartz or stone may increase the depth. Be sure to account for this to prevent a cramped look.

Likewise, carefully measure the height and depth of essential kitchen appliances. Leave a gap of 3-4 inches minimum between your upper cabinets and appliance edges. This applies to taller small appliances like microwaves and backsplash ovens.

Design Style and Aesthetics

Your kitchen’s overall design style will also help dictate ideal cabinet depth. Contemporary kitchens typically benefit from more shallow cabinet depths around 10-12 inches to keep the look light and streamlined.

On the other hand, traditional kitchen designs have more leeway to incorporate deeper, more substantial upper cabinets in the 14-16 inch range. This adds to the classic look and maximizes storage capacity.

Storage Needs

Consider how much you need to store in your upper cabinets - dishes, glasses, appliances, pantry items? This will determine if you should size up for deeper cabinets or can get away with more shallow depths.

If maximizing kitchen storage is a priority, aim for deeper depths around 16 inches to have serious space for everything. If you only need to store essential dishware, 10-12 inches should suffice.

Budget

Working with non-standard cabinet depths often costs more due to customization. Be sure to account for the price of unique sized cabinets in your kitchen remodeling budget. Generally, deeper cabinet depths will increase cost.

Compare the value added in storage capacity versus the premium for customized sizing. Find the depth that gives you the most bang for your buck.

Tips for Accurately Measuring Your Space

When determining the ideal upper cabinet depth:

• Account for potential soffits or changes in ceiling height
• Check for windows, pipes or vents that may impede cabinet placement
• Measure wall space to find the maximum depth that will fit
• Allow for sufficient room for traffic flow and counters

At the end of the day, strike the right balance between form and function when selecting upper cabinet depth. Consider your priority - storage capacity or aesthetics - and customize depth to align with your needs and style.

Don’t be afraid to combine different depths in different parts of your kitchen. For example, shallower 12” depths near a window for a lighter visual impact, with deeper 16” pantry cabinets for serious storage. Finding the sweet spot takes some careful planning, but the payoff is a kitchen perfectly tailored to you.