9 Reasons You Need Stacked Kitchen Cabinets

What Are Stacked Cabinets?

Stacked kitchen cabinets are smaller-sized cabinets that sit directly above your current, regular-height kitchen cabinets. Stacked cabinets make a great addition if you have at least 9-foot ceilings and a considerable gap between the top of your cabinets and the ceiling. 

Stacked cabinets are available with open, glass, and door fronts. They provide additional storage space—and you can even add decorative lighting to showcase your beautiful kitchenware.

9 Reasons to Add Stacked Cabinets to Your Kitchen 

Whether you’re planning a complete kitchen remodel or want to upgrade your current cabinets, there are many reasons to add stacked cabinets to your space. Below, we’ll cover nine reasons to invest in stacked cabinets:

1. You Could Use Extra Storage Space

Since you don’t have enough room to store kitchen items, your counters are full of clutter. Plus, you’re constantly running to your mudroom, pantry, or basement to pull out your toaster, blender, and serving pieces. Adding height to your kitchen cabinets by installing a row above your uppers will provide you with the room you need. 

Just know that—since this extra run will be high up and difficult to access—you’ll want to devote it to items you use less often, like seasonal cookware. Plus, you’ll need a step stool to reach everything. If you need more organization options for your new or existing cabinets, you can also DIY pantry shelving.

2. You’re Looking to Showcase Accessories

Stacked cabinets provide additional height, width, and depth to your existing cabinetry, providing much-needed storage for your valuables. By putting in stacked cabinets, you’ll gain an elegant, contained display area for fine china, silver, crystal, and more. No longer will your collectibles clutter your countertops or shelves. To best highlight your pieces, install beveled or frosted glass doors.

3. Your Kitchen Looks Unfinished

Kitchens tend to look unfinished if there is a gap between the current cabinets and the ceiling. If your kitchen lacks a cohesive design, installing stacking cabinets will help it appear more seamless and high-end. The extra row might even give the appearance of custom rather than stock cabinetry. 

4. You’re After a Modern or Contemporary Look

Stacked cabinets are often accompanied by elegant crown molding—with some also adding additional trim to give the stacked cabinets a classic, refined look. Stacked cabinets truly lend kitchens a sleek, modern, or contemporary feel. If your home embraces this style, installing this extra row of cabinets will enhance its design.

5. You Want to Add Lighting 

Stacked cabinets offer an opportunity to add another lighting element to your kitchen—which can really liven up your space. In addition, you can match your cabinet lighting with new or existing pendant lighting or under-cabinet lighting to create a light, bright effect in your kitchen. Hire your local electrician to install interior cabinet lighting to this extra row so you can spotlight your collectibles. 

6. You Want to Fill Empty Space

Before you invest in double-stacked cabinets, check if you have the space. Stacked cabinets are ideal in kitchens with at least 1 foot of empty space above the existing top cabinets. For the ideal proportions, make sure the upper row of cabinets is about half as tall as the row beneath it.

If you don’t have enough space for stacked cabinets, you’ll need to solve your storage problem another way. Other kitchen storage solutions include installing space savers (like door racks) inside existing cabinets or devoting a nearby closet to storing kitchenware.  

7. You Want to Invest in Extra Cabinetry

An extra row of cabinets means added expense. Since solid wood kitchen cabinets cost $2,000 to $11,000 (including installation), expect to pay a third or up to half of that cost for another run of cabinetry. To determine whether the cost will work for you, reach out to local cabinet contractors for estimates. Although you might be tempted to DIY, only install cabinets yourself if you’re a skilled carpenter.

8. Your Cabinetry Is Light in Hue

Adding another row to cabinets coated in dark stain or paint can make your space look dreary and oppressive. A good rule of thumb is to add an extra row of cabinets in rooms with cabinetry that’s white, off-white, cream, or another light color. Alternatively, you could repaint your existing cabinets with a lighter hue. 

9. You’re Okay With the Extra Maintenance

By adding to your cabinets, you’re upping your kitchen’s maintenance needs. It’s important to treat stacked cabinets like your existing cabinetry—this way, the upper cabinets won’t lose their shine. You’ll need to access this row and clean it regularly to remove dust and wipe down glass doors. Plus, you’ll need to keep the insides neat and organized for cabinets with glass doors.

What Can You Store In Stacked Kitchen Cabinets?

The possibilities are endless for what can go inside stacked cabinets, especially if you get cabinets with increased depth. Here are examples of the varieties of items that can go in stacked cabinets:

• Elegant dishware

• Holiday decor

• Kitchen appliances

• Family heirlooms

• Specialty glassware

• Cookbooks

• Framed recipes

How to Design Stacked Kitchen Cabinets

From a design standpoint, stacked kitchen cabinets work best in kitchens with high ceilings—otherwise, your space can look cramped and dark. So, whether you choose to purchase new stacked cabinets directly from the manufacturer, or build out your own, here are the best ways to design your stacked kitchen cabinets.

Purchase New Stacked Cabinets

Whether you hire a cabinet installation pro or if you’re handy to install new stacked cabinets yourself, you’ll need to ensure that you measure correctly and purchase stacked cabinets that are the right height, width, and depth. And the design aesthetic needs to match your current cabinets. Also, if you’re purchasing pre-painted stacked cabinetry, it’s crucial that you match your kitchen cabinet colors, or it could be very costly to strip, sand, and re-paint all of your kitchen cabinetry. 

DIY Stacked Cabinets

If you’re handy and have carpentry experience, you can design and build your own stacked cabinetry. With this option, you’ll have more design opportunities. For example, if you’re removing your current cabinet doors and keeping the frames, you’ll only need to build stacked cabinet frames to match. And then you can purchase new cabinet door fronts or glass fronts in any style.