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You’ll have to make a judgment call. Kitchen ceilings between 8 and 12 feet high typically offer the best-case installations for a new row of cabinets or shelves that will fill the gap. By the time your ceiling reaches 15 feet or higher, as they often do in open floor plans, it’s time to embrace the space and consider toppers that don’t have to reach all the way to the ceiling. You can still get plenty of extra storage with one of our steps above.

Walls in good condition with an even surface should be fine for frameless cabinet installation. Older, uneven, or warped walls could create problems. Your studs and their spacing are especially important, since frameless cabinets rely so much on wall attachments. Call in a professional installer for a consultation if you aren’t sure.

Durability and appearance are the two main drawbacks to installing budget kitchen cabinets, which are often made of less-durable wood or plastic. You're also limited to stock options, meaning you may have a small selection from which to choose.

On the plus side, you can always paint these more affordable kitchen cabinets to make them look the way you want.

The depth of your pantry shelves should range between 12 and 24 inches, depending on how high it sits on the wall and your pantry size. Higher shelves should fall on the thinner side since it is harder to reach deep shelving areas the higher you go.