Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - Soffit or No Soffit?

Hi, I'm building a new kitchen with 9 foot ceilings, and we're considering adding a one foot soffit along the top of the cabinets which would overhang the cabinets by a few inches to allow for built-in light cans.

I have mixes feelings about the soffit - I don't like the idea of wasting several square feet of openess that might otherwise be used for decorative shelving or whatever.

I'd appreciate comments, pro/con about soffits, as well as any other comments about whether people like them or end up hating them. Are soffits in style, or going out of style? I'd like to create a classic kitchen that will still be in style 20 years from now.

Thanks!

I've never been a big fan of them, especially when they never served a purpose (covering a vent, ect..). If you've ever removed them from a kitchen, I think it can make the space feel a little more open. You also have more options with the space above. You could store things up there, or you could hide some strip lighting up there and create an nice lighting effect...

Just my two cents..

I'm not a big fan of soffits either and did not use one in my recent kitchen reno. In any case, the soffit normally ends flush with the cabinets, right? You were thinking of extending it so that can lights can be more easily added? Do you suspect that cans cannot be installed in your 9 ft ceiling? Adding lightstrips atop the cabinets can indeed create very cool lighting effects.

I do not care for soffits either and really don't understand their purpose. I had them in my kitchen and removed them as part of my remodel.

You can also now install taller (42") wall cabinets and still have space on top for lighting, plants, or just an open feel with your 9' ceilings.