Could I do this with my kitchen cupboards?

[FourArms]

We're about to replace the cupboard doors on our kitchen cupboards.

Currently they have a trim on the top and the bottom. I've had a look and I think it's just screwed on, so we probably won't replace it and just leave the bottoms of the cupboards plain.

However, what I'm thinking about is the tops of the cupboards. Could I change the height of the doors so that they go right up to the ceiling (currently empty space above cupboards of about 20cm) and then use the top of the cupboards for storage? Only problem I can forsee would be needing a new bit for the end of the run of cupboards, but I could sort that I think. They're not particularly tall cupboards at the moment (only 1 integral shelf, so two useable shelves) and so this would buy me a third extra space.

I think it would probably look a bit weird. I think it would be obvious that there's no cupboard behind the top parts of the doors - you can normally see a little bit of the cupboard either side of the doors, so you'd be able to see it for the bottom bit, but not behind the top bit. Can you not just get some smart looking containers and put them on top of the cupboards if you can't afford to completely replace with ceiling-height cupboards?

You're right. Have looked at loads of websites, and I think just taking off the pelmet or whatever it's called, and using containers will be the best bet.

you might consider a long, lift-up hinged door, painted or papered to match the wall or ceiling.

it will take a bit of DIY joinery to make and fit it.

the cabinets will have to be strongly fixed to the wall as you will end up putting your sandwich toaster, kenwood chef, wedding-present china and spare Le Creuset up there.

Ooh, good idea PJ, that could work! Luckily (or unluckily?) have no sandwich toaster, kenwood chef, wedding-present china or Le Creuset stuff to put up there!! But I do take your point. It's an old-ish kitchen - think it was put in sometime in the 80's or 90's, but German and very solid, hence getting new doors rather than a new kitchen. We're getting the doors from an online place that can do any size, so shouldn't be a problem to get the size we need.

Ooh sorry to hijack but maybe PJ would know the answer to this.We have a 4 year old Howdens kitchen- the internal cupboards are solid not flat pack and obv in good nick as only 4 years old. Would it be possible to reuse the internal cupboards, maybe add some more? That would involve stripping off doors,pelmetstrims work tops trims etc. is this possible? Can they be moved to different positions?

We're more or less doing the same thing, but not planning on moving the cupboards.

We're planning on either getting the new doors from Kitchen Door Workshop, or from a local franchise that does the same thing but fits them too (Dream Doors). Will depend on the price difference which option we go for. Both do everything from just new doors to a whole new kitchen!