Designers agree: These 5 choices can make or break your kitchen

From cabinet depth to countertop thickness, there are a lot of numbers to keep track of when it comes to renovating your kitchen. If, like me, those numbers all get jumbled in your head, have no fear—our Country Design 100 honorees are here to help. For this installment of Wit & Wisdom, I asked designers Monica Stewart of The Misfit House and Tanya Smith-Shifflett of Unique Kitchens & Baths to lend their expertise on all things kitchens, starting with the need-to-know kitchen measurements homeowners should keep on hand during their kitchen planning and renovation. With these five measurements as a guide, you’ll be able to craft a kitchen that not only functions extremely well but looks good while doing it.

#1: The Right Distance from Pendants to Your Island

#1: The Right Distance from Pendants to Your Island, #2 The Best Countertop Thickness , #3 The Appropriate Distance Between Your Island and Neighboring Countertops, #4 The Ideal Space Above Your Cabinets, #5 The Correct Cabinet Depth

We’ll start with an easy one: pendant lights should ALWAYS be hung with at least 30 inches of clearance from the bottom of the fixture to the top of your kitchen island. Designer Monica Stewart prefers a standard 36 inches “to give adequate space and keep them out of the way of conversation,” while Tanya Smith-Shifflett allows a bit more leeway, okaying anything from 30 to 36 inches.

#2 The Best Countertop Thickness

#1: The Right Distance from Pendants to Your Island, #2 The Best Countertop Thickness , #3 The Appropriate Distance Between Your Island and Neighboring Countertops, #4 The Ideal Space Above Your Cabinets, #5 The Correct Cabinet Depth

Unless you’re going for a more modern look, keep your countertop thickness between 1¼ and 1½ inches, according to Tanya. “[That’s] considered standard and works beautifully across most materials,” she says. If, like Monica, you prefer a thinner, more modern countertop, try a 3/4-inch thickness and pay special attention to the edge style—DuPont or ogee edges are her preferred styles.

#3 The Appropriate Distance Between Your Island and Neighboring Countertops

#1: The Right Distance from Pendants to Your Island, #2 The Best Countertop Thickness , #3 The Appropriate Distance Between Your Island and Neighboring Countertops, #4 The Ideal Space Above Your Cabinets, #5 The Correct Cabinet Depth

While this will be somewhat dictated by the footprint of your kitchen, a good rule of thumb is that there should be about four feet between the island and nearby countertops. If you want a kitchen that fosters gathering, you can extend that up to five feet to handle the “inevitable traffic jam,” says Monica.

#4 The Ideal Space Above Your Cabinets

#1: The Right Distance from Pendants to Your Island, #2 The Best Countertop Thickness , #3 The Appropriate Distance Between Your Island and Neighboring Countertops, #4 The Ideal Space Above Your Cabinets, #5 The Correct Cabinet Depth

Sloped ceilings, like the ones in this charming North Carolina cottage, present an interesting design challenge when it comes to determining the proper space between ceiling and cabinetry.

In case you haven’t heard, the tops of your cabinets don’t *have* to meet your ceiling. In fact, in most older homes, they don’t! Though it’s certainly become popular to have them meet for a clean aesthetic—and the TikTok-minded design lovers would have you believe it’s the ultimate faux pas if they don’t—there’s no design rule or principle that says they must.

If you choose to leave space above your cabinets for display, the ideal space between the tops of your cabinets and the ceiling is between “12 and 18 inches,” according to Tanya. Another way to think about it? There should be “enough [space] for tall vases and pottery,” says Monica. “It’s a great place to store those items that are functional, beautiful, and not needed every day.” Any amount less and you simply have trapped empty space and a great place to collect dust!

#5 The Correct Cabinet Depth

#1: The Right Distance from Pendants to Your Island, #2 The Best Countertop Thickness , #3 The Appropriate Distance Between Your Island and Neighboring Countertops, #4 The Ideal Space Above Your Cabinets, #5 The Correct Cabinet Depth

This one is pretty simple: 24 inches. This is the standard cabinet depth, and there is no real need to deviate from it. The same measurement applies if you’ve swapped standard lower kitchen cabinets for drawers, but expect slightly less depth in upper cabinets, which typically range from 12 to 15 inches deep, according to Tanya.

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