Yes, you absolutely can and should decorate the top of your kitchen cabinets! This often overlooked space provides a fantastic opportunity to add style, height, and personality to your kitchen.
Why Decorate Above Kitchen Cabinets?
Many kitchens have a gap between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling. Leaving this space empty can make a room feel unfinished or shorter than it is. Filling this area draws the eye upward, making ceilings seem taller and the whole kitchen look more polished. Decorating this space also helps personalize your kitchen, moving it beyond just a functional room. This area is perfect for showcasing special items without cluttering your valuable counter space. When thinking about kitchen cabinet top decor ideas, remember that this area is a visual showcase.
Assessing Your Space: What to Consider First
Before rushing to buy decor, take a good look at the space you have. The height and depth of the gap above your cabinets matter a lot.
Measuring and Ceiling Height
First, measure the space. Is it a narrow gap (say, 6 inches) or a wide ledge (12 inches or more)?
- Tall Ceilings: If you have high ceilings, you can use taller items. Large baskets, tall plants, or even stacked boxes work well.
- Low Ceilings: If your ceiling is low, use shorter items. Wide, shallow items work best so they don’t look squashed. Keep things simple to avoid overwhelming the space.
Cabinet Style and Kitchen Theme
Your decor should match your kitchen’s overall look. A modern kitchen needs different display items for kitchen cabinets than a farmhouse kitchen.
| Kitchen Style | Suggested Decor Themes | Color Palette |
|---|---|---|
| Farmhouse/Rustic | Woven baskets, aged metal tins, wooden signs. | Whites, creams, natural wood tones. |
| Modern/Sleek | Geometric vases, minimalist artwork, clean lines. | Black, white, grey, metallic accents. |
| Traditional | Antique china, framed prints, classic pottery. | Rich jewel tones, brass, deep wood finishes. |
| Coastal | Shells (in glass jars), blue and white ceramics. | Light blues, sandy beige, sea glass colors. |
This helps ensure your styling above kitchen cabinets looks intentional.
Great Kitchen Cabinet Top Decor Ideas
There are many ways to fill that empty space. Think about function, beauty, and scale. These kitchen cabinet display ideas can transform your kitchen.
1. Incorporating Greenery (Real or Faux)
Plants add life and color to any room. If you choose plants for the top of cabinets, pick ones that drape or grow upward nicely.
- Faux Plants: These are often the best choice. The top of cabinets gets little light and can be hard to reach for watering. Look for high-quality faux vines or ferns.
- Real Plants (If Lighting Allows): If you have bright light coming from nearby windows, consider Pothos or Snake Plants. They tolerate lower light levels well.
Using greenery is one of the easy kitchen cabinet top styling methods. It softens the hard lines of the cabinetry.
2. Utilizing Baskets and Containers
Baskets are versatile and add great texture. They fit well in many styles, especially farmhouse or bohemian kitchens.
- Woven Baskets: Use several matching baskets. They can look uniform and neat.
- Storage Function: If you have a large gap, use baskets for kitchen cabinet storage solutions above. You can store less-used items inside, like holiday linens or extra serving ware. Just make sure the lids fit snugly or the contents look tidy.
3. Showcasing Collections and Artwork
This space is perfect for displaying things you love but don’t use daily.
- Vintage Dishes: Stack beautiful old plates or use antique serving platters.
- Ceramics and Pottery: Groupings of attractive vases or colorful pottery pieces draw the eye up.
- Framed Art: Use thin, lightweight frames. Tilt them slightly toward the room so they are visible from below. Choose images that fit your kitchen’s color scheme. These make for unique kitchen cabinet toppers.
4. Architectural Elements and Height Builders
Sometimes, you need items that add height and visual interest without being too busy.
- Urns and Vases: Tall, slender objects create vertical lines. Group them in odd numbers (threes or fives) for the best visual balance.
- Architectural Salvage: Old corbels, decorative brackets, or small wooden pieces add character.
5. The Impact of Lighting
If you have the right setup, lighting can elevate your decor instantly.
- Uplighting: Install small, battery-operated puck lights or LED strips facing upward. This highlights whatever you place on top of the cabinets, especially in dark kitchens.
Styling Techniques: Making It Look Good
Simply placing items up there won’t look good unless you follow design rules. Good styling is about balance and flow.
The Rule of Threes and Odd Numbers
Group items in threes or fives. Odd numbers are more pleasing to the eye than even numbers. This grouping creates a focal point. Try grouping one tall item with two shorter items for height variation.
Creating Visual Weight and Balance
Distribute the weight of your decor evenly across the span of the cabinets.
- Avoid putting all the dark or heavy-looking items on one end.
- If you have a large range hood breaking up the line of cabinets, treat the cabinets on either side as separate styling areas.
Scale and Proportion are Key
The decor must look right for the space available.
- Too Small: Tiny trinkets get lost and look like dust collectors.
- Too Big: Overly large items fight with the cabinets and make the room feel cramped.
- For a 12-inch deep cabinet top, items should generally not exceed 8 to 10 inches in width unless they are very tall and slender.
Keeping It Clean: The “Less is More” Approach
When styling above kitchen cabinets, resist the urge to fill every inch. Negative space (empty space) is just as important as the objects you choose. Empty space allows the eye to rest and makes your chosen items stand out. A few well-chosen, high-impact items look far better than a crowded shelf. This keeps the look clean, even when decorating open space above cabinets.
Alternatives to Decorating: Addressing the Gap Directly
What if you don’t want to display things? Sometimes the best solution is to close the gap entirely or add storage.
1. Installing Kitchen Cabinet Crown Molding Alternatives
If you dislike the dusty, hard-to-clean gap, the best fix is installing trim or molding. This makes the cabinets look built-in and custom.
- Traditional Crown Molding: This requires precise cuts, especially in corners. It’s the most polished look. You can often find materials that match your existing cabinet finish.
- Simple Trim: If professional installation is too much, a simple, flat piece of wood trim placed snugly against the ceiling can mimic the look of molding. This is a great way to cover gaps where the wall isn’t perfectly straight.
2. Adding Cabinets or Shelves Above
If you need more storage, use that vertical space wisely.
- Open Shelving: Installing open shelves above existing cabinets adds functional storage and display space. This is great for cookbooks or nice glassware.
- Upper Cabinets: If your budget allows, hire a cabinet maker to add matching top cabinets that reach the ceiling. This maximizes storage immensely.
3. Painting the Gap
If the gap is narrow and you don’t want to install trim, consider painting the ceiling area just above the cabinets the same color as the cabinets themselves. This tricks the eye into seeing the cabinets as taller, blending the space seamlessly.
Choosing Materials and Durability
Because the top of cabinets is exposed to heat, grease splatters, and dust, material choice matters.
Durable Decor Choices
- Ceramics and Glass: Easy to wipe down and generally heat resistant.
- Metal (Stainless Steel or Sealed Iron): Durable, but avoid placing lightweight metal items where they could vibrate if the fan or AC unit is strong.
- Wicker/Rattan: Adds texture but can trap dust easily. Choose baskets with tight weaves.
Items to Avoid Above Cabinets
- Paper or Cardboard: Prone to yellowing from heat and dust.
- Delicate Fabrics: Will quickly become soiled and hard to clean.
- Flimsy Plastic: Can warp near heat sources (like over a stove).
Practical Application: Styling Scenarios
Here are specific examples of how to apply these ideas based on your cabinet layout.
Scenario A: Long, Continuous Run of Cabinets
If you have 10 feet of cabinet space with a consistent gap above:
- Establish Anchor Points: Place one large item (like a tall urn or a cluster of three baskets) at each end of the run.
- Fill the Middle: Use smaller, complementary items between the anchors. Keep the theme consistent. Maybe use four matching canisters spaced evenly along the middle.
- Use Color Repetition: If you use blue vases on the left, use one small blue item on the far right to tie the whole display together. This is key for cohesive kitchen cabinet top decor ideas.
Scenario B: Cabinets Flanking a Range Hood
The hood interrupts the line, so styling must adapt.
- Symmetry: Style the space above the cabinets on the left to perfectly mirror the style on the right. Use the exact same objects on both sides.
- Hood Focus: The hood is the focal point. Keep the decor immediately surrounding it minimal—perhaps just one small, flat item placed directly on top of the hood structure (if safe and approved by the manufacturer).
Scenario C: Cabinets with Very Little Space (Under 8 Inches)
This demands careful selection for easy kitchen cabinet top styling.
- Shallow Items: Focus on width, not height. Stacked, decorative shallow bowls work well.
- Color Blocking: Use a row of three identical, small, colorful objects. The uniformity makes a statement without requiring height.
- Trim is King: Consider kitchen cabinet crown molding alternatives here, as taller items will look cramped and messy.
FAQ About Styling Above Kitchen Cabinets
Q: How high should the decor be above the cabinets?
A: The decor should generally not exceed two-thirds the height of the gap itself. If the gap is 12 inches tall, aim for items around 8 inches high maximum, unless the item is very slender and tall, in which case it should fit comfortably below the ceiling without seeming squashed.
Q: Should I use the same things what to put on top of kitchen cabinets in every kitchen?
A: No. The best choices depend entirely on your kitchen’s style, the ceiling height, and the lighting conditions. A rustic kitchen benefits from textures like wood and wicker, while a modern kitchen benefits from sleek metals and glass.
Q: Is it hard to clean decor placed up high?
A: Yes, it can be dusty. Choose smooth items like glazed ceramics or glass that you can wipe easily with a damp cloth. For textured items like baskets, you may need a vacuum cleaner attachment with a soft brush to clean them effectively. This is why many people opt for kitchen cabinet storage solutions above that use closed containers.
Q: Can I use real fruit or food items as kitchen cabinet display ideas?
A: It is best to avoid this. Real food spoils, attracts pests, and creates a mess. Use high-quality faux fruit in a decorative bowl instead, which provides the look without the maintenance.
Q: What if I have cabinets that go all the way to the ceiling?
A: If you already have cabinets that meet the ceiling, you have maximized storage! You can still add small touches if there is a small ledge on top, but focus on adding a small piece of trim or lighting right under the ceiling line to finish the look, rather than placing large items on top.
Final Thoughts on Styling Above Kitchen Cabinets
Decorating the space above your kitchen cabinets is a wonderful way to inject personality and finish your room design. By paying close attention to scale, selecting materials that match your style, and embracing the “less is more” mantra, you can transform that dusty void into a beautiful feature. Whether you choose unique kitchen cabinet toppers or simple woven baskets, thoughtful placement ensures your decorating open space above cabinets elevates your entire kitchen aesthetic.