What should I put above my kitchen cabinets? You can put many things above your kitchen cabinets! Popular choices include decorative items, storage baskets, greenery, lighting, or even leaving the space clear if you prefer a minimalist look.
The area above kitchen cabinets is often overlooked. It can become a dusty catch-all, or worse, an empty, unused space. But with a little thought, you can turn this spot into a stylish feature. Kitchen cabinet top decor ideas can really change how your kitchen looks. We will look at simple ways to make this space shine. This guide will help you start styling kitchen cabinets tops beautifully.
Why Decorate Above Kitchen Cabinets?
Many kitchens have a gap between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling. This space can look unfinished. Filling it adds height and visual interest. Good decoration here draws the eye up. This makes the whole kitchen feel taller and more grand. It is a great spot for enhancing kitchen with cabinet top displays.
- It adds personality.
- It balances the room’s height.
- It can offer extra, stylish storage.
If you have tall ceilings, decorating this space is key. It stops the cabinets from looking lost or too small. If you have short ceilings, a few smart tricks can actually make the room seem higher.
First Steps: Look Before You Leap
Before you choose items, look closely at your kitchen. The right decor fits your kitchen’s style and size.
Assessing Your Space
Measure the height and depth of the gap above your cabinets. Is it a narrow sliver or a wide shelf? This matters a lot.
- Small Gaps (Under 12 inches): You need low-profile items here. Taller things will look crammed.
- Medium Gaps (12 to 18 inches): This is the sweet spot for most decorative items.
- Large Gaps (Over 18 inches): You can handle bigger statement pieces or taller greenery.
Also, check the clearance. Can you easily reach the items if needed? Safety is key, especially if you use fragile items.
Matching Your Kitchen Style
Your decor should match your kitchen’s look.
| Kitchen Style | Good Decor Choices | What to Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Modern/Minimalist | Simple, sleek vases, plain white pottery, metallic accents. | Clutter, busy patterns, too many colors. |
| Farmhouse/Rustic | Baskets, wooden signs, galvanized metal pieces, faux greenery. | High-gloss, overly polished items. |
| Traditional | Antique platters, classic lamps, subtle china collections. | Bright, neon colors, overly casual items. |
| Coastal | Glass floats, shells in clear jars, soft blue/white ceramics. | Heavy wood or dark metal objects. |
Comprehending the existing style helps you pick things you already like.
Simple and Safe Display Items Above Kitchen Cabinets
The safest and easiest items to use are light and visually appealing. You want items that look good from below.
Baskets and Bins: Utilizing Space Above Kitchen Cupboards
Baskets are excellent for kitchen storage solutions above cabinets. They add great texture. They hide things you don’t want to see clearly.
- Woven Baskets: Use natural materials like rattan or seagrass for a warm feel. They work well in farmhouse or transitional kitchens.
- Wire Baskets: These lend an industrial or modern touch. They allow you to see a bit of what is inside.
- Lining Baskets: If you store less attractive items (like extra linens or rarely used serving ware), line the baskets with cloth. This keeps the look clean.
Remember, use baskets sparingly. Too many baskets make the space look like storage overflow, not decor.
Greenery: Bringing Life Up High
Plants add color and softness. Since light is often poor up there, most people use artificial (faux) plants.
- Trailing Ivy or Vines: These look best because they drape down slightly. This softens the hard line of the cabinet.
- Potted Herbs (Faux): Small pots of faux basil or rosemary fit well in rustic settings.
- Tall, Thin Plants: If you have a very high ceiling, a tall, slender faux tree branch can fill the vertical space without looking bulky.
Tip: Choose quality faux plants. Cheap plastic greenery is easy to spot from below and ruins the look.
Pottery and Ceramics
This is where you add height and color. Choose items that are interesting from the bottom up.
- Vases: Use tall, interesting vases. Group three vases of different heights together for a nice visual cluster.
- Ceramic Canisters: Large, decorative canisters can suggest storage without actually having to store much.
- Platters: Lean decorative platters against the wall. Use ones that match your kitchen color scheme.
Creative Kitchen Cabinet Toppers for Specific Styles
Some kitchens look best with items that tell a story or match a theme. This is often called decorating open space above cabinets.
For a Farmhouse Kitchen
Farmhouse style loves worn, loved items.
- Vintage Tins or Jugs: Look for old milk jugs or flour tins at flea markets.
- Wooden Crates: Small, stacked crates can hold a few small jars or faux succulents.
- Galvanized Buckets: These provide a rustic, textured look.
For a Modern Kitchen
Modern styles focus on shape and negative space.
- Geometric Sculptures: Use matte black, white, or brass shapes.
- Minimalist White Vessels: Stick to one color but vary the shape and height.
- Lighting Elements: Small, modern LED picture lights aimed upward can add drama at night.
For Traditional Kitchens
Here, you can display collections.
- China Collections: Display beautiful, unused china plates or teapots.
- Antique Clocks: A nice, non-working antique clock adds charm.
- Architectural Elements: Small corbels or antique window frames leaned against the wall work well.
Lighting Above Cabinets
Lighting is a fantastic way to draw attention upward. It makes the space feel intentional. This falls under kitchen decorating ideas for open shelving above cabinets, even if you don’t have actual shelves.
- LED Strip Lighting (Undercabinet vs. Top): While under-cabinet lighting is popular, strips placed on top of the cabinets, aimed toward the ceiling, create a beautiful, soft upward glow. This is subtle and elegant.
- Fairy Lights: Battery-operated, warm white fairy lights tucked into baskets or draped around greenery add a cozy touch, especially during holidays.
- Small Lamps: If the ceiling gap is wide enough, a pair of small, stylish table lamps can work. Make sure they have opaque shades so the bulb doesn’t glare.
Designing with Scale and Grouping
The biggest mistake people make is placing too many small items up high. Small things look like clutter from far away.
The Rule of Three (or Odd Numbers)
Group items in sets of odd numbers (three or five). This arrangement is naturally pleasing to the eye.
- Height Variation: When grouping, always vary the heights. A tall vase next to two shorter baskets creates movement.
- Negative Space: Do not fill every inch. Leave breathing room between your groupings. This is crucial for decorating open space above cabinets effectively.
Visual Weight
Place heavier-looking items (dark metal, solid wood) on the ends or corners. Place lighter items (glass, light ceramics) toward the center or in between. This balances the display visually.
If you have a very long run of cabinets, break the space up. Create three separate vignettes instead of one long, unbroken line of stuff.
Practicality Meets Style: Kitchen Storage Solutions Above Cabinets
Sometimes, decoration needs a practical purpose. If you struggle with storage, this space can help, provided you keep it looking nice.
Storing Bulky Seasonal Items
Use the space for items you only need sometimes.
- Holiday Decorations: Store themed bins or boxes up high. Use attractive bins so they look coordinated, not messy.
- Extra Serving Pieces: Large punch bowls or specialty baking pans that don’t fit elsewhere can reside here in decorative storage containers.
Keeping It Clean
This is the main drawback of decorating above cabinets. Dust settles there quickly.
- Choose Wisely: Glass or smooth ceramic items are easier to wipe down than porous baskets or complex greenery.
- Regular Maintenance: Put a reminder in your calendar every three months to dust up there. If you use faux plants, they need regular dusting too!
When to Leave the Space Empty
There are times when what to put above kitchen cabinets is nothing at all. Minimalism is a valid design choice.
- Very Low Ceilings: If the gap is only 6 inches, adding anything might make the ceiling look lower. It’s often better to let the cabinets meet the ceiling with clean trim.
- Super Busy Kitchens: If your countertops, backsplash, and cabinets already have heavy patterns, adding more visual noise above them can feel overwhelming. A clean, bare space offers the eye a rest.
- Very Sleek Modern Design: Some hyper-modern kitchens rely on sharp, uninterrupted lines. Adding decor breaks this intentional simplicity.
Making the Most of Open Shelving Above Cabinets
Some homes feature built-in open shelving above the cabinets, rather than just the gap. This gives you more flexibility, fitting well with kitchen decorating ideas for open shelving above cabinets.
If you have actual shelves, treat them like any other open shelving unit in your home.
- Anchor Points: Place your largest or darkest item on the bottom shelf, usually near an end.
- Layering: On the middle shelf, layer smaller items in front of taller ones (e.g., a small bowl in front of a tall cookbook).
- Breathing Room: Ensure shelves are not packed tightly. Allow air to circulate visually around each piece.
Table: Display Item Suggestions for Open Shelving
| Shelf Level | Item Type | Styling Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom Shelf | Heavier items, books, matching canisters. | Group canisters by height; keep books neatly aligned. |
| Middle Shelf | Mixing textures, functional items (e.g., nice mugs). | Use a small tray to define this grouping. |
| Top Shelf | Light, airy items, statement art pieces, greenery. | Keep these sparse; they are the visual finale. |
Advanced Techniques for Height Illusion
If your cabinets are standard height but your ceilings are high, you can use décor to “pull” the cabinets up visually.
- Continuous Line: If you use a dark color on the cabinets, run a dark decorative trim (like a thin, dark piece of wood or dark faux greenery) right along the top edge. This tricks the eye into thinking the cabinet line is higher.
- Vertical Elements: Instead of wide, squat items, choose very tall, thin items. Think tall, slender vases or narrow pieces of wall art leaned up. These draw the eye straight up.
- Color Play: If the wall above the cabinets is painted a very light color (like white), and your cabinets are dark, the bright wall space above the dark cabinets emphasizes the gap. If you paint the upper wall section the same color as the cabinets, the cabinets appear taller.
Styling Mistakes to Avoid
Even with the best intentions, styling kitchen cabinets tops can go wrong if you miss a few key points.
Too Much Clutter
This is the number one error. The space should look curated, not like overflow storage. If you have more than three distinct groupings or more than five individual items, you likely have too much.
Items Too Close to the Ceiling
If items touch the ceiling, it closes the space in. Always leave a few inches of space between the top of your decoration and the ceiling line. This keeps the area feeling open.
Using Items That Trap Dust Easily
Avoid things with many crevices or intricate details if you hate dusting. Think of it this way: the harder it is to clean, the less likely you are to maintain the display.
Wrong Scale
Putting very small items (like individual spice jars) up high makes them invisible or looks like clutter. Choose objects that are at least 8-10 inches tall to have impact from the floor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Can I put real plants above my kitchen cabinets?
A: It is difficult. Most kitchens lack the necessary light for many indoor plants above cabinets. If you try, choose low-light tolerant plants like snake plants, but be aware of the heat that might rise from the top of the cabinets. Faux plants are usually easier.
Q: Should the decor above the cabinets match the decor on my counters?
A: They should coordinate, but not match exactly. If your counters have blue jars, the area above could have blue and white platters. Keep the color palette consistent, but vary the item types. This keeps the kitchen interesting.
Q: Is it okay to use food items like decorative jars of pasta or beans up there?
A: Yes, if the jars are very attractive and airtight. This is a great way to add a touch of country charm. However, remember that sunlight exposure up high can fade dried foods over time, making them look old faster. Use clear glass canisters for the best effect.
Q: What if my cabinets go all the way to the ceiling?
A: If your cabinets are truly flush with the ceiling, you don’t need to decorate above them! Your goal of a clean, finished look is already achieved. Focus your decorative efforts on open shelving or the cabinet doors themselves instead.
Q: How high should the objects be?
A: For most standard 8-foot ceilings, items between 10 and 18 inches tall work well. If your ceiling is 9 feet or higher, you can go taller, aiming for 20-30 inches to maintain visual balance.
Decorating the space above your cabinets doesn’t have to be hard. By choosing the right scale, matching your kitchen style, and prioritizing a clean look, you can transform that dusty void into a beautiful focal point. Start small, use groupings, and enjoy enhancing kitchen with cabinet top displays!