Decorating the space on top of your kitchen cabinets
Every home has a few places that serve as blank canvases for the homeowners' tastes. These range from the fireplace mantle to a built-in set of shelves, and they can be used to showcase any variety of artwork or décor you choose.
Some open spaces are a little more unwieldy. If your kitchen cabinets don't go all the way up to the ceiling, you'll be left with a gap that can be quite challenging to fill. However, a little creativity can help this area add to the visual appeal of the room.
Consider what sort of items might display well on top of the cabinets before you get out the stepstool and start putting things up there. Jennifer Kelly Geddes, writing for Realtor.com, says a collection of small knickknacks can easily collect a lot of dust and look dingy. You'll also want to avoid items such as dried flowers, which will crumble and create a mess over time.
The space can easily draw attention for the wrong reason if it's too cluttered. Laurel Bern Interiors, an interior design company in Bronxville, N.Y., advises that items on top of cabinets should have an ordered appearance that complements the style of the room, the wall and cabinet, and any items visible in the cabinets or on shelves below.
An interesting collection of items can find a place of honor when displayed on top of the cabinets. Shelby Deering, writing for the home design site The Spruce, says an interesting assortment will become a focal point by naturally drawing the eye upward. Artwork or an oversized sign can also fill the space nicely.
Items related to the kitchen will naturally be a better fit for the room. You might use the walls or the cabinet tops to display antique store finds, such as vintage cookware. Laurel Bern Interiors says collections that display will in most spaces include blue and white ceramics, ironstone, baskets, or kitchen canisters.
A collection of plants will make the top of your cabinets look livelier, but might be difficult to keep healthy. Geddes says you can browse fake plants that look attractive for a maintenance-free alternative.
If you're pressed for storage space, the top of your cabinets can easily house some less frequently used items. Nancy Mitchell, writing for the home design site Apartment Therapy, says baskets are a good way to establish more storage without making the area look too messy. It's also a good place to keep a collection of cookbooks or stash your bottles of wine.
Some modifications will turn the space into a more dedicated storage area. An extra shelf above the cabinet helps diversify your storage options. Geddes says you might create nooks or cubbies to give the area a more stylish appearance and allow it to better showcase a collection.
You can also experiment with colors and materials to improve the appearance of the dead space between the cabinets and the walls. Painting this spot with a bright pop of color can be enough to invigorate the room, or you can match the backsplash material to create a more uniform look.
Removing the wall above the cabinets and installing windows is a more expensive renovation, but it can also give stunning results. In addition, the new windows will let more natural light into your home.
You'll always need to do some dusting and other maintenance when utilizing the area above the cabinets, so you might instead want to get rid of the gap altogether. Mitchell says you can do so by creating an extension that seals off the space and lets you add decorative crown molding. Another option is to rehang the cabinets so they'll be flush with the ceiling, giving you more room to work with on the counters.