Can you decorate the top of kitchen cabinets? Yes, you absolutely can decorate the top of your kitchen cabinets! This often-unused space offers a fantastic chance to add style, height, and personality to your kitchen. Many people wonder what to put on top of kitchen cabinets to make the room look finished. This guide will show you simple and stylish ways for decorating above kitchen cabinets, whether they reach the ceiling or leave a gap.
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Why Decorate Above Kitchen Cabinets?
The space above your kitchen cabinets might seem like dead space. However, utilizing it well can make a big difference in how your kitchen looks and feels. Good kitchen cabinet top styling draws the eye up. This makes your whole room feel taller and more open. It is a prime spot for showing off special items or covering that dusty gap.
Filling the Gap vs. Displaying Items
The main choice you face is how much space you have above the cabinets.
- Cabinets to the ceiling: If your cabinets touch the roof, you might focus on kitchen cabinet crown molding ideas to finish the look neatly. Decoration here is less about filling a gap and more about stylish accents right on top.
- Gap above cabinets: If there is space, you need to decide on kitchen cabinet filler ideas or decorative items. This gap is perfect for utilizing space above kitchen cabinets.
This area is great for adding warmth, color, or texture to a room that might feel too plain or functional. It’s a simple way to update your look without a full remodel.
Simple Decorating Approaches for Kitchen Cabinet Tops
When deciding on kitchen cabinet top decor ideas, think about the existing style of your kitchen. Is it modern, farmhouse, traditional, or sleek? Your decor should match.
Creating Height with Visual Interest
The main goal is often to bring the eye upward. This balances the lower, heavier cabinets.
1. Grouping Tall Items
Use items that naturally stand tall. This helps fill vertical space nicely. Make sure the items are light enough for safety.
- Vases and Jars: Large, interesting vases or old glass jars work well. Pick clear glass for a light look or colored pottery for a punch of color.
- Faux Greenery: Tall, trailing faux plants or potted topiary trees add life. This works especially well if you cannot easily reach the tops for dusting.
- Architectural Pieces: Look for old wooden corbels, architectural salvage pieces, or decorative columns.
2. Incorporating Lighting
Lighting adds ambiance and draws attention to the upper area. This is a sophisticated way of displaying items above kitchen cabinets.
- Uplighting: Place LED strip lights or small spotlights on top of the cabinets, aimed at the ceiling. This creates a soft, glowing effect that highlights the height of the room.
- Decorative Lanterns: If your style is rustic or farmhouse, small lanterns or metal birdcages add charm.
3. Using Baskets for Texture
Baskets are excellent for adding natural texture. They fit well with farmhouse, coastal, or rustic designs.
- Woven Baskets: Use large, shallow baskets to spread out visual weight. You can tuck long, dried grasses or wheat stalks inside them.
- Storage Look: For a more practical look, use sturdy baskets as kitchen cabinet storage solutions above, even if you rarely access them. This implies extra storage space.
The Art of Styling Collections
If you choose kitchen cabinet top styling with smaller collections, group them tightly to look intentional, not cluttered.
1. The Rule of Threes (or Odds)
Objects look better in odd numbers, usually groups of three or five. This makes the arrangement more dynamic.
2. Repeating Elements
If you use three blue ceramic bowls, place them in a line or triangle formation. Repeating the color or material ties the display together.
3. Varying Heights
Even when grouping similar items, vary their height. Use a box or a stack of books under one item to make it stand taller than the others. This creates movement.
Choosing Decorative Objects: What Works Best?
When selecting what to put on top of kitchen cabinets, keep these points in mind: dust and weight are your biggest enemies.
| Item Type | Best For Style | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faux Plants/Greenery | Farmhouse, Traditional | Adds color, softens edges | Can look cheap if low quality |
| Baskets/Woven Items | Rustic, Coastal | Adds texture, hides awkward gaps | Collects dust easily |
| Vintage Trays/Plates | Traditional, Eclectic | Unique, personal touch | Can be heavy; needs secure placement |
| Pottery/Vases | Modern, Minimalist | Clean lines, bold color options | Requires careful grouping |
| Kitchen-Themed Art/Signs | Farmhouse, Casual | Reinforces kitchen theme | Can look too literal or busy |
Addressing Gaps: From Empty Space to Finished Look
The space between the top of the cabinet and the ceiling is a key area when making the most of kitchen cabinet tops.
Option 1: Filling the Gap with Crown Molding
If you have an empty space (a soffit gap), the most polished solution is usually adding trim.
Kitchen Cabinet Crown Molding Ideas
Crown molding is trim that slopes outward where the wall meets the ceiling. This visually finishes the cabinet run.
- Simple Bead Molding: This is a classic choice. It is easy to install and works well in almost any kitchen style. It gives a clean, finished line.
- Dentil Molding: This features small, tooth-like blocks. It is best for very formal or traditional kitchens.
- Tall vs. Short Molding: If you have a very high gap (more than 12 inches), consider adding a short, simple filler piece first, and then applying molding on top of that. This creates a layered, intentional look rather than just a thin strip of trim high up.
Installing molding correctly requires some skill with miter saws, but many DIYers find basic crown molding manageable. It transforms the area, making the cabinets look custom-built.
Option 2: Using Filler Pieces
If adding permanent molding isn’t an option, or if the gap is huge, use filler pieces that look like part of the cabinet structure.
Kitchen Cabinet Filler Ideas
Filler pieces bridge the gap visually before decoration starts.
- Wood or Plywood Panels: Install a piece of painted wood or plywood that matches your cabinet color. This creates a solid block above the cabinet. Once this block is up, you can treat the top surface like a shelf for displaying items above kitchen cabinets.
- Faux Open Shelving: Some people install short, shallow shelves directly onto the cabinet tops before the ceiling. You can then style these “shelves” with cookbooks or small decorative items.
Option 3: Strategic Decorating for Large Gaps
If the space is wide, you need large items to avoid looking sparse. Small trinkets will disappear.
- Large Scale Art: Lean a large framed piece of art against the wall, resting it on the cabinet top. Choose kitchen-appropriate themes or abstract pieces that match your color scheme.
- Oversized Baskets: Use very large, deep baskets. They hide the awkwardness of the gap below and look substantial. You can even use these to temporarily store seasonal items.
Decorating Techniques for Different Kitchen Styles
The right decor style makes all the difference in utilizing space above kitchen cabinets effectively.
Modern and Minimalist Kitchens
Modern kitchens favor clean lines and less clutter. Over-decorating the cabinet tops can ruin the sleek look.
- Focus on Form: Use one or two large, sculptural pieces. Think a single, tall white ceramic vase or a geometric metal sculpture.
- Color Blocking: If your cabinets are white, use one or two items in a single, bold accent color (like matte black or deep navy) on top.
- Lighting Focus: Minimalist kitchens greatly benefit from hidden uplighting to emphasize the clean architecture of the ceiling line.
Farmhouse and Rustic Kitchens
These styles thrive on texture and warmth. This is where kitchen cabinet top decor ideas can shine.
- Natural Materials: Woven baskets, galvanized metal buckets, and unfinished wood pieces are perfect.
- Vintage Finds: Display old enamelware, wooden dough bowls, or vintage-style signs that mention coffee or baking.
- Substantial Greenery: Use tall, slightly wild-looking faux eucalyptus or tall dried wheat arrangements in large crocks.
Traditional and Classic Kitchens
Traditional kitchens often feature richer colors and more detail.
- Symmetry: Place identical items on either side of the central cabinet run (e.g., two matching lanterns).
- Fine China and Glassware: If you have beautiful serving platters or crystal pieces you rarely use, displaying them behind glass cabinet doors (if the cabinets are glass) or carefully balanced on top adds elegance.
- Detailed Molding: Invest in beautiful kitchen cabinet crown molding ideas like egg-and-dart patterns to really enhance the custom feel.
Safety First: Securing Items Above Cabinets
This is perhaps the most crucial part of decorating above kitchen cabinets, especially in homes with children or pets. Items placed high up can fall, break, or cause injury.
Assessing Weight and Reachability
Before placing anything, check how easily you can reach it with a sturdy step stool. If it’s hard to get to, it should ideally be light and dust-resistant.
Securing Techniques
- Museum Putty (Adhesive Putty): This reusable, clear putty works wonders. Place a small ball under the base of vases, statues, or heavy bowls to stick them firmly to the cabinet surface. This is vital if you live in an earthquake-prone area or have shaky cupboards.
- Non-Slip Mats: For flat items like trays or leaning art, place a thin sheet of non-slip rug pad material underneath. This prevents sliding.
- Wall Bracing for Tall Items: If you are displaying items above kitchen cabinets that are very tall (like slender floor vases that only fit on the cabinet top), consider securing the back edge lightly against the wall using a small hook and fishing line. This stops them from tipping forward.
Practical Applications: Combining Decor and Storage
While the top of the cabinets isn’t ideal for daily storage, you can use it for less frequently accessed items, offering great kitchen cabinet storage solutions above.
Seasonal Swapping
The top of the cabinets is an excellent place for seasonal decor storage.
- Winter/Holidays: Store extra Christmas garlands or specialty cookie tins up there during the summer.
- Summer/Outdoor: Store decorative picnic baskets or outdoor serving ware during the colder months.
When you swap them out, these items become part of your current decoration scheme. For example, display light, airy baskets in the summer and rich, deep-colored pottery in the fall. This maximizes making the most of kitchen cabinet tops throughout the year.
Book Storage
If you have a large gap and love cookbooks, this can be a feature display.
- Stacking: Stack three or four attractive cookbooks horizontally. Use the middle one to prop up a smaller decorative item, like a small clock or framed photo.
- Color Coordination: Choose cookbooks with visually appealing spines that match your kitchen palette.
Maintenance and Cleaning Considerations
One reason people avoid decorating above kitchen cabinets is the fear of dust. Dust settles quickly, especially in the kitchen where grease particles can mix with it.
Making Dusting Easier
If you are utilizing space above kitchen cabinets with many small items, cleaning becomes a chore.
- Choose Fewer, Larger Items: Large items gather less dust relative to their surface area than many small items do. One large basket is easier to wipe down than ten small figurines.
- Use Washable Items: Faux greenery that can be gently shaken or wiped down is better than delicate, dusty lace.
- The “Once a Year” Rule: If you choose items that are hard to reach, commit to cleaning them only once or twice a year. This means choosing durable items that look good even with a light layer of dust.
If you opt for crown molding or a solid wood filler panel, this upper ledge is less prone to attracting dust directly onto the main decorative surface, simplifying maintenance significantly.
Integrating Cabinet Tops with Ceiling Height
The transition from cabinet top to ceiling needs careful planning, especially regarding kitchen cabinet crown molding ideas.
Low Ceilings (8 Feet or Less)
If your ceilings are low, avoid placing anything too tall up there. Too much vertical height accentuates how low the ceiling is.
- Focus on Trim: Install simple, shallow crown molding that just frames the cabinet neatly.
- Horizontal Decor: Keep decorative items low and wide. Think long, shallow trays or rows of matching small canisters rather than tall vases.
High Ceilings (9 Feet or More)
High ceilings are your opportunity to go big.
- Tall Fillers: Use substantial wood fillers or tall kitchen cabinet filler ideas to bring the visual base up closer to the ceiling.
- Vertical Emphasis: Use tall, dramatic items like towering faux plants, oversized decorative urns, or vertical beams if embracing a rustic look. This helps draw the eye up and breaks up the vast expanse of the wall above.
Final Thoughts on Kitchen Cabinet Top Styling
Making the most of kitchen cabinet tops is about balance. You want the space to feel full, but not crammed. You want it to be beautiful, but not a cleaning nightmare. By carefully choosing items that suit your kitchen’s personality and using simple techniques like grouping and height variation, you can transform that neglected space into a stunning focal point. Whether you are installing elegant kitchen cabinet crown molding ideas or simply arranging a few carefully chosen pieces, decorating above the cabinets adds depth and custom character to your culinary space.