That ignored space above your kitchen cabinets really shouldn’t be a magnet for dust and neglect. You can easily make this often-forgotten area work harder for your kitchen, whether you need more storage or just want to add some personality.
Here are 30 different ways to do it.
Open Wooden Boxes Above Cabinets For Display
Above your cabinets, you can place open wooden boxes. Their unfinished wood offers a warm contrast to painted cabinetry.
Woven Baskets For A Casual Display Above Cabinets
Woven baskets in the open space above kitchen cabinets create a relaxed feel. These natural fiber containers add a layer of texture.
Label Wooden Crates for Kitchen Staples
On top of your cabinets, place rustic wooden crates. You’ll want to label them with staples such as ‘FLOUR’, ‘EGGS’, and ‘MILK’ for easy identification.
Paint Cabinet Interiors Teal to Highlight Dishes
Inside your open kitchen cabinets, a bright, contrasting teal is used. This bold hue sets off white dishware.
Woven Plate Wall Display Adds Rustic Charm
Arrange a collection of woven plates and shallow baskets on the wall above your cabinets. They’re a mix of natural materials and varying sizes above a small turquoise cabinet.
Hanging Pot Rack With Woven Baskets For Extra Storage
Woven baskets are suspended above cabinets from a pot rack. The rack itself holds cookware.
Stack Tall Woven Baskets for Visual Height
Tall, woven baskets are stacked above kitchen cabinets.
Glassware Rack That Hangs Below Cabinets
Suspend a rack from your upper cabinets for stemware. It’s where you’ll display a colorful assortment of glasses.
Drape Fairy Lights for Cozy Ambiance
Strings of warm fairy lights draped across the top of your kitchen cabinets create a soft, inviting glow. This works best when paired with small decorative items like miniature houses or greenery.
Layer Art and Plants Above Cabinets
You can place framed art and potted plants of varying sizes together on top of your kitchen cabinets. It’s a simple arrangement.
Group White Ceramic Vases for Sculptural Interest
White ceramic vases grouped in different shapes and sizes on top of your cabinets form a subtle, sculptural display, with their varying heights and forms providing a pleasing rhythm to the space.
Mix Ceramic Vases and Bottles for a Collected Look
On shelves, you’ll see a variety of ceramic vases and glass bottles. They come in different shapes, sizes, and textures, including a matte white amphora and a distressed pitcher.
Group Wooden Objects for Natural Warmth
Group a few wooden items on top of your kitchen cabinets. You might include a wooden dough bowl, a cutting board, and carved wooden figures.
This works best when the items share a similar wood tone.
Copper Rail for Hanging a Small Kitchen Plant
If you want to hang a small potted plant, a copper rail fits beneath your upper cabinets. It’s a warm metallic finish above the sink.
Grouped Ceramic Plates Add Pattern Above Cabinets
Blue and white ceramic plates are displayed on open shelves.
Galvanized Pail Holds Abundant Wildflowers Above Cabinets
You can place a large, galvanized metal pail above your kitchen cabinets. Fill it with a generous arrangement of purple and pink wildflowers.
Stack Books and a Scale on Dark Shelves
Dark wood shelves above cabinets hold cookbooks, with a vintage scale breaking up the spines.
Stacked Books and a Red Dutch Oven Add Color Above Cabinets
On the narrow shelf above your kitchen cabinets, books and a bright red Dutch oven are arranged. The red offers a strong splash of color.
White Bread Box Adds Farmhouse Charm to Countertops
A white metal bread box with black lettering sits on the kitchen counter. Its clean design features a prominent label.
Use it for fresh baked goods.
Frame Botanical Prints for Artful Greenery
Framed botanical prints flank your range hood. Their simple black frames surround neutral artwork, complemented by small potted plants in terracotta.
Group Framed Art for a Gallery Feel
Two framed pieces of art sit above white kitchen cabinets. They show complementary winter scenes in simple wooden frames.
Drape Greenery for a Cascading Effect
Trailing plants draped over the tops of your kitchen cabinets bring a natural, organic presence. The greenery softens the cabinetry’s hard lines.
Soften Cabinet Tops with Trailing Plants
Pothos or philodendron vines can spill gracefully from simple pots over the tops of your kitchen cabinets. They create long, cascading lines along the edges.
Uniform Spice Jars Create a Neat, Organized Look
When organizing spices, line up matching jars on a shelf above your cabinets. Identical glass containers, silver lids, and consistent labels show off your collection.
Framed Art Adds Bold Color Above Kitchen Cabinets
A series of framed prints above your upper cabinets injects personality into your kitchen. You can use a collection of colorful, graphic artworks to form a gallery wall, drawing the eye upward over the cabinet line.
Woven Baskets Add Natural Texture Above Cabinets
On top of your kitchen cabinets, two round woven baskets are grouped. They can store less-frequently used items.
White Shelf Displays Stacked Dishes and Hanging Mugs
Stack your white dishes and bowls on a shelf above the window. Hooks underneath hold a collection of white mugs.
Oversized ‘EAT’ Letters Add Bold Typography Above Cabinets
Three framed prints spelling ‘EAT’ in a distressed black font on white backgrounds make a large-scale graphic statement above your kitchen cabinets. It’s a playful choice.
Place a Galvanized Bucket for Farmhouse Charm
If that spot above your cabinets feels bare, try placing a galvanized metal bucket there. It’s a vintage-inspired piece of metal.
Wooden Rolling Pins and Cutting Boards in a White Caddy
If you’re looking for a simple way to keep kitchen tools handy, a rustic white caddy might be what you need. This wooden container neatly holds an assortment of rolling pins and round cutting boards on your countertop.
It’s a quick way to store items you use often.
