Ever wonder how to decorate above kitchen cabinets? Let us show you how to turn otherwise empty space into chic decor. Combine colors and textures and add heights to design coherently, readily improving the appearance of your kitchen cabinets.
This article will show you how to decorate the tops of kitchen cabinets using wicker baskets, vases, imitation plants, favorite cookbooks, wooden bowls, and more. This is a great approach to giving your kitchen visual interest, regardless of your preferred style—farmhouse kitchens or modern.
Tips for Decorating the Space Above Kitchen Cabinets
Before we actually explain the 40 wonderful decor ideas of how to decorate above kitchen cabinets, save these tips for better results.
- Available space: Measure the height, breadth, and depth of the blank space to ensure that your decorations fit without being overly sparse or crowded.
- Kitchen Style: For a coordinated effect, match the decorations to the general motif of your kitchen—modern, farmhouse, minimalist, or classic.
- Color Scheme: Select products that accentuate your kitchen’s color palette, providing harmony or contrast as desired.
- Functionality: To combine function with beauty, use the area for functional storage, such as chic rustic baskets or jars.
- Scale and proportion: To prevent the decorations from overpowering the area, make sure they match the height of the cabinet and ceiling.
- Themes and Accents: For a customized touch, add themes, such as seasonal décor, vintage objects, or a set of decor items.
- Ease of Maintenance: Select easy-to-clean decorations since, over time, this area may gather dust and grease.
- Balance: To create a cohesive look without crowding or leaving the room looking vacant, evenly distribute objects.
When decorating above kitchen cabinets, you can incorporate elements like a wooden bowl, a wine rack for extra storage, faux plants for a touch of cottage charm, and other decor ideas from thrift stores. Use white cabinets to establish a minimalist space balanced with neutral colors and crown molding for a finished touch.
40 Practical Ways To Decorate Top of Kitchen Cabinets
Here are 40 creative ways to decorate above kitchen cabinets. Add interest and style to your space by enhancing the top of kitchen cabinets using these great ideas:
Adding Greenery
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Use real cascading plants for kitchen cabinet decor
Use actual cascading plants to create a natural vibe in kitchen cabinet decor. Cascading plants, such as pothos or ivy, are perfect for establishing a natural, laid-back vibe. Their trailing vines give visual appeal, and they can be hung on open shelves or in pots to produce a cascade effect. These plants provide the area with a fresh, natural feel that helps one feel more in touch with the surroundings.
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Arrange Faux Plants In Small Pots For Low Maintenance
Faux plants are an excellent way to incorporate foliage without maintaining it. They are ideal for people who prefer the visual interest of the plants but lack the time or environment for actual ones. Placing them on windowsills or tables in small, elegant pots around your house will add earthy elements to your décor.
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Design a herb garden including labeled planters:
Apart from providing beauty, a little herb garden has a functional use. Grow your preferred herbs—basilium, thyme, or mint—in labeled planters. It makes cooking more fun and provides simple access to fresh herbs; also, their rich, aromatic leaves enhance your kitchen cabinetry.
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Combine greenery with fairy lights for added charm
Add charm by combining fairy lights with vegetation. One of the enchanted ways how to decorate above kitchen cabinets is to arrange fairy lights with plants alongside tall cabinets. The soft glow of the lights, mixed with the greenery, produces a warm, magical mood. Whether hung from hanging vines or draped over a big plant, this combo gives any room character and warmth.
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Use tall leafy plants to fill the vertical space
Tall plants, such as bamboo or fiddle-leaf figs, are ideal for covering empty vertical areas in overlooked spaces with high ceilings or long corners. These plants may make a room seem bigger and more balanced and attract the eye upward. They also offer a rich, complete look that accentuates the space.
Display Collections
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Showcase a Set of Vintage Teacups or Dishware
Arrange prized treasures or thrifted items in an appealing show-through. Especially in traditional or farmhouse kitchens, vintage dishes or teacups provide a classic and sophisticated touch in a simple way. Create depth and make sure every piece is visible using plate supports or tiered racks.
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Organize Antique Glass Bottles for a Nostalgic Look
To inspire nostalgia, arrange new heights and hues of vintage glass bottles. These bottles can be used as stand-alone decorations or as holds for little sprigs of foliage to accentuate them. Their transparent nature lets light reflect elegantly, therefore improving the space.
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Display Colorful Jars
Brighten the atmosphere and add a whimsical aspect with vivid jars in bold or pastel colors. Leave them empty for a simple look, or load them with ornamental objects such as marbles, spices, or dried flowers if they are similar colors to your cabinetry. In mixed-style or modern kitchens, this concept performs nicely in a corner or open space.
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Highlight Sculptures or Handmade Pottery
Showcase handcrafted pottery to provide an artistic touch with bowls, vases, or ornamental sculptures and different shapes. Especially if they have natural tones or textures, these pieces usually provide kitchen warmth and authenticity. Their originality makes them excellent talking subjects. Place them on the left or right side of the kitchen stove to make them prominent.
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Arrange Unique, Themed Figures:
Sort your figures according to a certain theme—such as animals, seasonal decorations, or cultural symbols. Most people organize them such that they accentuate their uniqueness or tell a story. This method gives your kitchen décor a quirky touch and charm.
Decorative Baskets and Containers
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Place Woven Baskets to Hide Clutter Stylishly
While keeping a neat and orderly appearance, woven baskets offer a pleasing approach to arranging goods without them feeling cluttered. Their naturally occurring, textured look fits rustic, bohemian, or farmhouse-style kitchens and makes them the best option for how to decorate above kitchen cabinets. Different basket sizes or forms will add visual appeal while maintaining covert utilitarian storage.
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Use Galvanized Metal Buckets for a Rustic Theme
Metal buckets provide an industrial or vintage element that is perfect for use. Keep utensils, flowers, or even little potted plants in handy containers to accentuate their appearance and easy access. Organizing many buckets together gives the space a consistent tone and makes it feel intentional and intimate.
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Stack boxes covered in decorative cloth
Fabric-covered boxes add a flash of color or pattern that could accentuate the look of your kitchen. Perfect for covert storage, these boxes let you hide less aesthetically pleasing objects. For more flare, choose materials that either complement or contrast the color palette of your kitchen.
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Add clear, colorful containers loaded with lemons or pasta
Clear containers loaded with vibrantly colored objects accentuate the kitchen’s intended use. While highlighting a practical link to cooking, lemons, pasta, or beans can provide a natural or whimsical aspect. Clustering these decorative containers of various shapes will produce a pleasing and striking arrangement.
Add lighting
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Install LED Strip Lights to Illuminate Décor
LED strips are a flexible lighting design idea for accentuated above-cabinet décor. They offer customized color choices for a dramatic impact, are easy to install, and are energy-efficient. Especially in low-light environments, they help your décor stand out by gently lighting the area.
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Use String Lights for a Cozy Ambiance
The warm, sparkling radiance of String Lights generates a welcoming and whimsical environment. For seasonal or holiday décor, they are particularly successful since they accentuate without overwhelming the area. The whole impact can be improved by enclosing them around baskets or other objects.
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Spotlights
Spotlights are perfect for highlighting unique things like artwork or collectibles 17. Position spotlights to highlight specific things These concentrated lights accentuate important objects and enhance the general elegance of the room. Adjustable spotlights guarantee a flawless appearance by letting you know precisely where light is needed.
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Add Battery-Operated Candles for a Soft Glow
Flameless candles offer a safe and sophisticated inspiration to put a pleasant, flickering light above your cupboards. Their cosy glow lends the ambiance ideal for evening settings or special events. They can accentuate a laid-back and friendly atmosphere by combining with other decorative accents.
Install wall hangings or Art
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Large abstract art pieces
Make a statement and bring modernism and vivid vitality to your kitchen with oversized abstract art paintings. The bold colors and forms direct the attention upward, giving cabinet tops artistic and dynamic quality. In kitchens with simple designs, this really helps since it offers a focal point free of clutter.
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Display Framed Family Photos
Including family pictures on your cabinet tops gives your kitchen a meaningful and personal touch. This is a warm and family-loving way to decorate above kitchen cabinets. Choose frames that complement your décor style: elegant for a modern look or ornate for a classic vibe. This arrangement highlights treasured memories and fosters a friendly environment.
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Organize Unframed Canvases for a Contemporary Feel
Your kitchen will look creative and understated with unpainted canvases. Easy to prop against the wall, these light-weight pieces create a laid-back yet deliberate look. Combining sizes or designs gives depth and texture, so improving the whole visual appeal.
Seasonal and Holiday Themes
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Pumpkins and Gourds for Autumn Décor
Incorporate pumpkins, gourds, and other fall elements to honor the autumn season into your décor. For a cosy, seasonal presentation, put them in clusters or next to fall leaves. Using natural or synthetic parts guarantees durability and adaptability for annual usage.
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Work with garlands and wreaths
Festive wreaths and garlands add holiday cheer and improve the seasonal kitchen décor. Add lights or decorations for an added glitter that fits the holiday theme. For a unified look, use colors and designs that go naturally with your current décor.
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Floral Arrangements for Spring
Add floral arrangements for spring that accentuate freshness and brightness in the environment using vivid or pastel tones. Real flowers have a natural appeal; fake blossoms guarantee little upkeep and lifespan. Combining flowers with foliage accentuates the seasonal theme and gives your kitchen life and revitalizing power.
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Themed Signs for Every Season
Add a playful, themed touch with wooden or metal signs bearing seasonal sayings or themes for every season. Replace them for every season to maintain the area festive and current. These accents help your above-cabinet décor to be lively and customized.
Add architectural elements
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Install Crown Molding for an Elegant Finish
Crown molding gives your cabinets a sophisticated and elegant finish that will help them to seem more coherent and polished. This architectural element improves the way your cabinets and the ceiling transition. For a seamless look, choose a style that accentuates the decor of your kitchen, basic or elaborate.
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Use Lattice Panels for More Texture
Create added texture and dimension above your cabinets by using lattice panels as a decorative accent. Depending on the pattern you choose, they fit both classic and modern kitchens. These panels can also be a subdued separator or background for other décor pieces.
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Apply beadboard for a traditional look
This classic, timeless design complements cottage or farmhouse aesthetics rather nicely. It preserves a neat and orderly look while giving the space texture and depth. Choose a color for it that accentuates your cabinets to create a unified look.
Presenting Kitchenware
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Show Copper Pots and Pans for a Vintage Touch
Apart from being useful culinary utensils, copper cookware is an exquisite ornamental object. Organizing these objects cleanly over your cabinets adds warmth and vintage charm. Copper’s reflecting surfaces allow the light to be caught, therefore providing subdued shine and elegance.
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Themed Kitchen Tools Like Rolling Pins or Cutting Boards
Make use of themed kitchen tools such as cutting boards or rolling pins. Including kitchen gadgets as décor is both functional and fashionable. Arrangements of cutting boards, wooden rolling pins, or other tools emphasize a rustic or country style. Combining them in sets or matching them with other components gives a pleasing and coherent touch.
Display oversized letters or signs.
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Organize Letters to Spell Out “HOME” or “EAT”
Your kitchen will seem whimsical and personal with big ornamental letters. Using terms like “HOME” or “EAT that directly relate to the topic of the kitchen will help to create a friendly and pleasant atmosphere. Using metals or wood guarantees they complement your style.
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Add Signs with Inspirational Quotes
Add flair and warmth to your kitchen décor with inspirational or humorous placards with quotes. These symbols can either be discussion starters or mirror the ideals of your family. For a consistent appearance, pick typefaces and colors that accentuate the general design.
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Marquee Letters
A trendy and bold statement made by lighted marquee letters is Their industrial look fits modern or quirky kitchens, and the soothing glow warms the area. Arrange them for best impact and view above your cabinets.
Add a pop of color
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Use Brightly Colored Vases or Jars
Brightly colored vases or jars accentuate the area above your cabinets, adding vitality and life. Select hues that stand out in a kitchen with white cabinets. Organizing colorful objects in a white kitchen can produce a dynamic yet unified look.
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Paint wooden décor items in striking colors
Custom-painted wooden objects provide your kitchen with a unique and vibrant accent. From small figures to platters, these favorite items can be customized to match seasonal or thematic motifs. Their handcrafted attractiveness gives the room character and cohesiveness.
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Add Colorful Ceramic Bowls
Add vibrantly colored ceramic bowls to provide texture and brightness in an easy way. Bold or pastel colors Arranging them in groups helps the display to look interesting. They add ageless appeal and fit both contemporary and classic kitchens.
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Add textiles like little tapestries or fabric-covered boxes
While adding unusual patterns and hues, fabric-covered items or tapestries lighten the area above cabinets. These fabrics bring coziness and fit the general architectural concept of the room.
Include textures
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Add Woven Baskets for a Natural Look
Your kitchen will look better with woven textures adding warmth and a bit of nature. These baskets accentuate neutral-toned or wooden kitchens well. They also offer useful storage while also looking aesthetically pleasing.
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Include Wooden Décor for Warmth
Add a rustic and organic element with wooden décor for warmth—trays, bowls, or miniature sculptures. Their natural texture creates an inviting environment and fits most kitchens. Combining many kinds of wood gives the presentation more variation and depth.
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Placing mirrors
While matching frames guarantee a cohesive effect, strategically placing small decorative mirrors reflects light, therefore brightening the room and increasing its openness. Arrange mirrors with elaborate frames as ornamental focal points, matched by candles or floral accents, for extra elegance. Alternatively, depending on your frame, a single large mirror can be a dramatic centerpiece that optically expands smaller kitchen spaces and adds either a powerful or subdued accent.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Decorating Space Above Kitchen Cabinets:
- Crowding the space excessively: Steer clear of stuffing the space with too many objects since it will make it seem disorganized and overburdles. Keep to a handful carefully selected components.
- Ignoring Proportions: Decorations that are too small or too big will disturb balance. Select objects suitable for the size of the area.
- Choosing a Mismatched Style: Make sure the décor accentuates the general architectural style of your kitchen. Combining opposing styles might throw off the visual harmony.
- Ignoring Maintenance: Beautiful objects above cabinets can gather oil and dust. To keep the area neat, choose easily cleaned items or routinely maintain them.
- Considering Only One Height: Items presented flat can seem boring. Incorporate varied height pieces for visual intrigue to add depth.
- Skipping Lighting: Ignoring lighting can leave the decorations in shadow. To accentuate your furniture, consider installing LED strips or spotlights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still, have questions about how to decorate above kitchen cabinets? We have got you covered here too!
Q: Why should I decorate above kitchen cabinets?
Decorating this space gives your kitchen individuality and charm, enhancing its overall appearance. It’s also a fantastic way to use an otherwise underused area for aesthetic or practical purposes.
Q: What are some popular objects to show on the top of kitchen cabinets?
Plants, vases, baskets, colorful plates, books, trip mementos, framed artwork, and little sculptures are popular selections. Choose objects that accentuate your kitchen's color scheme and style.
Q: How to decorate above kitchen cabinets and also keep the area clean?
Dust and grease easily reside in this area. Choose easily wiped-clean objects or washable décor. Clean the area often to maintain its sanitary and freshness.
Q: What typical mistakes should we avoid while decorating space above cabinets?
Avoid crowding, mismatched furniture, disproportionate objects, poor lighting, or a too-flat environment lacking diverse heights.
Q: Should I hang lights above my cabinets?
Indeed! Kitchen cabinet lighting can improve the décor and create a cosy, welcoming atmosphere. For a contemporary, clean style, consider LED strip lights or spotlights.
Q: How can the décor have volume and depth?
Sort objects with shorter pieces in front and taller ones at the rear. For visual appeal, use stack books or tiered stands as risers.
Q: If I’m not sure what to do, is it ok to leave the area empty?
If you’re unsure, empty the area rather than crowding it or employing mismatched furniture. Once you have a well-defined design plan, you can go back over the area.
Q: Can I combine décor elements over the space above the cabinets?
Mixing techniques can indeed produce a distinctive and customized appearance. Still, do this deliberately to keep harmony and cohesiveness with the rest of your kitchen.
Q: Is decorating above kitchen cabinets out of style?
Although it’s not out-of-date, decorating above kitchen cabinets comes down to taste and design philosophy. Done deliberately, it may give your kitchen depth, character, and warmth. Keeping it simple, cohesive, and in line with contemporary trends such as stacked heights, well-chosen displays, and integrated lighting is the secret.