How To Decorate The Top Of Your Kitchen Cabinets

How To Decorate The Top Of A Cabinet (AND How NOT To)

End! Don't become out the step ladder all the same!

(Pitiful to startle you. Information technology's but that I have to stress something to you before nosotros climb upward on the counters with our accessories in tow.)

Before you decide to display something upwards high, stop and accept a moment to evaluate why, exactly, you lot want to do so. Too many people retrieve that anytime a shelf is in sight there needs to be something resting on top of information technology.

I'm sorry, but that's just not true.

As a general rule, if y'all have under 2' of space above kitchen cabinetry, very tall armoires or congenital-ins, don't decorate the space. All also often, doing so dates you to the 1990's and the area does cypher merely catch dust.

Oh, and I'one thousand distressing, but if you lot e'er feel possessed to put some fake greenery up there, then consider yourself banned from my site!  ;-)

When Not To Decorate Above The Cabinet

Here'due south an example -- using one of my remodels -- of what it looks like when you don't decorate above kitchen cabinets.

Had we placed objects up there, practise yous see how they would have distracted the eye from the island and those gutsy light fixtures? In the field of flossy white, the accessories would have stood out and called attention to themselves.

This kitchen was remodeled with new finishes and a new island, only we left the perimeter cabinets. These days, we more often than not take cabinets to the ceiling or at least higher than this, then my purpose here was to alloy the cabinetry with the wall color so that these older cabinets didn't stand out or get noticed.

I wouldn't want to call attending to their acme by putting things up there, at present would I?

Too much fussy decor higher up kitchen cabinets

Fussy Decorating

This example is just too cluttered with besides much stuff placed manner up loftier. It'south besides busy, and there are way as well many different types of things up there.

Where is all the money in this kitchen?

...Information technology's in the cabinets, the appliances, the tile.

And then why distract from the money? Why bring all the attention to the $iii slice of dried organic fabric upward there, when you could be feasting your eyes on gorgeous wood or lovely tile?

Plus, isn't this merely a dusting nightmare?

There are times when decorating above the cabinets tin work.

Items that are elementary in style and shape are best up high.

I am such a fan of kitchen cabinets to the ceiling and overscaled, tall cabinets that fit the height of these new homes with college ceilings.

It's as if the builders didn't get the memo that if you're going to raise the ceiling, the cabinets and other elements need to become besides!

Seriously though . . . While I'1000 not in love with the stuff that people arrange way upward high only to fill up a small void, and I practice think people overload those areas where information technology'south not necessary, there are certain situations and sure times when some decorating actually does need to be done above a cabinet.

For example: If your cabinet is fairly short -- let's say about 5' or 6' high and it looks style shorter than the ceiling. If information technology sort of cries out for something to exist put to a higher place information technology -- that'southward okay, you can decorate information technology ;-)

Really, there are a few approaches you can have when decorating above a cabinet.

So, to brand sure ane of them actually works for you, yous outset take to determine if you have the correct space for what you desire to put upwardly at that place and if y'all have the correct accessories to exercise the job.

If you exercise, y'all can then begin to accost your cabinet decorating as follows.

High Ceilings And Lots Of Space Above Cabinets

Are your ceilings really high? Is at that place so much vertical infinite between the ceiling and your cabinets that the room looks empty and unfinished?

Many times a bookcase, or cabinet, or the kitchen cabinetry feels way as well squatty in a room. This is an instance when you need to permit your decor items visually extend the height of the piece of furniture or the cabinets.

No matter what, do not put things that are small and detailed up at that place! You can't run into them very well because they are and so far away.

Decorate With Larger Items up high

If you put any items up there, they need to be big and bulky. Larger, bolder objects should e'er be used if you'll be viewing them at a distance.

Personally, I adopt large baskets or boxes/containers, large similarly styled vases or urns that are full and bulbous-looking in a mass. Whatsoever kind of big-scaled uncomplicated objects that are similar in type will likely work.

What we're trying to do here is extend the visual height of the piece, so it appears taller.

Take a close await at the images beneath to come across how bulky items practice a corking job creating that illusion.

See how the unproblematic, warm-colored shapes of the pieces placed to a higher place these cabinets, pictured beneath, extend the cabinet upward, making it announced taller?

The large olive jars and baskets create a textural mass that extends the height of the armoire. Designer: Jeffrey Bilhuber

Look how brusk this piece would seem without these tall items higher up? Designer: Carla Aston

These decor items, grouped together on top of a chiffonier, are all taller items and add height to the piece. (Photo by Carla Aston from Highpoint Marketplace)

Displaying Collections Above Cabinets

Do you take something special you desire to display or show off?

When you have a really amazing drove of something, and you really, really, really want people to see it, displaying what you have above the cabinetry tin can be advisable.

Remember: Quantity is your friend in this situation. You're creating a visual horizontal ring or edge, kind of like a cornice or architectural frieze of some kind, which can just be accomplished with lots of repetition of shape and value.

For instance: I wouldn't put a collection of vases in a line, up high, if they were all of different color and value (lightness/darkness), because it would create a spotty blazon of visual effect and ruin the purpose.

Accept a look at this epitome.

Do you see how the candlesticks are all linear and dark? That's is a perfect example of this technique using repetition of shape and value.

Don't line them all upward in a row. Grouping them where they overlap, or slightly stagger them so they expect a bit randomly placed.

What a cool collection of fans! They're so perfectly placed with the window backside. Image via: State Living

These are perfect with yet color and type used. It'due south like someone painted a green, colorful band all the way across the wall. Gorgeous. Photographer: Paul Costello

Here are some more good examples...

Perfect use of the blue and whites, all close together. Home of Oscar de la Renta, Image via: Mark Sikes

I like how Martha did this. Clear glass is used, which isn't visually heavy or distracting. And I love how they are stacked and arranged to highlight the various styles of her impressive drove. Beautiful. Epitome via: marthastewart.com Photograph by William Abranowicz

A Decorative Chemical element To Top A Cabinet As An Ornament

Does it feel like something'south missing? Similar maybe an ornament of some sort?

Some other reason to put something on summit of a cabinet is to just elevation it off, to provide some kind of decorative ornament or architectural piece that's missing from the cabinet. A flourish.

These are perfect examples below.

Notice how only one object is used on top of these tall, slender bookcases, kind of like a crown of sorts. It makes them seem taller, kind of like an architectural topper of some kind. Designer: Magdalena Aguilar, via: Nuevo Estilo

The silhouette of the object visually becomes an integral part of the furniture. Designed past: Donna Talley

Decorate With Objects That Alloy With The Background

Maybe you don't take quite so much space simply yous'd still love to brandish something up there.

Okay, despite what I've said about not feeling like yous Have to decorate up there, there is a way to put some personality up in that location without having it expect like an over-packed complimentary-for-all.

Having decor items on acme of a cabinet that alloy with the wall can give you the storage and display infinite y'all desire, and they won't dominate the scene or make everything seem top-heavy.

Run across how these white vases and jars blend into the white walls beyond but however provide some involvement and a place to store these items successfully?

I love how these ginger jars are massed together, Had they been black like the cabinet, they would have acquired the furniture piece to overpower the space. The chiffonier would've appeared HUGE and the things on top would have looked crowded. Designer: Sean Michael Blueprint, via: houzz

The chiffonier stands out (as it should), and the white ginger jars are displayed but don't dominate. Prototype via: Mix and Chic, Designer: Scout Pattern, Nicki Clendening

Volition placing artwork up above cabinets work?

I've helped people who have had more than artwork or wall decor than they accept wall space. Since most people think all artwork needs to be hung at center level, one of the places I often look is upwards.

Hanging artwork on the wall above a cabinet pretty much does the same affair as all the other suggestions I've mentioned here, all the same the object is flat and hangs on the wall instead of sitting on acme of the chiffonier.

Look how it extends the peak of the expect of that wall, in the pics below.

I dearest how a "frieze" is created on the furr down above the bookcases . . . the horizontal banding or edge. Designer: Lizette Bruckstein, via: SFChronicle

This artwork is stacked all the manner across, creating that horizontal banding I mentioned before. Instead of objects, they're apartment pieces of art! Designer: Abby Rizor, via: Firm Beautiful

Imagine if that piece of art had not been hung higher up the cabinet. The chiffonier would not accept had the presence it does without that added piece up there. Designer: James Michael Howard

grouping Like objects create a more than cohesive statement

Continue objects grouped together in a similar style or colour to create a less busy and confusing look.

Y'all can see these blue and whites seen at High Point Marketplace don't detract from the beautiful cabinet below. Imagine a mass of different types of objects up there. It would shift your focus.

Bluish and white ginger jars create interesting decor items above this lacquered green chiffonier. Keeping decor objects similar in style and color help create a simpler and more impactful visual when decorating above cabinets.

This collection of rustic pottery, pictured below, brings height to the dining room hutch and adds to the room's overall coincidental vibe with a simple look.

On this remodel projection of mine, the homeowner had an interesting collection of rustic pottery that we grouped above her hutch. It created a prissy mass and added peak to the cabinet as well as working well with the aesthetic of the dining room. Carla Aston, Designer | Miro Dvorscak, Lensman

Need some ideas for larger objects that work well up high, above the cabinets? Check out these links below.

My blog contains affiliate links. Any purchases, at no additional charge to you lot, make me a pocket-sized pct, are most appreciated and brand this web log possible. :-)

Source: https://carlaaston.com/designed/how-to-decorate-cabinet-top

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