Decorating the Space Above Kitchen Cabinets with Farmhouse Flair

The often overlooked space above kitchen cabinets presents the perfect opportunity to infuse rustic farmhouse charm into your culinary workspace. By decorating this empty area with purpose and intention, you can create a cozy and personalized focal point that provides visual interest and complements your kitchen's overall aesthetic.

Farmhouse style emphasizes vintage and antique touches paired with natural elements like wood tones, woven baskets, and galvanized metal. When planning your farmhouse kitchen cabinet decor, opt for items in white, cream, gray, black, or other neutrals. Distressed finishes, chippy paint, and well-worn patinas help cultivate old-world appeal. Lean into the classics with accents like vintage signs, cookbooks, antique windows, and macrame plant holders.

Benefits of Elevating the Space Above Cabinets

Transforming the often barren area above your kitchen cabinets delivers several advantages beyond just aesthetics. Consider the following benefits:

• Adds visual interest and personality to a typically overlooked space
• Provides opportunity to showcase cherished decor items
• Helps establish a focal point in the kitchen's design
• Allows you to maximize vertical real estate
• Infuses rustic farmhouse warmth and charm
• Creates personalized expression tailored to your style
• Offers potential for extra storage or organizational solutions

Decorating those empty cabinets above doesn't require a major renovation either. With some clever styling using items you already own, you can create a stunning farmhouse display. Approach the project in stages, focusing above one section of cabinetry at a time.

Planning Your Farmhouse Kitchen Cabinet Decor

Achieving a cohesive, well-executed farmhouse style means careful planning and curation. Before decorating, consider the following:

• Take measurements to determine appropriate sizing for decor items
• Evaluate natural lighting and position lights to accent key focal points
• Gather inspiration from places like Pinterest to hone your vision
• Start with a mood board defining your color scheme and materials
• Edit first before bringing new items in; remove unnecessary clutter
• Mix modern with antique for a collected look with character

Farmhouse design emphasizes clean lines, plenty of white space, natural imperfections, and timeworn character. Build your decor over time, focusing on favorite cherished pieces that epitomize coziness and charm.

Farmhouse Elements for Above Kitchen Cabinets

Certain signature farmhouse style ingredients help cultivate the right ambiance for your kitchen cabinet decor. Incorporate these elements and accents:

• White dishes or glass canisters for open display
• Galvanized metal buckets, bins, and containers
• Vintage tin advertisements or signage
• Wood tones via butcher block, crates, or shelving
• Wicker baskets in natural hues
• Dried botanicals and floral arrangements
• Antique books or cookbooks
• Cast iron skillets and enamelware pots
• Framed black and white family photos
• Macrame hangings or plant holders

For closed cabinets, create visual appeal through framed gallery walls, rows of ceramic chicken decor, or unique hardware like black iron handles. Contrast painted cabinets by leaving wooden tops unfinished or distressed for rustic flair.

Farmhouse Decor Ideas for Open Cabinets

For open shelving or glass-front cabinets, aim for an artful but functional display. Try these farmhouse styling ideas:

• Stack vintage cake stands and whiteware for a collected look
• Line up antique glass bottles and pitchers
• Stand tall rows of cookbooks interspersed with greenery
• Display blackboard menus and signs with quaint messages
• Hang a mini macrame planter inside the cabinet
• Place a set of ceramic mixing bowls nested together
• Use metal storage bins for a modern farmhouse vibe

The visual presentation for open shelves should feel casual, approachable, and neatly organized. Limit quantities of items on display and allow for negative space between groupings. Sporadically placed tiny LED lights can add whimsical glow.

Closed Cabinet Farmhouse Decor

For closed cabinets, aim to cultivate personality and depth through layers of accent pieces. Ideas include:

• Gallery wall with vintage signs and family photos
• Hanging macrame planters at varying lengths
• Row of mini crates or lidded baskets
• Frame your favorite antique window pane
• Display a large carved wooden sign as the focal point
• Line up a series of ceramic chickens for subtle charm

Don't overload the space but instead curate favorite cherished items. The layered look works beautifully for closed cabinet tops, with smaller accents in front and larger pieces behind. Ambient lighting like pendant lights, sconces, or mini lanterns enhance the dimension.

Lighting for Above Kitchen Cabinets

Proper lighting takes your farmhouse kitchen cabinet decor from basic to beautiful. Aim for a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting using these fixtures:

• Pendant lights spaced evenly to spotlight countertop tasks
• Sconces or mini lanterns to provide soft overhead glow
• Under cabinet lighting for focused task illumination
• Discreet LED strip lighting to accent displays
• String lights for playful pops of brightness

For open shelves, mini spotlights can create directional beams to highlight vignettes. Sconces flanking a window over the sink provide necessary task lighting. Lanterns lined across the top of closed cabinets emit a welcoming glow when illuminated in the evenings.

Achieving Farmhouse Style Across Cabinets

To cultivate cohesiveness across multiple cabinets, incorporate these tips:

• Repetition of colors, materials, and textures
• Coordinated frames and matting for gallery walls
• Consistent color palette for fabrics and linens
• Signage and art that share similar farmhouse motifs
• Complementary tones and finishes on wood elements
• Groupings of items housed in like-materials

Rather than matching, aim for collected pieces that feel cohesive through shared aesthetic qualities. Gradually build upon your displays, integrating new finds over time. Remain consistent to your overall vision.

Common Farmhouse Decor Items

Certain farmhouse decor elements lend themselves beautifully to kitchen cabinet displays. Incorporate these specific items:

• Framed prints showcasing roosters, chickens, or botanicals
• Vintage tin signs with nods to country life
• Galvanized metal buckets, bins, and canisters
• Glass apothecary jars filled with baking staples
• Rustic wooden crates for stacked display
• Wicker or woven baskets in natural tones
• Dried botanical garlands and floral wreaths
• Chalkboard labels and menus

For open shelves, stack identical ceramic crocks or mix varied sizes of lidded glass jars for an collected effect. Closed cabinets allow you to layer prints, art, and unique three-dimensional focal points.