Refresh Your Kitchen With These Cabinet Top Decorating Ideas
The tops of kitchen cabinets often go unused and unnoticed. However, this overlooked space presents the perfect decorating opportunity to add visual interest and functionality to your kitchen design.
Decorating the tops of your cabinets can completely transform the look and feel of your kitchen. The right accessories and styling choices create a focal point, complement your existing decor, and maximize vertical storage solutions.
Enhance Visual Appeal With Strategic Cabinet Top Decor
One of the best reasons to start decorating the top of your kitchen cabinets is to boost your kitchen's aesthetic appeal. The often forgotten space above the cabinets offers a blank canvas to amplify your design.
Creates An Eye-Catching Focal Point
Strategically decorating the tops of your kitchen cabinets draws the eye upwards, creating a compelling focal point. You can achieve this with a range of decor accessories like:
- Colorful or textured baskets for a bold pop of style
- An herb garden or potted plants for organic appeal
- Modern or geometric wall art mounted to the wall above the cabinets
Complements The Existing Design And Color Scheme
Coordinate accessories on top of your kitchen cabinets with your existing decor to pull your whole kitchen together into one cohesive look. For example, if using a farmhouse, cottage, or traditional style in your kitchen design, incorporate worn, galvanized metal buckets, watering cans, or ceramic canisters on top of cabinets to complement this aesthetic.
Or, if your kitchen design skews modern or contemporary, choose sleek or geometric decor items in metal, glass, or stone. Take inspiration from your cabinet color scheme and kitchen backsplash or floor tiles to choose accessory pieces in coordinating tones.
Maximize Kitchen Storage And Organization
In addition to amping up your kitchen's visual appeal, decorating the tops of cabinets also presents an opportunity to maximize storage and better organize your space.
Creative Storage Solutions
The out-of-sight space on top of kitchen cabinets can store an array of kitchen equipment and serveware that otherwise clutters counter space. Baskets and boxes are versatile storage solutions for this area. For example:
- Vented metal wire baskets can neatly store onions, potatoes, and other fresh produce
- Ceramic canisters keep dry baking ingredients organized
- Decorative crates or bins safely store heavy appliances like stand mixers
Functional Display Solutions
The top of cabinets also lends itself to displaying your favorite kitchen items like antique cake stands, cookbooks, or spice jars. Floating shelves or rail systems with S-hooks are easy ways to install display space above your cabinets. Opt for museum gel or non-slip shelf liner to keep your treasured items securely in place.
Before Decorating Your Kitchen Cabinet Tops
When dreaming up kitchen cabinet top decor ideas, there are a few key planning considerations to factor in first:
Measure Available Cabinet Top Space
Grab a tape measure and assess the horizontal space atop your upper cabinets. Account for any hanging light fixtures or ceiling beams overhead that may limit vertical clearance. This allows you to select accessory pieces and storage solutions sized appropriately for the existing space.
Assess Cabinet Weight Capacity
Double check how much weight your existing kitchen cabinets can structurally support on top. Typically, base cabinets and wall cabinets have a 50 to 100 lb weight capacity across the bottom and top. Ensure any storage bins or heavy appliances won't overload cabinets over time.
Plan For Electrical and Plumbing
When installing floating shelves, rail systems, or wall art above kitchen cabinets, take care to avoid contact with any existing electrical lines or plumbing pipes inside the wall behind cabinets. Refer to original building plans if possible to understand wiring and pipe locations.
Creative Cabinet Top Decor Ideas To Refresh Your Kitchen
Ready to unlock your kitchen's potential? Decorating the tops of your cabinets opens up a world of possibilities. Here are some inspiring ideas to refresh your space:
Lush Greenery
Plants instantly boost any kitchen's warmth and visual appeal. Create a mini indoor garden atop your cabinets to bring the outdoors inside. Opt for low-light house plants or install grow lights. Herb gardens also thrive in this spot with easy access for cooking. Use ceramic planters or mounted box planters to contain soil and water drainage.
Rustic Open Shelving
Floating shelves crafted from antique barn wood or reclaimed scaffolding boards add rustic farmhouse charm above kitchen cabinets. Style shelves with vintage kitchenware like etched milk glass canisters, ceramic mixing bowls, or enamelware pitchers. Mini globe string lights increase visibility and creates mood lighting.
Crown Molding Accents
Frame the top edges of your kitchen cabinets with decorative crown molding trim work. Primed, painted, or natural wood crown molding adds architectural detail. After installing crown molding, attach floating shelves atop cabinets to continue the custom built-in look. Display cherished ceramic pieces, framed art, or cookbooks.
Painted Accent Stripes
Painting one or several stripes along the top edge of kitchen cabinetry makes that area pop. Opt for glossy paint in a bold accent shade that coordinates with your existing cabinet color. Continue the accent paint upwards on the wall above cabinets to draw the eye upwards even more.
Style Cabinet Tops To Suit Your Lifestyle
Customize your kitchen cabinet top decor to support your family's unique lifestyle and needs with storage solutions like:
Entertaining Essentials
- Glassware racks above a built-in wine and bar station
- Tiers of decorative plates and serveware
- Baskets of cocktail napkins and entertaining accessories
Kid-Friendly Solutions
- Baskets of plastic plates, cups and bowls at kid height
- Art supply and craft storage bins
- Wall-mounted magnetic spice racks or paper towel holders
- Vertical cup and mug tree organizers
- Pegboard walls to hang essential kitchen tools
- Sliding trays fitted to cabinet tops for hidden storage
With a bit of planning and styling creativity, you can transform the often forgotten space atop your kitchen cabinets into a gorgeous and functional focal point that puts your personal design style on display and keeps your most-used items at your fingertips.