Looking for ideas on how to decorate above kitchen cabinets with a modern farmhouse style? Should you decorate above kitchen cabinets or not? I’m sharing ideas of when to decorate and what decorations to put on top of kitchen cabinets.
We only have a small amount of space above the cabinet to decorate. However, there are some simple rules I follow when decorating this space.
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Should You Decorate Above Kitchen Cabinets?
You will find many opinions on whether you should decorate above kitchen cabinets. In most cases, I would say it’s perfectly okay to decorate above your cabinets.
A couple of reasons you may not wish to decorate this space.
First, if your cabinetry is close to your ceiling, it may feel crowded to add decorations above the cabinets.
If the cabinets have elaborate moldings at the ceiling or on the cabinet tops, any additional decor may compete with the molding for attention.
Finally, if you have a modern, minimalist-style home, adding decor above the cabinets may feel out of place.
Because I’m a more is less kind of decorator, the bare space above my cabinets is begging for attention.
However, as with most decor dilemmas, whether you should decorate above Kitchen Cabinets is a personal choice.
What Decorations To Put On Top Of Kitchen Cabinets
This is the million-dollar question. However, I have a few rules that will help you know what decorations to put on top of kitchen cabinets.
- Use decorations that you use infrequently.
- Add collections to your cabinet tops.
- Decorate with vintage and antique decor.
- Protect valuable and breakable decor by displaying it out of reach.
- Use this space to store hard-to-store collectibles.
- Group vignettes in uneven numbers. Either three or five items will make the vignettes interesting.
What Vintage Collections Look Good on Kitchen Cabinets?
Here are some of my favorite collections that I have used over the cabinets.
- Amber Bottles
- Vintage Crocks
- Old Books or Cookbooks
- Ironstone or Milk Glass Collections
- Pottery Pitchers
- Vintage Scales
- Baskets
- Dough Bowls
- Wooden Bread Boards
- Vintage Plates and Platters
- Old Bowls
- Art
- Plants faux or real. Remember that natural plants may require more light, and watering can be difficult.
In addition, here is a lovely milk glass display by All Things Heart and Home and a vintage dish display by Homedit.
Decorate Above Kitchen Cabinets – Modern Farmhouse Style
To decorate above kitchen cabinets with a modern farmhouse style, think collections.
Vintage Crocks
First, begin to gather your collections. If you collect vintage crocks, they are an excellent choice for decorating above your cabinets.
They can be filled with other vintage collections or left empty.
When staging similar items, it’s best to group in uneven numbers.
For this area, I used groups of 3 and 5.
They provide a clean, minimalist feel without adding much color to the space.
A small amount of greenery and wooden utensils keep the area fresh and modern feeling.
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Handmade Baskets
Another collection that looks great above kitchen cabinets is handmade baskets.
Gather baskets in a variety of shapes and sizes.
A handmade basket looks great alone or filled with greenery, flowers, fruit, etc.
I began with several baskets but quickly realized that less is more with baskets.
To keep the cabinet tops from feeling too heavy, I mixed the baskets with a few crocks to make the vignettes more interesting.
Although I’m not a minimalist, I like to let the area breathe by creating space between each vignette.
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Create Vignettes Of Several Collections
Another idea for decorating above kitchen cabinets is to create several vignettes of vintage decor.
This cabinet top display includes crocks, vintage scales, and a collection of pottery pitchers.
Wooden Collections
Finally, I decided to add several of my vintage wooden pieces above the kitchen cabinets.
Once again, I found that using all wood felt too heavy, so I added three crocks at the center instead.
To keep with the wooden theme, I added a cheese board, wooden rolling pins, and smashers to the crock vignette.
The antique dough bowl and vintage wooden bowl are both from the French Farmer’s Wife Barn Sale.
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Final Tips
These tips can be used for any style of kitchen. However, you must consider large-scale accessories if you have high ceilings and a tall space above your cabinets.
The space above my cabinets is only 13 inches, so smaller-scale items don’t disappear in the area.
Below are examples from Designing Ideas and House Beautiful of large-scale items and design that appropriately balance the space above the cabinets.
Permission to make changes
After this last restyle, I decided I needed to make some changes.
When deciding what decorations to put on top of kitchen cabinets, you should consider whether you will use these items frequently and how often you want to restyle the area.
I usually have Brad help me when I’m decorating above the cabinets. It isn’t easy going up and down with heavy decor.
Therefore, I like to keep the cabinet top decor the same for several months. With Spring just around the corner, I needed to make a few adjustments.
After adding the DIY copper spice rack, I felt the cabinet top could use a touch of copper.
The unique copper pot holds some faux greenery and is one of my treasures from The French Farmer’s Wife Christmas Barn Sale.
In addition, the old country store candy container was previously displayed on the countertop.
We believe it was once filled with candy in my great-grandfather’s country store. Instead of candy, it now has vintage cookie cutters and other small vintage kitchen utensils.
Mixing it with the crocks helps brighten the area and protects it from breakage.
More Kitchen Decorating Ideas
- 11 Ways To Add Vintage Charm To a Modern Farmhouse
- Christmas Ideas for a Farmhouse Kitchen
- Best Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Ideas
- How To Add Open Shelving
- How To Build Open Cabinets for a Cottage Kitchen
- 19 Ways To Add Charm To A Modern Farmhouse
Thanks for stopping by, and I look forward to sharing my next adventure with you.
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Stephanie
Friday 18th of August 2023
I love how the top of your cabinets look with the crown molding. Can you tell me how tall your crown is? Thank you!
Rachel
Wednesday 23rd of August 2023
Stephanie, Thank you so much. It's only 2 inches.
Stacy
Friday 7th of April 2023
Rachel, you have the most amazing style!
Rachel
Saturday 8th of April 2023
Stacy, you are so kine.
Kim | Shiplap and Shells
Tuesday 4th of April 2023
I love all the many ways you decorated above your kitchen cabinets Rachel. So many great ideas.
Rachel
Wednesday 5th of April 2023
Kim, Thanks for stopping by today.
Tammy
Tuesday 4th of April 2023
Rachel, you always have great tips. I love how your style above your cabinets. It's prime real estate for collections of found treasure above the cabinets.
Rachel
Wednesday 5th of April 2023
Tammy, I agree! Thank you for your comments.
michele - vintage home designs
Tuesday 4th of April 2023
So many great ideas Rachel! And I love your kitchen.
Rachel
Wednesday 5th of April 2023
Michele, I really appreciate this.