How to Style Space Above Kitchen Cabinets

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This was how I styled the space above my kitchen cabinets when I first moved into this house in late 2024.

Since then, I’ve taken some of the white pitchers and milk glass down, and now have them at either end of the gray cabinets.

It’s a little less cluttered now. Now the area above the kitchen cabinets looks like this:

Here are some of the main reasons people decorate above kitchen cabinets:

Styling the space above kitchen cabinets can make a kitchen feel more finished, personal, and welcoming. That often-overlooked area has a big impact on the overall mood of the room, especially in kitchens with high ceilings or visible empty gaps above cabinetry.

It Softens Empty Space

Large blank areas above cabinets can sometimes make a kitchen feel unfinished or cold. Adding baskets, greenery, pottery, artwork, or vintage finds helps visually “complete” the room and creates a cozier atmosphere.

It Adds Personality

The top of cabinets is a great place to show your style without taking up valuable counter space. Whether your look is cottage-inspired, farmhouse, modern vintage, or colorful eclectic, this area can reflect your personality through collected pieces and meaningful decor.

It Creates Height and Dimension

Decor above cabinets naturally draws the eye upward, making the kitchen feel taller and more layered. This can help smaller kitchens feel more dynamic and visually balanced.

It Introduces Seasonal Decorating

Above-cabinet styling is an easy place to rotate seasonal touches:

• Spring greenery and flowers
• Summer pitchers and baskets
• Autumn crocks and warm tones
• Winter garlands or soft lights

It allows you to refresh the kitchen without redecorating the entire room.

It Helps Tie the Kitchen Together

Repeating colors, textures, or materials from the rest of the kitchen above the cabinets can make the design feel cohesive. For example:

• Wooden cutting boards echo wood flooring
• White ironstone matches cabinetry
• Woven baskets coordinate with dining chairs or rugs

It Provides Decorative Storage

Beautiful but less-used items can be displayed instead of hidden away:

• Vintage dishes
• Cake stands
• Colanders
• Ceramic pitchers
• Baskets
• Antique kitchen tools

This keeps useful pieces accessible while also adding charm.

It Makes a Kitchen Feel Lived-In

Carefully styled cabinet tops can create warmth and character. Kitchens often feel more inviting when they include collected objects, greenery, and layered textures rather than looking overly bare or sterile.

• Use odd-number groupings for a natural look
• Vary heights and shapes
• Avoid cluttering every inch
• Include texture like wood, wicker, or greenery
• Leave some breathing room so the display feels intentional

Do you have space above your kitchen cabinets, but aren’t sure how to decorate it? I’ve found some ideas you might consider.

1. Basketry:

Baskets add texture to a space. They’re useful for storage, but sometimes we run out of space to store “them.” Above the kitchen cabinets is a good place to put them for eye candy and for when you need them.

2. Vintage Vessels:

If you have vintage vessels you’ve collected over the years, this space would be a good spot in which to feature them.

3. A Menagerie:

This menagerie of decor is like one long decorative vignette. It’s a space you’d see every day when you go into your kitchen. You could feast your eyes on these odds and ends while you’re doing kitchen chores or cooking.

4. Farmhouse:

Sometimes it’s best just to choose a few bits of decor to feature. This way, all the attention goes to them.

5. Go Bohemian:

I don’t think Bohemian style ever really goes out of favor, and I like to mix this decor with other eclectic styles. It provides a fun vibe to any room.

6. A Little Bit Country:

This look is light and airy. You could call this an eat-in kitchen, a farmhouse, or a cottage-style kitchen. The wire baskets add a little sophistication.

7. Vintage European:

The windowpanes are like frames that bring your attention to what’s above these cabinets. Just a few pieces of crockery or stoneware are in the spotlight.

8. Bar Storage:

I don’t know that anyone ever has as much storage space as they might need. You could use the space above your kitchen cabinets to store items you will need later. And you won’t forget where you stored them because they’re there in plain sight!

9. Elegant White Pitchers:

A small grouping of elegant white pitchers is the focal point of this kitchen. They might be thrift finds or items handed down from a relative.

10. Eclectic Style:

This kitchen doesn’t have many upper cabinets, but the space above has been put to use with a few pieces of decor. It is framed like a selected vignette in a group.

11. Flea Market Theme:

I love flea market style. It’s so fun and interesting because it’s things you find that were once in someone else’s home. One man’s (woman’s) trash is another man’s (woman’s) treasure.

Cutting boards are always in style, especially vintage ones from long ago. Maybe on a farm or in a village.

A Few Tips for Styling Above Cabinets

For a cozy kitchen look, popular choices include:

• Woven baskets
• Faux or real trailing plants
• Vintage crocks
• Wooden bread boards
• Lanterns
• Ironstone pitchers
• Framed art or signs

Do you have space above your kitchen cabinets? This house is the first place where I’ve had that open area to decorate.