[Decorating Inspiration] 10 Creative Ways to Decorate Top of Kitchen Cabinets

That empty strip between your upper cabinets and the ceiling is one of the most overlooked spaces in the entire kitchen. It collects dust, it feels awkward, and most homeowners simply ignore it. Yet when you decide to decorate top of kitchen cabinets with intention, that forgotten gap becomes a design feature that pulls the whole room together. Whether you are working with brand new custom cabinets in Wausau, WI or giving an older kitchen a fresh personality, the space up top offers real opportunity.

At Dombeck Custom Cabinets, we build and install cabinetry throughout central Wisconsin, and we often hear the same question after a project wraps up: now what do I do with the top? The good news is that styling this area does not require a decorator or a big budget. It just takes a few ideas and a little confidence. Here are ten creative approaches to get you started.

Start With Greenery for Instant Softness

Few things warm up a kitchen faster than a touch of green. Trailing plants, whether real or high quality faux, soften the hard lines where cabinetry meets the ceiling and bring the room to life. Pothos, ivy, and eucalyptus all drape beautifully and read well from across the room. If your kitchen gets limited natural light up high, artificial stems are a smart, low maintenance choice that still looks lush.

When you decorate top of kitchen cabinets with plants, vary the heights so the arrangement feels organic rather than lined up like soldiers. Group a taller leafy piece with a shorter trailing one, and let a vine spill over the edge for movement. The contrast between crisp cabinet doors and loose greenery is what makes the look feel designed.

Display Collections You Actually Love

The top of your cabinets is prime real estate for showing off the things that make your home yours. Vintage pitchers, antique crocks, woven baskets, or a run of white ironstone all have the scale to fill that space without looking cluttered. Collections work best when there is a unifying thread, such as a shared color, material, or era, so the grouping reads as curated instead of random.

Odd numbers tend to look more natural than even ones, and a little negative space between pieces keeps the display from feeling crowded. If you love the farmhouse or cottage aesthetic, baskets and stoneware are an easy win. For something more refined, a row of matching glass vessels or ceramic vases delivers quiet elegance.

Bring in Warmth With Lighting

One of the most transformative things you can do is add light. A few battery operated puck lights or a low profile LED strip tucked behind a decorative ledge creates a soft glow that washes up the wall and across the ceiling. In the evening, that ambient layer makes the whole kitchen feel cozier and more expensive.

Uplighting also highlights whatever you have chosen to display, giving plants and pottery a gallery like presence after dark. Because these fixtures stay hidden from view, you get the effect without any visible clutter. It is a small detail that punches well above its weight.

Use Height and Scale to Your Advantage

The most common mistake we see is decor that is simply too small. Tiny trinkets get lost in that tall space and end up looking like forgotten clutter. The area above your cabinets reads from a distance, so pieces need presence. Think large lidded jars, oversized vases, tall books stacked horizontally, or framed art leaned against the wall.

Layering is your friend here. Set a piece of art or a decorative tray at the back, then stage objects of varying heights in front of it to create depth. When you decorate top of kitchen cabinets with scale in mind, the display feels purposeful rather than like an afterthought. Browsing finished kitchen designs can also spark ideas for proportion and styling.

Ten Quick Ideas to Try This Weekend

If you want a running list to work from as you shop and experiment, keep these approaches in mind:

• Trailing greenery and faux vines for softness
• A curated collection of pottery, crocks, or baskets
• Hidden uplighting for warm evening ambiance
• Oversized vases and lidded jars for height
• Leaned artwork or framed prints at the back
• Stacked vintage cookbooks with decorative objects on top
• Seasonal touches you rotate throughout the year
• Metallic or glass accents to catch the light
• A monochromatic palette for a clean, modern look
• Decorative lattice or crown molding to close the gap entirely

You do not need to use all ten. Pick two or three that match your style, and let the space breathe.

Match the Mood to Your Kitchen Style

The best decor echoes the character of the cabinetry below it. A sleek, contemporary kitchen with flat panel doors looks sharp with a restrained, monochromatic arrangement, maybe a trio of matte ceramic vessels and nothing more. A traditional kitchen with raised panel doors and warm wood tones welcomes baskets, stoneware, and layered greenery that feel collected over time.

Color coordination matters too. Pull a hue from your backsplash, countertops, or window treatments and repeat it up top to tie the room together. This kind of thoughtful consistency is exactly what we aim for when designing custom kitchen cabinets in Wausau and Stevens Point, WI, where every element should feel intentional. When your upper display speaks the same visual language as the rest of the space, the whole kitchen looks professionally finished.

When Decorating Is Not the Answer

Sometimes the smartest move is to eliminate the gap altogether. If dusting that ledge every few weeks sounds exhausting, or if you prefer a seamless, built in look, extending cabinetry to the ceiling or adding decorative crown molding may serve you better than any display ever could. Taking cabinets to the ceiling also creates valuable storage for seasonal items and rarely used serveware. Keeping kitchen surfaces clean is important as well, and the EPA's kitchen cleaning and ventilation recommendations offer useful guidance for maintaining a healthier cooking environment.

This is a popular request among homeowners we work with, from Wittenberg to Wausau and the surrounding areas, who want a cleaner, more modern aesthetic. If you are weighing a remodel, our team can help you decide whether styling the top or closing it off with custom cabinetry makes more sense for how you live and cook.

However you choose to handle that space, remember that there is no single right answer. Some homeowners love the charm of an open, decorated ledge filled with plants and pottery, while others crave the crisp simplicity of cabinets that reach the ceiling. The space above your cabinets should reflect your taste, your lifestyle, and the overall feeling you want your kitchen to have.

If your cabinets themselves are feeling dated or you are dreaming of a layout that fits your home better, we would love to help. From full kitchen renovations to our custom cabinet services in Wausau and custom kitchen cabinets in Stevens Point, our team builds cabinetry designed around the way you actually use your space. Reach out for a quote, and let us help you create a kitchen you are proud to show off, right down to the very top.