11 Clever Ideas For What To Do With The Awkward Space Above Kitchen Cabinets

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Good Housekeeping published 11 ideas for making use of the often-overlooked space above kitchen cabinets. Suggestions range from storing infrequently used supplies in baskets or jars to displaying artwork, cookbooks, plants and natural-material decor.

Good Housekeeping has published 11 ideas for using the often-awkward space above kitchen cabinets, including storing backup supplies, displaying artwork and adding plants or decorative objects. The suggestions offer homeowners options for a spot that can otherwise remain unused, while distinguishing between items kept for occasional access and objects intended mainly for display.

Several ideas treat the space as overflow storage. The report suggests placing infrequently needed pantry backups, such as coffee, seltzer or unopened bottles, in wicker baskets. Baskets can also conceal small appliances, seasonal dishtowels and other items that are not used regularly. For people who want a more built-in arrangement, it proposes adding dividers to create cubbies for baskets holding supplies such as unopened spices or pasta.

Other suggestions use the area for ingredients and kitchen-related display. Extra flour, sugar or grains can go in decorative storage jars, the report says, while artwork, cookbooks, vases, sculptures and wooden cutting boards can add color or visual interest above the cabinets. The article cautions that cookbooks placed there may be difficult to retrieve often, making the location better suited to display than everyday use.

The remaining ideas focus on styling: letting houseplants grow above cabinets in a sunny kitchen, layering smaller decorative pieces, and using natural textures such as wicker, rattan or pampas grass. The report also describes a statement light fixture as a way to draw the eye upward. These are presented as design options, not as tested recommendations or guarantees about how a room will look.

Storage or Display Above the Cabinets

The ideas address a practical trade-off in kitchens: the space can provide extra storage, but items placed high up may be inconvenient to reach. Baskets and cubbies can keep occasional-use supplies out of sight, while jars make stored ingredients part of the display. That arrangement may suit items needed only when a current package runs out, rather than ingredients used every day.

Using the area for decor can also preserve counter space for food preparation. Artwork, plants and vases offer alternatives to filling work surfaces, though homeowners will need to decide how much visual display they want and whether objects can be accessed and maintained safely in their particular kitchen.

Eleven Uses for an Often-Empty Strip

The source is a Good Housekeeping home-organizing article by Alyssa Gautieri, who leads the publication’s gift-guide strategy and writes and edits lifestyle commerce content. Its 11 suggestions combine storage with decoration rather than recommending a single solution for every kitchen.

The report’s examples include photographs and design references, but the source does not provide measurements, installation instructions or a comparison of costs. Its advice is therefore best read as a set of design and organizing ideas. Whether a particular approach works depends on the height of the cabinets, the room’s light and the items a household needs to store.

Access, Safety and Fit Vary

The report does not specify how much weight cabinet tops can support, how to secure cubby dividers, or how to prevent stored items from shifting or falling. It also does not give guidance on cleaning dust from high surfaces or on keeping ingredients in jars under suitable storage conditions. Readers should check product and container instructions and consider whether they can safely reach items before storing anything overhead.

Plant care will depend on available light and the needs of the chosen plant. The article provides examples rather than a maintenance plan, and it does not establish that every idea will suit every kitchen. No cost estimates or evidence comparing the suggestions are included.

Choose a Use That Fits

The report does not announce a follow-up or give a timeline for further updates. For readers applying the ideas, the next step is to decide whether the space is most useful for occasional-use storage or display, then check access, available clearance and the condition of the cabinet tops. Frequently used cookware or ingredients may be better kept at a reachable height.

Households considering baskets, jars or cubbies can measure the available area and select containers that fit it, while checking that stored items can be reached without unsafe climbing. Those choosing artwork, plants or other decor can keep the arrangement limited enough to clean and maintain. The source offers no prescribed layout; the final choice remains dependent on the kitchen and its users.

Key Questions

What are some practical items to store above kitchen cabinets?

Good Housekeeping suggests backup pantry supplies, unopened spices, pasta, small appliances and seasonal dishtowels. Its examples are generally items that are not needed every day.

Can the space above cabinets be used for decoration?

Yes. The report proposes displaying artwork, cookbooks, vases, sculptures, cutting boards and smaller decorative pieces. Cookbooks there may be awkward to retrieve regularly, so the article frames them mainly as display.

Are baskets useful above kitchen cabinets?

The report recommends wicker baskets both for concealing infrequently used items and for adding texture. The appropriate choice depends on cabinet height and whether the basket can be reached safely.

Can plants go above kitchen cabinets?

The article includes houseplants as an option in a sunny kitchen. It does not provide plant-care instructions, so light levels and the needs of each plant should guide the decision.

What should homeowners check before storing things up high?

Consider safe access, available space and stability. The report does not give weight limits or installation guidance for dividers, so check relevant product instructions and avoid placing items where they could fall or be difficult to retrieve.

Source: rss