Kitchen Cabinet Ideas to Make Your Space Shine

Does your kitchen feel dull or lack personality? Transforming those plain white cabinets can completely change the look and feel of your cooking space. With a few simple upgrades, you can infuse color, display your style, and optimize organization. Read on for clever ways to make your kitchen cabinetry shine.

Decorating the tops of cabinets offers the perfect opportunity to showcase your taste. While the cabinets themselves may be neutral and understated, the blank space above them allows you to layer in colors, textures, and personal touches. Take advantage of the often overlooked real estate to create visual interest and a focal point when entering the kitchen.

Open Shelving and Dishware Displays

One of the easiest ways to decorate cabinet tops is by installing open shelving. Ditching upper cabinet doors creates an airy, uncluttered look compared to wall-to-wall cabinetry. The open concept also puts frequently used items on display for convenient access.

When styling open shelves, mix and match dishware for an eclectic gallery effect. Combine different metals like copper, gold, and silver with wood boards and ceramic pieces. Or go modern with collections of white platters and bowls. Stack plates in descending size order for a polished look.

Beyond dishes, open shelves allow you to highlight pretty glasses, cookbooks, rolled linens, and colorful serving pieces. For a homey feel, incorporate baskets, jars, and canisters. Line them up neatly to organize baking supplies, spices, or packaged foods.

Items to Display

• Pretty dishware, mugs, and glassware
• Cookbooks or framed art
• Neatly rolled towels and napkins
• Colored or patterned containers

Incorporate Lighting for Ambiance

The space above kitchen cabinets presents the ideal placement for task lighting. Bedazzle your cabinets with character and function by installing pendant lights, sconces, or track lighting.

Pendant lights mounted right above your workstations or dining space provide helpful illumination for food prep and meals. For a cohesive look, cluster three to five matching pendants in a row over your island or peninsula. Sconces flanking the cabinets create lovely accent lighting. Opt for sconces of the same shape and size to keep your decor balanced.

Placement Tips

• Hang pendants in clusters over islands
• Flank upper cabinets with same sized sconces
• Illuminate specific tasks like food prep area

To amplify your chosen kitchen aesthetic, select light fixtures accordingly. Sleek metal or glass pendants give a modern and minimalist appeal. Vintage Edison bulbs or rattan shades evoke a hip, industrial vibe. Wrought iron, exposed wood, and fabric drum shades feel earthy and natural.

Create Visual Interest with Wall Decor

Bare walls above your kitchen cabinets provide the perfect oversized canvas for anchor pieces and art displays. Adorn these blank spaces to reflect your personal style.

For an eclectic gallery wall, opt for a mix of frame sizes and art prints. Include family photos, kids’ artwork, or framed pages from cookbooks. Alternately, make a bold statement by hanging an oversized printed art piece or colorful macrame wall hanging as a focal point.

Beyond framed art and prints, display mounted kitchen tools like wooden spoons, rolling pins, and measuring cups for rustic flair. Chalkboard menus and inspirational quotes add a personalized touch.

Tips for Hanging

• Anchor heavier items into wall studs
• Maintain consistent spacing for gallery style
• Use command strips for lightweight prints

Incorporate Greenery with Plants

Bring your kitchen to life by decorating your cabinets with lush greenery. Not only do plants boost the visual appeal, they also purify the air.

When selecting cabinet-top plants, look for compact varieties suited to the lighting conditions. Herbs like rosemary, thyme, and oregano thrive with routine watering. Hardy succulents and trailing ivy or pothos also work well. For a unified look, opt for planters that complement your color scheme and kitchen style.

Creative ways to display your greens include hanging trailing plants in macrame holders or attaching planter sconces. For a bold statement, evenly space a row of matching ceramic planters. To add whimsy, alternate sizes and types of planters.

Care Tips

• Opt for low light varieties
• Use self-watering pots to reduce maintenance
• Prune and fertilize regularly for healthy plants

Get Organized with Baskets and Jars

The final touch to polished cabinet decor involves organizing necessities like spices, utensils, and baking supplies. Clear the clutter with style using woven baskets, rows of matching glass canisters, and ceramic crocks.

For a homey feel, hang a rustic ladder from the ceiling with woven baskets to corral fruits and vegetables. Line up glass jars full of utensils or drinking straws. Keep it unified by choosing containers in the same color family. Use chalkboard tags to label contents.

Don't forget functional elements like paper towel holders, knife blocks, and spice racks. Anchor these frequently used items for easy access. Lidded baskets also help conceal small appliances when not in use.

Extra Storage Tips

• Use lidded baskets to conceal clutter
• Opt for matching containers for uniform look
• Anchor accessories like paper towel holders

With a mix of open shelves, task lighting, wall accents, plants, and storage containers, you can completely transform the look of your kitchen cabinets. Display your personality by incorporating colors, textures, and materials that you love. Organization solutions keep daily essentials at your fingertips for a functional cooking space.

Follow these cabinet decorating ideas to create a kitchen that shines as the heart of your home. Maintain visual harmony by repeating colors and materials. Most importantly, highlight your own special style. Your kitchen will transition from bland and boring to warm, welcoming, and uniquely you!