DawnM Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I have 8' ceilings in my kitchen. We like our oak cabinets but didn't like our spindle-country looking molding.....so today, I took it off! Now it looks "unfinished" or bare......there isn't a whole lot of space up there, but I need something. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I used to have seldom used appliances up there when I lived in a house with empty space above the cupboards. Now there is just ceiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 dust. :D I had a cathedral ceiling in our kitchen, once. Last house. I decorated it beautifully. Stoneware, plants, the skylight hit everything just right. The accumulation of grease and dust killed any enjoyment of stuff on top of cabinets. Now I have 10 ft ceilings and have a gap up there, and I climb up on my counters and clean them all off every few weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Michelle* Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 The accumulation of grease and dust killed any enjoyment of stuff on top of cabinets. Yup. We've got nothing up there. If I had my druthers, we wouldn't have hanging cabinets at all. I would just have counters all the way around the kitchen with drawers underneath for everything. Most of my decorating style is centered around eliminating as many cleaning surfaces as possible... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Yup. We've got nothing up there. If I had my druthers, we wouldn't have hanging cabinets at all. I would just have counters all the way around the kitchen with drawers underneath for everything. Most of my decorating style is centered around eliminating as many cleaning surfaces as possible... I actually like that one, myself. And a wall of six over sixes on top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 My mother has pretty baskets and other things up there, like punch bowls and so forth. It looks nice and not cluttered or storage-ish. My kitchen ceiling is 10 foot, I think. I had the builders put shelves above mine, where I have the lesser used cookbooks, the cookie cutters in pretty little bins and, when it's all fresh, the canned tomatoes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 a big basket that we keep bread in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lea1 Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Most of my decorating style is centered around eliminating as many cleaning surfaces as possible... Me too. That is why, when we built our house, we had our cabinets made to go all the way up to the ceiling, even though our ceilings are pretty high. I hate having those dusty, greasy areas above the kitchen cabinets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlessedMomto3 Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 We have pretty decorative plates stood up using those plate stands that I have collected over the years. In the back corner near where the cabinets hits the wall we have some decorative cookie jars, and also a pretty pitcher. They are all rarely used - I've gotten on a chair and pulled things down a few times for showers I've thrown or something. But for the most part I just wash them all twice a year and put them back up! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Mine go to the ceiling, there isn't a "shelf" above them. I think I am going to affix plates to the wall where there is just blank space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I have extra casserole dishes, serving plates, my crock pots, a cookie jar and also some cook books I rarely use. Whwn we redo the kitchen, the cabinets will go up to the ceiling....Although I love the space....I would rather it was enclosed. Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Beachy Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 dust. :D This is my answer, too. When we were house hunting once years ago, the realtor referred to them as "dust collectors." That was probably 15 years ago, but dh and I still call them that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakblossoms Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 My coffee pot collection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennynd Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 My have fake leaves and sunflower. One of my old neighbors was big wine drinker so they have the wood wine boxes. that look really really cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheres Toto Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 We use it for storage since we have severe space problems. There's about 18 inches between the top of our cabinets and the ceiling. We have extra coffee mugs, crock pots, aluminum baking pans, cake servers and rarely used stuff up there. Oh yeah, and definitely lots of grease and dust. Anything that comes down to be used needs to be washed first no matter how recently it's been. I now know where I"m going to store my cans of vegetables when I start canning from my garden. I was wondering what I was going to do with them and the top of the cabinets is the perfect place. I could stick most of the crap up there out into the garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Not a thing. Once you start putting stuff up there, it becomes a vacuum, sucking in other stuff, and before you know it, you have Hoarders goin' on up there. Just say no! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 My cabinets go clean up the bulkhead that hangs around the top of the kitchen. so it looks like a flat wall above them I hung some dishes that were the shapes of vegetables on their. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I'm decorating them with an Alice in Wonderland theme. Right now I have a few decorative tea pots (don't even go there... I know what you're thinking...) a few large scale decorative chess pieces and a few large decorative bottles with creative labels. I also have a copy of the book standing up so you see the pretty cover and a stuffed cat. I'm looking for the perfect Cheshire Cat and I'm hoping to find a rabbit holding a sign to put on the counter. You know like those menu pigs, but I need one a white rabbit wearing a vest. I've never had open space above cabinets before. Our kitchen is not big, so it's nice to have a place to decorate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in LV Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I don't have a thing. But I went to an estate sale recently & saw a cool idea. On top of the cabinets was a menu collection - all these cool-looking menus from some high-end restaurants. I'm thinking "dust magnet", but this was a single well-off guy who probably had a cleaning person, so I'm guessing he wasn't so worried about dealing with the dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 Thanks. I am just not sure what to put up there. We are strongly considering putting our house on the market, so beauty over function would be what I am looking at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmulcahy Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I have some local pottery, some baskets, a chef, a kiss the cook sign, and some random vases. When I paint again, I am thinking of getting rid of it all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThisIsTheDay Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 My cabinets go all the way to the ceiling. I like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rutamattatt Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Decorative, funky cookie jars. :) At Christmas time I have Christmas decorations up there, at Easter I have some Easter decorations I put up there, and in the fall I have some fall/pumpkin decorations up. This way I at least clean/dust up there several times a year. All other times are my cookie jars, which I love! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Coordinator Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 An enormous box of plastic forks :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaffodilDreams Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Nothing. Ours go all the way to the ceiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Refined by Silver Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I have a soffit above the cabinets, so I can't put anything on top of them. There is a plate rack though. I have a few plates up there. My mom has a soffit, but no rack. She just hangs little pictures and stuff up there, but no dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Nothing. It gets dusty and dirty up there and I don't want to have clean a bunch of stuff. Plus, I like the uncluttered look. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 right this second, the cat. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelenNotOfTroy Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 An old laptop, a big metal bowl, protein powder, and whatever DH puts up there to get out of reach of DS.:auto: It is not decorative and I prefer cabinets that go up to the ceiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackson'smama Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 for me, it is a decorating space. our ceiling is "cathedral" and we have beams going across. it's a 1797 log home. everything is antique and looks like a collection that could have occurred over the life of our home, so it looks appropriate: two large baskets various size mason jars old pie pans a large painted sign hanging on the wall that says "GROCERY" yelloware bowls cheese boxes and old egg cartons spatterware pitcher old metal pepsi container with glass bottles local milk bottles various old medicine bottles and ink wells we've found on the property we're in the process of building and i'm not sure if i want cabinets with this space or not! it's definitely a pain to climb up and clean a few times a year (which is getting ready to happen this tuesday :glare:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwickimom Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Hundreds of deer antler sheds :D Yep we fancy here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 I cleaned mine yesterday before I took off the molding.....for the first time in SEVEN years! :tongue_smilie: I just hadn't bothered to look up there before! It was BAD! Dawn for me' date=' it is a decorating space. our ceiling is "cathedral" and we have beams going across. it's a 1797 log home.everything is antique and looks like a collection that could have occurred over the life of our home, so it looks appropriate: two large baskets various size mason jars old pie pans a large painted sign hanging on the wall that says "GROCERY" yelloware bowls cheese boxes and old egg cartons spatterware pitcher old metal pepsi container with glass bottles local milk bottles various old medicine bottles and ink wells we've found on the property we're in the process of building and i'm not sure if i want cabinets with this space or not! it's definitely a pain to climb up and clean a few times a year (which is getting ready to happen this tuesday :glare:)[/quote'] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Nothing except the occasional present waiting for a special day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfishes Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Candy and junk food snacks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwallowTail Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I have various vases and decorative plates on top of ours. We have ten foot ceilings, so there is a bit of a gap between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling. I wish I had a row of windows up there instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildcat Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 (edited) . Edited January 6, 2023 by Wildcat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Nothing. Although I have dreams of various multicolored pottery (tea pots etc) sitting up there one day. But we have a moulding that rises about two inches from the top and anything I sit up there just gets blocked from view. At least I can't see the dust! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BinahYeteirah Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 One side of our kitchen has wall above the cabinets; the other side is open. On the open side we currently have two large packages of toilet paper and an empty Amazon box, so it's very decorative. Oh, well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwallowTail Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Nothing. Although I have dreams of various multicolored pottery (tea pots etc) sitting up there one day. But we have a moulding that rises about two inches from the top and anything I sit up there just gets blocked from view. At least I can't see the dust! We have the moulding as well, and we place items on top of blocks or books, so they can be viewed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
********* Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 An enormous box of plastic forks :D Fancy! :tongue_smilie: At this house there's a soffit, so nothing. But at our old house there was a space, so I liked to decorate. I had a special vase that was a housewarming gift above the fridge, then on the other side I had a set of pretty pottery that was a wedding gift. I think it's nice to use the space for decorating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justLisa Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Nothing. I can't stand all the dust. My big job this summer is to remove the molding and build boxes on the top of all of them,and then have glass doors made. This way they will extend to the ceiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I have 8' ceilings in my kitchen. We like our oak cabinets but didn't like our spindle-country looking molding.....so today, I took it off! Now it looks "unfinished" or bare......there isn't a whole lot of space up there, but I need something. Dawn decorative molding? ours go up to the coffered ceiling and there is a decorative molding on top of the cabinets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 It would need to match what we have.....that may be difficult. decorative molding? ours go up to the coffered ceiling and there is a decorative molding on top of the cabinets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 right this second, the cat. :D :lol: If we had a space there, that's what I'd expect to see. But when we did our kitchen makeover we got cabinets that went all the way to the ceiling, thus stopping the cat from hanging out up there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susann Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Now I have 10 ft ceilings and have a gap up there, and I climb up on my counters and clean them all off every few weeks. Keeping tops of cabinets clean: At one townhouse we had, I started putting down wax paper on top of my cabinets. You can't see it and every few weeks/months/years:tongue_smilie: I'd climb up and change out and just wipe off the edge. Much easier!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 3 old tin cans with fruit on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AHASRADA Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Decorative pottery and metal ware: tea pots, bowls, canisters, etc. Just for decoration, really (often gifts that, while beautiful, serve no purpose :001_smile:.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Dust, cobwebs, some florescent lights that reflect off the ceiling and a few cookie tins that need to get put away. I need to change this, but nothing expensive is going to happen until all the kids are out of college (in about 10 years:).) I may have to start shopping thrift stores fro fun things to put up there:0. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyontheFarm Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 I lay parchment paper on top of my clean cupboard tops and every once in a while I take the paper down, toss it and put clean back up. The accumulative dust, grease, etc is contained on the paper and it's easy to just wash the edges. Anything decorative I put up that must be dishwasher safe, so I just toss the pretties into the dishwasher and everything is clean. One year I laid down slightly scrunched tinfoil and laid white lights up on the cupboards. The tinfoil sort of reflected the lights up all glittery like onto the ceiling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Bags of potato chips, popcorn and rice. It is up high so the kids can't eat them all at once including DS's friends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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