Most kitchens are built for functionality. Every shelf and cabinet has a purpose and no space is wasted. Except for that area above your cabinets. Why is that there? What are you supposed to put up there?

I'm glad you asked. There are actually several things you can do with that weird, seemingly unnecessary space above your kitchen cabinets. Whether you want to use it for a practical purpose or you just want to display some cool stuff, we've got plenty of ideas for you.

1. Pottery display
You know that decorative pottery that you bought on a whim but ended up just shoving into a closet because you don't have room for it? Your above-cabinet space is the perfect location to display items that don't have a purpose other than looking pretty.

2. Baskets (h/t A Beautiful Mess)
Invest in a few cute or rustic baskets (depending on the theme for your kitchen) and make sure they're the right size for the space above your cabinets. If they fit, you can fill them with items that you can't find another place for and store them just out of sight, but not quite out of mind.

3. Wine storage (h/t Ask Anna)
Some people can afford their own wine cellar, but most cannot. Others install a fridge specifically for wine in their kitchen, but that's just not feasible for everyone. If you enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, but don't want to spend a bunch of money to store it, then use the space above your kitchen cabinets. It's high enough that your kids won't have easy access to it, but it also keeps it on display for your guests.

4. Glass-fronted cabinets (h/t The Gathered Home)
While it's nice to have open space above your cabinets, sometimes you want a little more protection for whatever items you choose to store up there. To keep your things safe, slightly displayed but in a position where they won't gather as much dust, consider adding some glass doors up there to create smaller cabinets that you can see into.

5. Fun signs (h/t Bless'er House)
Maybe your cabinets aren't set up in a way that's convenient for storing things on top of them. That doesn't mean you should let that space go to waste. Instead, buy or paint some food or kitchen-related signs and hang them up above your cabinets. It will add a touch of whimsy to an otherwise practical kitchen.

6. Add a shelf (h/t One Kings Lane)
Even after stashing stuff on top of your cabinets, are you still left with items that won't fit anywhere else? If you have enough room above your cabinets, then you can install a shelf up there. Now you can store twice as many things up there.

7. Cookbook storage
If you like to try out new recipes all the time, then you probably own quite the collection of cookbooks. But where do you keep them when you're not consulting them for ingredients? Try storing them on top of your cabinets, where they'll be proudly displayed but also out of the way. Or, if you're like me and have more books than any normal person should own, then you can use this area to store books that have nothing to do with the art of cooking.

8. Create a theme (h/t White Whimsy)
Sometimes being practical just isn't what you're going for and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. If you don't need the space above your cabinets to serve a functional purpose, then there's nothing stopping you from using the area to display things that just look cool. So come up with a theme that matches your personality and looks good in your kitchen and start decorating.

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