my friend uses her space to display christmas, easter, st pat's day..has different string of lights to show up at night....she gets the big "dolls" like Santa and etc. makes a wow impression when people walks into her home

Nothing. That's a terrific waste of resources on a brand new kitchen. And please, please, please don't add fake plants or tchotchkes.

Here is our kitchen. We have 9 foot ceilings and a bulk head was built.

Better photos

My idea is a little funky but I think anything too solid would visually bring down that very pretty high ceiling. I am also a collector of vintage cookbooks. So, I would put shelving up above. You could make it all the same heights or vary the heights. Then go to some used bookstores in your area and buy cookbooks that look appealing. They don't have to have one recipe you like just an exterior look that gives color or texture to the space. Some of my favorite books to display have lost their covers but they show the binding which give magnificent textural looks.

have the hood over the stove re- covered in copper. Now you have your sink and hood matching with copper. your stove and refridge are the stainless steel. Now the combination of the two in the backsplash you mentioned would be perfect. Undercabinet task lighting would lighten up the dark counters. Now for above the cabinets I would go with the glass doors with back lighting. You could use either tinted glass to give the copper glow above the cabinets.

I was thinking along the lines of pcmom1...add some pattern but only above the cabinets. It will draw your eye up and make the ceiling feel higher. I also am wondering about copper with the steel. I like mixed metals but only when they are accents to the main metal. So much copper could compete with the steel and just be confusing to the eye. I'll have to read the rest of the comments and think a little more. It's a beautiful kitchen.

Install beams, or put in a three piece crown system around the ceiling to close the void between the top of the cabinets and ceiling.

I agree that the open space shows off the high ceilings and is excellent for display. But it IS a kitchen, and it is high up, so only put things up there that can get greasy and dusty. [Fact of life, people.] I can't visualize what you want to do with the copper. I would leave the wall above the cabinet painted like the rest of the room in a color that makes the cabinets pop to emphasize the height, and display collected copper items on top,

We just remodeled our kitchen and put the new cabinets up to the ceilings which are 10' high with heavy crown moulding at the ceiling. The new upper glass cabinets have seedy clear glass with a stained glass design in the door fronts of 17 of the 23 doors. We used Kichler LED tape lighting for accent lighting forward & high in the cabinets, allowing some of our lovely accent pieces displayed behind the glass with a warm glow, which can now be changed seasonally. Those upper cabinets have now put to use the dust collecting space adding some storage and also a custom look only found in high end kitchens. Good luck.

I used bins and chalkboard labels above mine. We moved from a small house to a much larger and I stored everything in these. I love them in the kitchen for seasonal/ holiday storage and the labels are easy to change and make it easy to find the right bin. (Plus, it keeps my husband from cluttering it up.)

In our home, we built another layer of cabinets with glass doors and lighting where we display beautiful pottery we have purchased from all over the world. It looks beautiful and adds light. We love it!

I would add a collection of some kind that might be an accent to the copper. Like a collection of some color of pottery. Or old duck decoys, or something like that.

I have a somewhat similar kitchen with just under 10 foot ceilings. the 42" upper cabinets are mounted a little higher than normal and it looks good. We figured you won't be able to reach the upper shelf in the cabinet anyway. I think at the very least, your crown needs to be bulked up. it looks out of proportion.

Disagree with the idea that cabinets that go to the ceiling somehow make the ceiling look lower. Quite the opposite. Looks like the builder missed an opportunity to add storage and complete a unified look.

It's also not boring to have cabinets up to the ceiling. Use your creative juices to add punches of color or whatever you think "creative" is with your furniture or accessories. Save your unique ideas for less permanent parts of your home. Same with the copper behind the stove idea.

Remove the stainless steel hood and replace it with copper or wood. The mix of stainless steel and copper can be dreadful. ComputerMom1 had a good suggestion. I would add
art work or pottery or plants to the top of the cabinets to lower the costs and soften the line.
Have your back splash go straight up to the ceiling. Just a few thoughts.

I need to clarify "showing off" the high ceilings. She said the kitchen is too small for an island. Have you ever been in a small space with furniture towering over you? Say a college library stacks. It's a very claustrophobic feeling. Leaving room above the cabinets opens up breathing space. If you have a huge kitchen, I agree that cabinets up to the ceiling are more useful. She may be able to get away with it with the one open side. But i personally do not like leelee's photos with the cabinets going higher than the window and boxing in the fabulous hood.

I agree with the one person who said glass cabinets, lit, aboveyour cabinets, they just look to short hanging on the wall. Bring out the copper in the valance fabric and accessories. Steel behind oven vent. And maybe even copper colors in back splash or just tile copper colored tile behind vent no back splash.

You have to soften the stark look of white with stainless--think warm colors! Dark honey colored big baskets filled with dried lavender and grouped pottery in strategic corner areas.

Old calendar pics and tile over glass blue led lighting

I totally agree with either making the cabinets taller or making them appear to be taller! We have the same problem in our house -- we've decided against doing anything about it since this isn't our "forever home", but if it was I'd be putting in extremely tall cabinets!

You could simply add 6" white crown moulding at the ceiling.

I had one wall of cabinets that didn't go to ceiling. I had my carpenter take a $50 poplar board I had painted to match the cabinets and create false open cabinets at top. Feel like it gave the illusion on higher ceilings. I moved the original crown moulding up to top.

Ok, I've given it some thought and here's what I would do...and I realize it's not for everyone...I would extend the backsplash tile up behind the range hood (where you are planning to put the copper) and all along the wall above the cabinets. It will provide enough visual interest but not make the room seem top heavy and will be an unique addition. Whatever you decide, please don't put 'stuff' up there. It's cliche and it will immediately make the room look dated.

I also like the idea by Martha Carlton to add crown moulding. That could be lovely.

Good luck!

Not read all the comments so hope I'm not on my own in this... if you don't extend the cupboards up then definitely incorporate the dark wood you have on the work surface. A solid shelf holding cooking books, wooden ornament as a focus point and large/ oversized jars with lights in to make it homely. A splash of colour would be worthwhile here and a backsplash would bring this, I'd also link the backsplash colour somewhere else to not make it look so alone. Something like matching door handles, table legs (with wooden top) or ornaments are always a good shout. Just my opinion, hope it helps you with your already beautiful home.

Noticed nobody has mentioned having a unique custom wine rack built. You could do this in conjunction with some of the other ideas.

So many different suggestions! Here are my thoughts: no additional stacked moldings; too heavy and busy, and I think very yesterday, unless your house is full of chair rails and moldings galore. I like several ideas presented, 1) very simple frosted glass cabinets where you can store stuff you hardly use, but can't see so it won't look cluttered; 2) whoever above suggested using a daring dark accent paint above the cabinets, maybe coppery colored, or the graphic wallpaper someone else suggested, would be simple and clean. Another thought, which I see in country kitchens (English or Italian, etc.) where big antique jars or African baskets are arranged, either in a line, or sparingly in groups. Related objects, not a mix of this and that. Do you collect something? What is your style? Country? Farm? NYC penthouse? Traditional? Minimal? Do you like shiny or matte? Could you skip the copper behind the stove and instead use copper accessories in the kitchen, such as a gorgeous copper bowl for fruit, or copper pots? Anyway, you will have fun sifting through all these ideas and deciding which fit YOU. Then go for it.

Colored LESs or just some simple things like pottery or vases

I would go with a short decorative rail (looks similar to a stair railing but is only about 2 to 3 inches high) across the top of the cabinet and break the divide between the wall and cieling with a wallpaper border.

I like the idea of just adding lights on top, since it seems like adding additional cabinets is going to be difficult. I actually think I might do that myself!

How about glass cabinets for display?

After moving from my rental and cleaning the the tops of the cabinets, I said never again! In my new house we built the cabinets to the 8' ceiling. If your ceilings are higher? I have seen so many really nice, deferent styled library ladders in kitchens. Do a quick search on houzz.

How about small cabinets with glass fronts on top with lighting to highlight your treasured china,etc??

Pick something that you like, such as bicycles…then start a mini-collection and use the top of your counters as a showcase. Pick something that is preferably simple so it doesn’t start looking like clutter. The fact that you will use the same type of thing will create rhythm, which will make the space feel designed. I would also pick items that are made of similar materials and/or colors. I chose bicycles (see my rendering) because I like the circles of the wheels. I have always felt circles are calming. Notice how they are all made of metal so the materiality and colors coordinate. Good luck! :)

Thank You for posting as I've got the same dilemma. I have used more rustic décor in the past (like baskets, greenery, etc.) but want to do something different in our new house. I am considering a plate collection. I like the one idea posted about using the wallpaper also.

just curious what your ceiling height is. also, are your upper cabinets 42" or smaller. personally, I'd probably leave as is. your shaker cabinets and craftsman style trim and pendants are clean lined and modern. adding a collection of chotzkies, baskets, or fake greenery just will add clutter and defeat the purpose of your previous design choices.

WINE RACKS!!

Wine cellar, yes. kitchen, no. Wine should never been near the ceiling where heat rises. It shouldn't be stored at all in a kitchen but someplace cool. Simple lights up there--no objects, baskets, grease catchers, etc. unless you build out some cabinets with glass doors.

some fantastic ideas here! that's it, this weekend all the tchotchkes are coming off the top of my kitchen cabinets! it's not in the budget right now to add small storage cabinets in that space but a row of matching cubby baskets would work and provide great storage.

Mintjulep12 will you share pictures? Also, if you have a target look in the laundry organization aisle. They sell packs of two bins there considerably cheaper than the bins in other areas of the store.

We do have a Target and thanks for that great tip mdenton2014! Yes, I will post a "before and after" but it may be after the new year!

Housegal200, okay we all know that but still...

Curious what "style" you have in the rest of the house.

Thanks for all of the comments! The rest of the house is craftsman rustic with some industrial and some soft components. For instance, we had living room furniture made by a local craftsman who used reclaimed wood from old barns in the area, open floor plan, craftsman mudroom, craftsman molding throughout the home, Edison bulbs in rustic reclaimed wood holders, lots of faux fur blankets and satin pillows, etc. We were trying to go for a modern reclaimed slightly rustic look with the home.

If you are doing rustic, for a quick fix - what about some reclaimed wood or twigs up top with lighting or twinkle lights to play off your theme (with or without some of the other ideas above)? Some of the new varieties come with on/off switches and/or timers. I'm sure someone won't like it, but I think it would be something to try before investing thousands for additional cabinets in a brand new kitchen.

Al Jones- are there pictures of what you did on Houzz?
Would love to see it!

Please change the light fixture on the ceiling above the outside door to something that goes with but not the same as the ones hanging in the kitchen ....... and remove the picture. Suggest going backsplash tile shopping to choose some that bring the copper and stainless together. Also put high above the stove to the fan. Then new lighter paint colour. Perhaps a big copper vessel above cupboard where the plates are located. Otherwise nothing above any.

Already on order - we have to wait for our 10 month punch list (builder comes through and fixes settling issues, nail pops, etc.) and they are going to fix/paint those areas and put those in as part of it (and tile if we are able to pick something by then). Just went with basic round until we figured out how we were going to finish off the space.

Why not just extend open end(s) and increase height of doors? Great way to hide larger items, reduce dust(ing) and lighten space up.