If cookie jars were good enough for Andy Warhol, they're good enough for you. Love the strawberry cookie jar!

I ended up "collecting" copper coffee makers to place above my cabinets. Those that aren't tall enough are sitting on tupperware containers that add height to the items.

It's impossible to tell someone what to "collect"...you have to start with a couple of items that they like.
Why does it have to be a collection? Why not just "stuff" that you like?
i.e. a basket a cookie jar a plate, some dried flowers a piece of white ironstone etc?
Linda c

I might go with fiesta platters or even blue transferware dishes or platters to match your wall color. How about orange and blue covered bowls or tureens to match your curtains and walls. There are so many options for such a lovely kitchen.
Your kitchen is very pretty indeed. Please don't add ducks to it. I call that ducking it up. I am going to get beat up on here for that statement. I mean no harm but the thought of putting ducks in that lovely kitchen is a sin.
I think blue and orange together look great.

....Jane

Note: I am ready for my A-- kicking now.

This was the first piece of transferware or antique I ever owned back when I was 21, a million years ago. (lol)

And it is not a good picture and you may want to combine brighter colors in your kitchen since it is quite dark.

a href="http://s671.photobucket.com/albums/vv73/funnygirl350/?action=view&current=blueandorangesmalltransferwareplatt.jpg"; target="_blank">{{!gwi}}

Before you do anything, put some 'stuff' up there and see what you think. I have that same kind of open space at the top of my cabinets and used to have pitchers up there but honestly, it always looked wrong. There isn't enough breathing space height wise and it makes things look rather squashed. If you get things small enough that they don't look squashed, then they're too small to have much impact and just look like visual clutter. However..... if you try it and like the look - go for it! That's why there's chocolate and vanilla.

Stick with the Fiestaware!! -- since you can use it in your everyday dining and party entertaining! :)

Put a few Fiestaware items up there to start -- maybe a platter (on a dish stand) with a couple of bowls in different sizes. Then add a wonderful big bowl to your breakfast table too. Move the colors and shapes around the whole area.

Yes -- create different heights -- Simply "build up" a platform (you could use books or a block of wood or upturned plasticware) to raise the items to a more visible height. Use dish stands to hold the platters.

You could even line the top of the cabinets with tube lighting (those Christmas-type bulbs in a plastic sleeve) to show off your collection -- and add fun lighting for parties!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

I'm not too keen on stuff on top of cabinets, particularly with "normal" height ceilings, but if you're going to do it, I think having things be all of a piece (lots of copper like Mona Blair's, for example) is visually less cluttery than a bunch of disparate things. And even though it risks looking staged, I think that five of something the same, set in a row, will bring some interest and again, not look too cluttery.

I think an all white collection would be nice. A bunch of low, wide white bowls in varied but similar shapes, for example. (very Maaahrtha!) That would play off the counters and stand out nicely against the blue wall.

Cobalt and white would also be pretty and that color combo is pretty easy to find. If you want to do multi-color, I'd stick with all the same shape. Like a row of Fiesta pitchers in every different color would be cute. The repeating shape would help you avoid to much busyness.

I collected tea pots in my early twenties and I have to warn you, once people figure out you're collecting something, it's all over! Every gift was a teapot and I had to display 'em, like it or not. Those cookie jars scare me! :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: My vote

Whatever you decide to collect, I wouldn't count on using it too often as it's a lot of work to climb up, remove item, rearrange the rest of the items so they look good, climb down, wash chosen item, and finally use it. I'm tired thinking about it altho I was about 20 years younger when I actually did it so maybe you'd find it a walk in the park. Having decorative items you only remove for occasional cleaning is easier.

Don't want to discourage you from collecting or decorating that space as I loved using that area to display things I wanted to see daily. Choose a collection you love - cookie jars sound great since your children will also appreciate that. Keep one on the counter always filled. Maybe the kids could take turns choosing which jar to keep on the counter each week or month. Start a cookie jar family tradition. :-)

I'm a member of the "less is more" school of decorating, so my first impulse is to say, don't put ANYTHING up there!

>>>

Okay, I guess I'm alone here, LOL...

So I will say this: Since it's so far up there, no one will be able to see any detail. SO -- I think you should collect a whole bunch of white china things.

For the biggest impact -- only white, only china.

It will be an inexpensive hobby, and you can get some really pretty white pitchers, bowls and plates.

White is best, because (a) it will echo your counters, and (b) it will be a nice contrast to your dark cabinets and your blue walls.

When we moved into our house, I didn't have with the idea of collecting things to put on top of the cabinets. Instead, I just ended up buying something I liked and that's where it ended up. I think you should just keep that spot in mind for the next time time you find something that you love or are drawn to. Personally, I'm naturally drawn to sunflowers, roosters and word art mostly on hand painted ceramic canisters and water pitchers and guess what's ended up on top of our cabinets?! It's not something you should try to do all at once or on a whim, just let it happen over time and it will slowly come together.

I'm with lurkish, but mclarke is right about white working well with your dark cabinets and blue walls. I started out with baskets and fake (8^O greenery above my cabinets, but soon desided to add milk glass. Sometime I've always loved, but had purchased any. Mine was all found at thrift stores.
{{!gwi}}
Then to this with a few other dishes to fill in on the right.
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}
Now it's closer to this next picture. I've changed some of the decor on the shelf below because our daughter bought me more of my other collection.
{{!gwi}}

Forgot to mention how much I love your kitchen. The dark cabinets are gorgeous! I've always loved walnut, which seems to now be called espresso. Still beautiful whatever you call it. It looks so pretty with the shade of blue of your walls too.

Definitely white, or predominately white, china or ironstone. You have such an elegant kitchen, and I think the fun, multi-colored cookie jars might distract from that.

With that being said, if you and your family would enjoy collecting the cookie jars (or something similar) and looking at them every day would make you smile, then it might be a better choice for you, rather than something that's just there for looks. (Ironstone platters and bowls would be great for parties and such, though.)

I'm with mcclarke, I would put nothing above the cabinets, the dark wood and your blue color are decorative enough for my eyes, I would not distract from that.

Here's a compromise idea... leaving the space empty is fine, but if you really do want something, think about a collection of fairly generous-sized white pitchers and ginger jar shapes in varying heights, and cluster them in the four corners (actually, it looks as though you have three corners and one outside edge, which would form the fourth) so that they graduate down in height.

You wouldn't need too many...odd numbers usually look most graceful, so three or five in each spot? By clustering them, you avoid the danger of a sort of "row-of-teeth" look across the cabinets. (Justgotabme avoids the teeth problem with her disciplined choice of varied but classical shapes.)

You all are the best! This discussion is helping me so much. I am going to try to do as dlm suggested and take a few pics with some items I have around the house up there to see how I like it.

I have been struggling with thinking things will get lost up there. A few people have commented recently that they think it looks bare up there.

I love the idea of practically putting items I might use such as the platters as teacats suggested.

Suero - I had no idea about Andy Warhol.
Mona - Duh to me. tupperware for that purpose is so smart!
Newdawn - you crack me up. I am going to pass on the duck. :)

Justgotabme - I love the milkglass - it looks so pretty. I am not ruling out nothing up there till I try some things up there to see how they look Mitchdesj, mclarke and Amy.

Thank you for the compliments on the kitchen. The cabinets and counters would not have been my first choice, but I wanted to update it as inexpensively as possible so we put down new floors and stained the cabinets darker. I HATED the floor before (all the floors in the house really)This is what it looked like before...

Amy, juddgirl2, justgotabme I think I have some ideas on the white.

I don't know why I am suddenly in to the cookie jars. I don't even think we had any growing up. Must be the same phenomenon that causes me to take hours to write a post that should take 5 minutes (namely an 8 week old. :) )OK - Hopefully I didnt' miss anyone.

These are the white cookie jars I found so far. What do you think of them as a grouping to go with the white strawberry?

{{!gwi}}

Of course I woudlnt' get all of these, but if I can find this many on sale right now, it gives me hope that I could collect them over time. I do like a few of these though and I have a few more I am watching.

I didn't get to take pictures today, but hopefully tomorrow.

My vote is for "nothing", but if you really feel the lack of soemthing up there, I'd start with the cheapest decent looking stuff you can find at thrift stores and yard sales. If you go for white ironstone or transferware or Fiesta, you can always get away with pieces with slight chips or crazing.

I think cookie jars are too gimmicky, and you're just going to end up with a lot of stuff mass-produced in China, to be blunt. And then one day, you'll wonder where all the clutter came from. Better to find one cookie jar that you really love, and use it, I think.

Wow boop you really did make a wonderful change. Whatever you do, be it decorated or nothing at all, remember if you love it, it's the right thing to do. I love the white cooking jars you've found so far!

That is an amazing transformation. And somewhere along the line, I missed the fact that you were expecting. Congratulations! How wonderful. What marvelous memories you will make for your child...beautiful colors, brave decorating choices, fabulous curtains that miraculously work in any room, coolest house on the block! Fun fun. :-)

Trying to figure out what to put on the top of your cabs is hard, Boop. I just put several ledge plants and one tall metal red rooster on my cabinets. Easy to clean and fills the space. Good luck!!

Thanks justgotabme. Amy, you are so sweet! Thank you, I can't believe how wonderful it is. Now I don't remember why I waited till I was 38 to give it a shot. :) UALR Thanks for the pic. Love your kitchen. SOmeday I will have white cabinets. :)

I now know I do not like blue and white up there. :) I think I do like something, but I will have to look at it a few days I think to decide for sure, and then what, if I do want something up there.

Mona - the tupperware did the trick for lifting the items up. :)

Not that you asked, but maybe swapping out that light fixture might go a long way towards changing the feel of your kitchen. I'm not sure Asian themed stuff really works, but YMMV.

Those are beautiful pieces, but I'm with you. They don't go. And yep. I used Tupperware as risers too. LOL. It's funny to realize I'm not the only one. More than one of us do it. Too funny.

What about adding crown molding to the walls above the cabs? Then there is something there for visual interest but not as busy as a collection of something-or-other?

Kitchens can look cluttered so easily - pots, pans, food, utensils, phones, papers, etc - that leaving that area clear, except for some crown, might be restful for the eye.

You've done a nice job in your kitchen already. It's so much more pleasing than the before shot.

Now a Disclaimer:
I have crown molding on my cabs & the wall, both painted BM vanilla ice cream. I love, love, love it and how it looks against my wall color. Something up there if I happen to glance up but it's not busy & drawing my eye up. Or needing to be occasionally taken down & dusted/washed.

Another thought:you'll have to buy/trade/create the whole collection at once to fill in the space. That might get expensive, especially if your 'heart' isn't really into the collection of items.

P.S. And just what do you think you are doing climbing up on the counter-tops placing those blue items? You have a baby in the house - monkey see, monkey do - you know.

ideefix - I agree. the foo dogs were just put up there to see if I liked something up there. I collect them and those seemed like the right size so I borrowed them from the DR.

I would love to get rid of that light. I don't know what I could put up there that would give as much light and not cause us to rip apart the ceiling. Any suggestions?

hhireno. LOL Connor was upstair sleeping. He didn't see what mommy was doing. I love crownmolding. I had it all over in my last house. It is no where in this one, and I think it might be funny to have it in one room, and will create jealousy in the other rooms that they have none. ;)

Well, I "won" the strawberry on ebay. so that is a start on one thing. :) we shall see how long it takes to get it going up there. DH likes seeing the stuff up there and he noticed and commented on it. He doesnt usually notice stuff like that either! :)

Boopa, you might look at what's called a "cloud" fixture. It's essentially just a white blob, but it kind of disappears, while still providing the function of what you have now. You can get one that's the same size to cover the "scar" on the ceiling. You might also consider painting the wood white.

Amy you are brilliant. Painting it white is a great idea. I also like the idea of the cloud light. I have to keep looking , so far I have found lights with clouds painted on them. :) I think flyleft posted about one of those cloud lights awhile ago.

Aw shucks...

Here is a link that might be useful: Ignore pic and notice the dimensions...

I see Amy. I will show it to DH. I was thinking of one that was shaped like a cloud. I really thought flyleft posted one like that.

I love the strawberry. Not a great pic I think.

I still have to decide what else to add though. More white, more Mcoy, more fruit? I can't decide! Maybe I will know it whan I see it.

I think it might be the white and the texture that I like. I am bidding on this too.