The kitchen is where good food is made, so the space you cook in should be just as comfortable, inspiring, and creative as you need. This involves deciding the color for specific areas in your kitchen, including above kitchen cabinets.
So if you're still undecided about the best color for that area, you're in the right place. We researched the best color, and here's a list of what we found!
You can paint your kitchen cabinets a light or dark color, depending on the color scheme of your kitchen. A light shade on the space above the kitchen cabinets can give a cleaner look and accentuate the items you want to place on top of the cabinets.
Meanwhile, a darker shade can highlight the colors of your cabinets better. The best colors you can choose for the portion above your kitchen cabinets include the following:
- White
- Gray
- Yellow
- Blue
What matters is that the colors above kitchen cabinets should help accentuate the kitchen holistically. Factoring in details, such as the kitchen's cabinets and how the rest of its walls look, will help you determine what color you should go for. With that said, let's dive in!
Light Vs. Dark Color For Your Kitchen Cabinets
There are multiple colors to choose from, but choosing the color above your kitchen cabinets should tie in with the rest of the colors of your kitchen.
The kitchen color scheme can play around with white, grey, and other similar colors, but some have hues of blue and yellow to give pops of color to the room.
That being said, the colors for the area above the kitchen cabinet shouldn't necessarily adhere to the color scheme of the whole room but help enhance it.
There's no set rule about what color you should go for above the kitchen cabinets, but remember that picking a light or dark color can change the room drastically.
White
Considered one of the most common colors used in painting the kitchen, going for white doesn't necessarily mean boring, nor does it need to have a color paired with it to make it look attractive.
White is used for the kitchen as it gives a bright, clean look.
It is the same with the above kitchen cabinets area, especially if you place kitchen items like jars in this area that you need to see from where you're standing in the room.
Apart from giving a clean look, it also acts as a backdrop for you to be creative with the colors of your top cabinet. Having an overall monotone look, with all walls and cabinets colored white, isn't a bad idea, too.
Gray
If the kitchen seems too bright for you, you might want to go gray. While it may seem dull, gray has become a trending color to use in the kitchen area, adding depth and contrast to your kitchen's color.
A light gray tone above your kitchen cabinet can create a subtle, classy mix for your kitchen. It works well with other colors, making the room and your kitchen items a more welcoming and vibrant color.
Yellow
Having a shade of yellow above your kitchen cabinet can give off a warm, sunny look to your kitchen, especially if you need light while having a pop of color.
It can also make the space wider and give off a homey feeling.
Yellow works well with colors like white and gray. If your cabinets' color is white or charcoal gray, having a touch of yellow above them can make them look livelier without overpowering their colors.
Blue
Compared to the other colors, blue may seem too dark or overpowering for a place like a kitchen that needs to be bright for practical reasons.
However, if applied sparingly in the kitchen, like above the kitchen cabinets, it can make your kitchen look sleek.
If you choose to have blue above kitchen cabinets, having white or neutral colors for your cabinets would work best with this. These colors can balance out the solid shade of blue without competing against one another.
How Do You Paint Above Kitchen Cabinets?
Now you know the choices you have for coloring above kitchen cabinets, you might wonder how to reach that spot to paint it. It can be tricky since you might not get certain areas or corners.
To make things easier for you, here are some tips you can follow to paint above kitchen cabinets:
Cover The Area
Before you start painting above the kitchen cabinets section, make sure to cover the top portion of the cabinet with newspaper and cardboard for the ceiling.
Use painter's tape to secure it so it won't move while you're painting. This way, you won't worry about paint getting on top of your cabinet or having accidental splotches on the ceiling later.
Use A Mini Roller
If the kitchen cabinet section is too narrow, use a mini roller instead of a paintbrush.
Mini-rollers can be 2 to 4 inches in size, making it easier for you to paint the section as a paintbrush will require more arm movement, which might not be enough space above the kitchen cabinet section.
You can also use an extension rod for hard-to-reach places.
Check out this mini-roller on Amazon.
Apply With Paint Pads
Speaking of sections you can't reach, gaps that can't be painted thoroughly by the mini-roller can be done with paint pads. The disadvantage is that it doesn't paint as well as a roller, but it can do the trick on corners that prove difficult to reach.
Here's a paint pad available on Amazon.
What Do I Do With The Space Above My Kitchen Cabinets?
After painting the area above your kitchen cabinet and letting it dry, the next thing you want to do would be to decorate or repurpose it by filling the spaces in with items.
While filling up the space is unnecessary, you can never have too much space to keep things away, and you can do so above kitchen cabinets.
However, you should do it in a way that is still aesthetically pleasing to the eye, or else it would look like a mess. Usually, people just randomly put in kitchen items they can't use, which becomes an avenue for clutter.
Instead of doing that, here are some ideas that you can consider to fill in the area above your newly painted kitchen cabinets:
Arrange Containers For Kitchen Items
Keeping dried food items in jars or other kitchen paraphernalia and storing them above kitchen cabinets is a great way to hide the clutter in plain sight.
Spacing these items out properly would also prevent the area from looking cramped up. Mason jars or brown woven baskets can also complement the color above your kitchen cabinet.
Display Your Collection
You can place them above kitchen cabinets if you have a collection of items like figurines, mugs, plates, or other trinkets.
It would add more allure to the area and be a great talking point for anyone and everyone who sees it. It will also add character to the space above your kitchen cabinet.
Showcase Your Cookbooks
It makes sense to have a cookbook or two around the kitchen while you're cooking food.
It's not every day that you have to open cookbooks, but it's good to have around when you need them, which is why above your kitchen cabinets is an ideal place for them.
Just make sure not to clutter the space with all the cookbooks you have so you can still see its colors pop.
Store Liquor
If you don't have a wine cellar or a dedicated area for any liquor that needs to be at room temperature, you can do so above kitchen cabinets.
If the ceiling distance from the top cabinet doesn't give enough space for your liquor to stand, you can buy a rack where you can stack your liquor while still showing the area's color.
To Finish
Painting the area above the kitchen cabinet can give life to the whole room, so consider if light or dark colors would work best with what you have in your kitchen. Generally, you can choose between white, gray, yellow, and blue, but you can play around with the colors too.
Once you've decided on a color, take precautionary steps when painting above the kitchen cabinets. Remember to cover both the top cabinet and the ceiling.
Mini rollers and paint pads can help in reaching hard spots as well. Once you're done, you can decorate it however you want by putting containers for kitchen items, personal trinkets, cookbooks, or liquor.
Made it to the end? Check out these helpful related articles!
What Color Should You Paint The Inside Of Kitchen Cabinets?
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