I cannot believe how many of you have experienced the terror of a missing pet before. It really is a gut-wrenching feeling and I’m so thankful that so many of the missing pet stories you guys shared turned out positive. It’s amazing the impact a beloved animal can have on our lives, huh?
My day today has been spent working away on my laptop with Sadie right by my side on the floor. The only furniture in our house right now is our kitchen table, but I was getting sick of sitting up at the table, so it’s been a work-on-the-floor kind of day.
I can’t wait until we get my home office set up! A trip to IKEA to buy the office furniture I fell in love with last week is in order.
Lunch
After working through the morning, I took Sadie on a quick walk around the neighborhood (yes, I’m all over her today) before making myself a quick lunch.
Lunch today included tuna salad on a hot dog bun served with a side of tomatoes and hummus for dipping.
As I was prepping my lunch, one of my decorating experiments from yesterday stared down at me.
I placed some colorful teacups on top of the kitchen cabinets. I thought they added a little color to the kitchen, but couldn’t decide if they looked too cheap.
When Ryan came home from work yesterday I asked him what he thought of the teacups. After complimenting all of my other kitchen decorating and unpacking, he let it spill.
“The cups remind me of the college apartments that had liquor bottles on display above cabinets.”
(Source)
I burst out laughing.
We then debated filling some empty vodka bottles with highlighters, shaking them up and turning on a black light in our kitchen to really relive the college days.
(Please rest assured that I never used my alcohol bottles as apartment décor in college.)
The cups are currently still in place until we can find something to replace them or we decide they actually look okay.
What do you think? Be honest! I’m not in love with them at all, so I promise you won’t hurt my feelings.
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….. note to self…… taking down fake ivy…. (i guess i’m showing my age! haha!!) i am soooo curious what you will come up with… i just moved into a new place with similar cabinets….
haha i have fake flowers all over my house. 🙂
i’m supposed to be unpacking my boxes… yet now i can’t get away from sites that give advice on “how to decorate above your cabinets!”
check it out… http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2011/04/above-cabinets.html
I don’t mind the color of the cups or the idea of them, but I do think that they are a tad too small to be so high up and on such a large piece of furniture. (i know cabinets are not furniture but I can’t think of a better word)
I think something larger would fit in better.
Decorating a new place is so fun! My fiance and I are hoping to move in November when our lease is up, and I can’t wait!
I have to agree that they look a little small, but it was a cute idea! I always rush to decorate and just want everything done and settled though, so i am sure that is the way you are feeling.
I do like the idea of getting those metal/wood words that may look nice up there – I know homegoods (marshalls) usually has a lot of options.
I like adding color, but I feel like they’re just too small to be up there! Maybe some wicker baskets filled with something colorful or with colorful edges? Or vases?
I was going to suggest the same thing. I have a collection of wicker baskets at home that I bought at Saver’s, which saved us a lot of $$$.
Hmmm….they’re not tall enough. Perhaps oversized coffee mugs…? With one of those coffee mug planters with a plant off to one side(or middle, I’m an asymmetry girl myself)….you said be honest :-/
Ryan’s comment cracked me up!!
You definitely need something up there with more height. For some cute hidden storage, you could use matching baskets all the way across. Target used to have some really drool-worthy seagrass baskets with little chalkboard labels – so cute!
Also, search kitchens on Pinterest! I bet you’ll find a ton of good ideas.
At the risk of wasting comment space, I agree with most of the commenters! The colors are cute, but they are way too tiny.
Personally, I would get a few wine racks, spray paint them fun colors, and put those up there instead… cute and functional 🙂
Also, don’t go for greenery unless you don’t mind dusty plants!
And I second whoever said pinterest!
noooooooooooooooooooooo! just kidding. I think teh scale is a bit off – they need to be Alice in wonderland type cups 🙂
Like others have previously stated, they look a little too small. I’d say maybe something bigger, like stacks of books, or big, pretty vases. You can get some good, cheap ones at Home Goods!
Yep, too small. I think they would look great on a stand though on your kitchen counter
Something like this:
http://tinyurl.com/3beydw9
It would bring a great pop of color!
Agree with the comments that they are too small.
I wish I could say I never used an alcohol related item to decorate my college apartment. I am appalled to remember this, but we actually wallpapered an entire wall in the “bar” of our apartment with empty Coor’s Light boxes. We were so proud 🙂
I agree with the other commenters about the cups being too small. You really can’t see them at all. You need something taller and more substantial. Perhaps some decorative vases, or decorative birdhouses, or even teapots?
I think it would look great if you just left it with nothing there. It’s such a long, thin space that most things will looks awkward (teacups), or cluttered (something all the way across). Plus, you guys have the awesome looking double-layer accent of the wall. Are you allowed to paint your kitchen? Maybe that will give it more of a punch.
And, the house looks great!
Okay, I like the idea of something up there, but the teacups don’t really work and I think “drapey” plants can look dated. But, I would do some funky succulents in bright pots if you want some color. Plus, they are real plants and you hardly have to water them!
Hahaha I can totally see BOTH sides. I mean, when you look at it with that college perspective in mind then yeah, I can see that. I think you had a very cute idea. What about some hearty plant that will grow over the side of the cabinet.
In my old apartment I had a very similar cabinet with a lot of overhead space between the ceiling and cabinet. I put a plant up there and it just sprawled down the side… it really looked beautiful and brought a lot of life into the kitchen 🙂
Ugh, why is decorating so hard? The Pottery Barn catalogue makes it look so easy! I never know what looks good and am afraid of making my space uncool, so I usually say “What would John and Sherry do?”
I always do the less is more theory and avoid knickknacks when I can and opt for larger pieces, which is probably what you’d want to do with this space. Less to dust 🙂
Yes, YHL! My other favorite blog. 🙂
I love the cups up there personally! But then again I’m a college student so may just have cheapo taste naturally! Your tuna salad lunch looks soooo good, i want tuna now despite having put chicken in the oven :/ Isn’t IKEA just amazing!?
I don’t think the cups look that bad but I’m not sure they go on top of the cabinets. I think you should try putting something else there. 🙂
I like the cups up there but I think you need a few more pops of the same color repeated somewhere else… do you have plates the same color? Maybe alternate the plate colors behind the cup colors…with standing plates behind the cups? Or pop the same color somewhere else in the kitchen.
I think the cups are a bit too small. But I like the idea. 🙂
They are too small – I think plates or maybe 2 or 3 colorful pictures of food in 8×10 frames would fill the space much better!
LOVE the pops of color, but I feel like they’re too linear for above the cabinets because they’re all tiny and the same shape. I think you need some cute items (that pop with color like that -p.s. I almost just typed “poop with color”) that add depth and have contrasting heights and shapes. 😉
I keep bottles above mine but THIS kind of bottle
http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/52392/52392,1142920821,1/stock-photo-decorative-glass-bottles-filled-with-colorful-fruits-vegetables-and-vinegar-front-bottle-is-in-1108391.jpg
with vegetables and vinegar. I have all different shapes and sizes and they are really colorful.
The teacups are too small for that space. Colored vases, decorative bottles or frames would be nice up there and more visible.
My mom has a teapot collection and has teapots above her cabinets. You can still keep the “tea” theme but just have something larger.
I love the ball jars with grains and such in them that you did! I love kitchens with those side shelfs too. I currently have a few roomates but I can not wait to get some mason jars when i can decorate my own kitchen in the near future. As far as the cups go, I just think they are too small for the space. There is so much you can do up there! I have a big open space like that and we have a silver disk plate thing some greenery and i wall decal that says Bon Appetit’
I agree with 87 of the above posters that they’re cute & colorful but a little too small!!
So glad Sadie is ok 😀
I think that adding something colorful to the tops of your cabinets is a great idea especially since the area above the cabinets is open. I think that the tea cups are too small for the space.
Agree with most others, love the bit of color, but they seem much too small. I really like the idea of large jars filled with various pastas or beans for more color!
I knew so many people with those kind of liquor bottles in college!
I don’t have anything new to add here, but I still want to chime in and say I pretty much agree with everyone else. I LOVE the idea of adding some pops of color to the kitchen, but the scale is off with the cups. I like the idea of big, colorful platters/plates that others have mentioned. With the high ceilings you can get away with something larger up there. 🙂
Glad you and Sadie are having quality time together! Not being able to find a pet is dreadful!
I didn’t take the time to read all the other posts (sorry folks) so I may be repeating what others have already said.
I don’t think the size of the cups works with the scale of the room. Anytime you put something that high above eye-level it needs to have appropriate visual weight or interest to fit the space and draw the eye upward. The colors are nice but there’s just not enough of it to really be impactful. I’m not sure what your overall plan is for the new kitchen but if you’re just looking for a pop of color instead of changing the wall/cabinet color I would use colorful canisters or other accents on your countertops. Or you could do something with your artwork and/or kitchen linens. I’m personally not a fan of cabinet toppers as they often just end up being dust catchers. So if you want to create some fun colorful pops I’d create the interest at eye-level not way up at the tops of cabinets.
I agree I like the added color but I think they are too small up there! You seem to have a good amount of space so you should use more of it!!!
I just flashed back to college with this post…. Ayaya! there were some tacky home-interior decorators when I was in school!
they dont look bad…just a little small?
but i like the color so definitely on the right track..and again, they’re cute, def dont look bad!
you must be in just absolute kitchen heaven, going from the tiny kitchen in your old house to this giant, open, well-furnished kitchen. i love it so much for you.
I agree with other commenters- you need something bigger/bolder. The bell jars look great though!
cups are too small, but love the colors. What about hanging them on individual hangers on the right side of that cabinet in the picture (but hang them on the drywall part), to the left of the sink? Not sure what kind of hangers would work, but I would think you could find something cool to hook them over. Maybe those small bathroom door hangers for towels/robes? They have a bunch out now b/c of colleges starting.
I love the added pop of color the tea cups bring but I think you need something larger – like a funky colored vase or maybe some cool plates. 🙂
So jealous of your spacious kitchen! Maybe larger items would be better? Like a vase or two?
We put houseplants on top of our cupboards. They really warm the place up!
Love that you’re finally getting to decorate your new kitchen! I think the proportion of cup size to cabinet size is too great for them to be all alone up there. I’ve left my cabinets barren up top until I can find something perfect, and just decorated the rest of the kitchen. It’s actually growing on me to have nothing up there to get dusty (haha!). Can’t wait to see what you decide on! Decorating is so much fun.
Oh, I would love to see a tour of your house when your done decorating it. You should defenitely keep that in mind for a blog post. I am soon going to be married and moving into ‘our’ home and really like seeing design ideas! BTW the cups dont look bad at all, but I do think it would look very country chic with nothing.
Reader of a few months … started reading more after you went freelance. I’m a freelancer myself 🙂
I think the cups would look better if you prop them up higher by putting something underneath.
They are great pop of color…but you need something taller for on top of your cabinets.
ummm…facebook my sister! She will gladly help you with any decorating inspiration!!
the cups are too far apart, i think that’s the main problem. find somewhere where you can put them closer together!
I like the idea. I think maybe putting more things up there would make it come together a little bit better. I would defintely put SOMETHING up there though!
Bahaha that’s actually what they reminded me of too! I honestly am not too sure I like them. They almost aren’t big enough to really make a statement so they just look kind of strange. Sorry, I hope that doesn’t sound mean or anything!
I’m with a few other commenters. I definitely don’t think they look bad, but I’d add in some bigger pieces as well!
Love the Fiestaware idea and mostly because I’m in love with Fiesta! If you wanted to stay with that theme you could incorporate some of their bigger items like a pitcher.
Oh the college days… I may have decorated with a wine bottle or two. Only the ‘special’ ones though 😉
It looks great, so neat and clean!!! So YOURS!