Happy Tuesday!
I was helping a friend come up with ideas for the top of her armoire recently and I thought I’d put together a post that detailed some of the things we talked about in case you’re looking for this kind of inspiration too.
There are a lot of different ways to arrange things on top of an armoire, but I tend to have three favorite techinques. The first one is to prop a larger (flatter) item against the wall in the back and then to use varied-height items in front of it…like this:
(source unknown)
Here’s another great example of a larger, flatter piece in the back and some shorter things in front:
I also like how the items in front stagger down in size. The basket is about half the height of the sheep picture, the largest white pitcher is about half the height of the basket, and the smaller pitchers are about half the height of the larger one. Add a boxwood wreath to the front and voilà!
Another arrangement I love is to use a cluster of almost identical, but varied-height, items like they’ve done here with these green, glass jugs:
Here’s another similar example where they used three glass jugs, but altered the color of the middle one and embraced the different tone by highlighting it with some live foliage:
Last but not least, if you’re short on height between the top of your armoire and the ceiling, you could always try this next technique. It utilizes three items. A bucket, a low basket and a bundle of faux floral stems that cascade over the edge of the basket, like the ones in these photos:
Super simple, and simply stunning!
One last example I wanted to share shows another great way to group a collection of items.
I love the hat hanging off one corner, and how the clear glass jugs don’t disrupt the view of the artwork behind them. The antler sculpture balances out the vignette perfectly because it’s the same color as the hat, and it’s perfect scale-wise. It’s not as tall as the artwork, but not as short as the biggest glass jug. It’s also “light” visual weight-wise, which balances nicely with the visually ligh-weight (because they’re clear) jugs. I, personally, would remove the large white frame propped behind the black one, but other than that, it’s such a great example of an interesting and visually balanced grouping!
How about you? Have you decorated the top of an armoire lately? I’d love to hear about what you used!
Layla
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Thank you for the ideas Layla! We are renting a classic New England cape in Massachusetts and it is SMALL (built in 1930). We put an armoire in front of a useless window in the dinningroom (it looks out into the enclosed back porch). There is a small are up top of the armoir that is showing a bit of the window top. I was trying to figure out how to hide it. Low and behold! You posted this just a few days after I moved the armoire in it’s spot.
hi layla, thanks for the tips! Very timely! i have a 2 story living room with a hutch along that wall. laura in CO
I have a stack of folded quilts on the top of mine in my bedroom. Not a lot of room up there, as it’s pretty tall.
I have 5 wicker and glass demi johns of various sizes and they are grouped on top of my armoire that is in the kitchen.
Hi Layla! I have a Victorian-style mirrored armoire that makes the perfect place to display a lace-covered serving tray holding a vintage china tea set too fragile to be at “grandchild level”. Old books (hidden by a deep recess) elevate the tray to just above the top edge of the ornate armoire. On the tray, the cup/saucer rest atop 3 small vintage books for visual effect next to the teapot. Finally, 3 large gorgeous long-stemmed faux “cabbage roses” (in the deep jewel colors of the roses on the tea set) lay across the left end of the armoire top (the tea set vignette is more to center and right) so the blooms cascade off just a bit. Lovely! And safe from curious little hands – hooray for high places to decorate – hee hee!
Thanks, as always, for the tips. Love them all!
Sure thing! 😀
I recently actually googled “decorating the top of my hutch” recently and nothing was as helpful as this! Thanks!
Yay! I’m so glad, Heather! 😀
Thanks so much for this post. I can’t wait to get home and start playing with th top of my armoire and some of my accessories! Great ideas here Layla!
I have a short armoire, about 4’ tall, in our master bedroom. One of our cats likes to sleep on top of it, so I’m looking for an idea to accommodate her. I have found some cute wicker cat beds on Etsy but they’re all in Bulgaria or some such place. For a time I had quilts stacked on top with a cat mat on top,of the stack, but the quilts faded from sunlight, so that idea ultimately was a “no go.”
My collection of ironstone, topped with a few of the summer’s dried hydrangeas makes the top of my armoire a point of interest in our family room!
Oh I sure needed these ideas Layla! Thank you! I have an armoire in our bedroom and also an entertainment center in my living area which is much like an armoire and was not sure what to do with them.
Layla, these are just lovely accents to any home’s armoire! I’m glad I found your blog. The whole rustic theme is what we’re going for. Great post, all the best!
Hi, I always enjoy your blog ideas. I was curious if you change out your decor completely every year for every season or switch out a piece or two?
Funny you ask! I’m blogging about that tomorrow! 😀 I just change a few things here and there from season to season. How about you?
Hi Layla, well I have never thought of decorating the top of my antique armore but now I will. Thanks always for so many inspiring ideas.