I don't have any pictures showing the tops very well, but I do have several armoires - two have nothing on the top (MBR and main level guest) mainly because the tops are not straight. They arch at the top/front.

Two in the lower level are straight across the top. The one in the den has a large, flakey painted birdhouse chapel with a metal top and a very old antique metal birdcage. The armoire in the lower level guest room has a wire birdcage (new, but looks old) with a copper roof, two bunches of a dozen roses dried (that was DD2's old room and she dried the flowers as they were dying) and a couple of concrete birds (small).

The colors of and/or the items themselves relate somehow to the rest of the room. They are not just random things stuck on top. That's how I justify what goes where.

Thanks Allison. I actually had an antique brass bird cage on the ice box (not by itself) and will use it somewhere in the room. I got an old glass and wood candlebox that has almost a cupalo (sp) top. I have cathedral ceilings in the room and while the armoire is taller, they are neither extremely tall and need some pieces with height.

We have an armoire in our bedroom that has the arched top, however, the top is not actually arched - just the doors. The top is flat and I am able to stack a couple of vintage suitcases up there.

Hoping to get more responses and ideas!

tina

I'm sorry Jeannine - I didn't see this earlier! I LOVE the prints on the top of the cabinet in the second picture - sadly, both of my cabinets are angled across a corner (the armoire is actually made to fit a corner), so that wouldn't work.

I like your vases/jars in the first pic also. Love the new paint color!!

tina

This is where I keep my coloured glass bottle and vase collection. This is probably more contemporary than you had envisioned.

{{!gwi}}

Linda

This isn't my house (I really wish it was), but if I recall correctly, she has some large armoire type furniture with things arranged nicely on top. I'd also kill for her artwork (her son is the artist).

Here is a link that might be useful: soofriver's lovely home

Have you looked at the living room pictures in our Gallery?

Thank you budge and Linda!

Oceanna! (smacks forehead!) I have looked at the gallery many times but I will go back and look at the living rooms as I have not looked at those pics with this particular question in mind. Thank you for reminding me!

Just last week I was going through the cottage thread (AGAIN) in the gallery - thanks for all the wonderful pics you post.

tina

Jeannine, your decorations are to die for. It makes me embarrassed to show my pictures. I'm on the lookout for more blue and white porcelain to add to the top as it looks rather skimpy right now, especially compared to yours. But here goes anyway:

After looking at my rather uninspiring pictures above and jeannines's much more inspiring ones, I felt at first rather let down and then motivated to improve my situation as much as I could without buying anything (it was after all later than 9 p.m.) The coffee table is a new acquisition inspired by my desire to make the room look a little less traditional and boring but the budget doesn't allow for anything else at this time. So I shuffled around a few things and this is the result. That's the beauty of this forum, it inspires you to take a second look and even a third look at your surroundings and make an effort to improve them. I don't know yet whether I've succeeded.

I have an armoire in the LR that houses a TV and I don't have anything on that. Was thinking it would be too much in there. I have the two ends of the stand together and have greenery on top of that.
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}
I Put this stuff on top of my hutch over the weekend but I'm still not happy with it. I don't really have a lot of odds and ends to work with.
{{!gwi}}
{{!gwi}}
Looking forward to seeing more pics.

This is in my FR:

{{!gwi}}

Ingrid, stop it! Your piece is much more significant than mine!

I used to have a wall of scones...but I took them down before I painted and decided not to use them anymore. I love yours!!!

Ingrid - I like your blue and white also. You did good! Thanks for sharing.

Sheesharee - yours are taller than mine. I think you can get away with nothing on yours. Plus I have the catherdral ceilings, so there's some *empty space* up there! LOL

KMCG - I remember yours from another post at some time. Love it! That is what I'm aiming for. Something along those lines. And I love the inspiration pic also.

Thank you!

kmcg....you get it, you really do. I love how you've merchandised the top of your armoire. You've done all the right things...mixed materials, colors, shapes, finishes and textures. That's how the pros do it and they make it look easy but it's isn't. The ivy softens the composition, the dark candlesticks add height and weight while the white candle brings softness with it's circular shape. The framed art is gorgeous (I want it!!), again you introduced different shape, colors, and textures as with the lantern. You kept it to 5 pieces, nice, that's an odd number (don't want even numbers of things) and you let the scale of the pieces do the talking rather than cluttering it up with a bunch of little things that would not be in proportion. And most important, it doesn't feel like the objects are about to fall on someone's head, they're places and spaced just right. Great job!

Kmcg - Love you picture and the inspiration one. I was sitting here thinking how I want stuff on top of LR armoire now. Still thinking I should refrain. How tall are you ceilings? Mine are only 8'.

Also wanted to note on the bookends I had to put something in the middle because they're not meant to fit together. The crown doesn't match up in the middle.

No pics from me either, but I have an armoire in my MB, and have used bird cages on the top, with a large plant in the center. I've placed some of them on books, for more height. If you have a Hobby Lobby, or Garden Ridge, they can be purchased usually on sale. ;o)

flyingflower, you are so kind but I must confess! Just as tinam61 asked for help with her armoire, I did too, right here on this forum! After I bought the framed art from Tuesday Morn.a few years ago, I came here and received so many wonderful suggestions from so many of the talented decorating guru's here! The white candles have been replaced with garnet as per Les' suggestion to tie it into the red of the WT. Most of the things I already had and I played around with height and texture. I knew about the 'odd' rule :) Thanks again, and hopefully it can help someone else. For me, I need that visual. I cannot throw things together without a picture! Often times I just copy the look out of a magazine if I see something that I love!
Shee, my ceilings are vaulted, so it leaves space to do something. I am not sure if I would do too much other than ivy in a low planter with 8' ceilings, although my inspiration pic seems to be close to the ceiling! You never know!

Tina, What room is your antique ice chest in? Since it is an antique I would stick with antique items to put on top of it. Maybe an antique print on a picture frame holder, and depending on what room it is in, i would choose items appropriate for the room. If it is in you FR, I would do the print with maybe an antique lamp and a few other accessories. If it is in you kitchen you could do copper or antique kitchen items. You would ,of course, do tall groupings with shorter items. Keep us posted on what you decide.

Thanks Gracie - both the chest and the armoire/cabinet are in our great room. I do use a good deal of antiques, but like to mix in other items too. I'll let you know!

tina

This houses the TV...the doors *never* get closed. :)

{{!gwi}}