Mine are open both sides, see pics. below, we even added up lighting as well as down, clean maybe twice a yr. they don't really get very dusty, but I like to clean my items up there as well. DH had a good time wallpapering the one side, other is open to great room.

I agree with your husband...it will just be a dust collector and a pain to get to and have to clean.

I would probably skip the ledge.

I would skip it as well.

Three to one against right now - any more votes and/or experiences, good or bad? Aputernut, yours looks soooo nice, thanks for the visuals! The decision is delayed until tomorrow as there was a mini water disaster there today - so at least that buys me a bit more time....

Do you just want to not have a big blank up there, or do you want specifically a ledge?

I thought this was a clever way to make something of a big blank vault (sorry, poor photo quality):

I vote no ledge.

No ledge. The kitchen cabinets at our vacation place do not have a soffit above them and I have to vacuum the top of the cabinets at least once a year. It does get dusty up there.

No ledge, it was a prominent feature in Florida style ranch houses for several decades, mostly used for fake plants, very uncommon now in newer homes for all the right reasons.

WOW! I had NO idea the sentiment would be overwhelmingly opposed - I had thought it would be just the opposite. I am shocked!

I like the versatility of a ledge - more dimensional opportunities than a plain wall - adds a cozy scale to a high wall. Two go around a corner where the DR is partially open to the front hall here, above beams which support the open spans. Ledges on both the DR & entry sides but only visible from one side or the other, as the wall above ends at the center of the beams & deep molding finishes all sides. The entry hall walls go up another 15', giving a feeling of volume very similar to a vault. Neighbor friend has a 2-story family room where display boxes were set between the studs at what would have been slightly over single story ceiling height & drywalled. Both treatments give a more interesting silhouette to what is otherwise a straight tall wall expanse.

She displays sculptures in hers, which are strikingly dramatic at night with shadows from the lamp lighting below. My ledges hold colorful gameboards & painted wooden carvings. One of those tallish wand dusters on a swivel head makes dusting simple & twice a year I use a ladder to remove & clean thoroughly. Same with stoneware atop the kitchen cupboards. Paintings & 3-D artwork hung on the entry walls go nearly to the ceiling & get the high telescoping duster treatment in routine cleaning.

I don't think of these as dated, but as classic. Open beam structure from before colonial times were used to store & hang items, Craftsman homes often have wide & high shelving rimming a room for the same purpose, and cupboard tops traditionally store & display items. If you like the look & the possibilites, go for it. You can always leave them bare as dimensional highlights to the wall.

We have a ledge in our entry way, and I really dislike it. I'm rather challenged when it comes to accessorizing or displaying things, so it never looks very good. More of a clutter area than anything. It's really high up, so you're always looking at stuff from an odd angle, too. Art work looks the best up there, but then I have to set the picture on an easle and bring forward, or you don't see the bottom 1/3 of the picture.

No ledge vote here too.

Also not a fan of the ledge. Design should always be form follows function and the ledge to me has no function.

This post was edited by louislinus on Sun, Oct 5, 14 at 21:48

Me too; no ledge. Ledges are dust shelves usually. You'll be happy to have less to clean!

One more vote for no ledge.
In-laws have this in their house.
Fake plants were the only things they could think of to put there.
Inconveniently dusty, so the housekeeper finally convinced them to ditch the plants.
Now there's nothing up there except dust, and even the housekeeper is getting too old for ladders.

No Ledge, for all the reasons stated above.

Thanks everyone. i was still holding out for what I thought was an attractive opportunity to possibly display a few baskets, or even to enjoy empty for the aesthetic value of the interesting planes lit with accent light...your absolutely unexpected responses gave me much pause to explore unconsidered negatives which I really wouldn't have otherwise: I realize I plan a ceiling fan nearby and do not want accumulating ledge dust blown about in the kitchen, especially when I'm cooking. Had this been for a living room, I think I would have gone ahead. So a bit sadly, but really relieved, I've called it off. Thank you all so much!