I like the mirror, also.

I think one narrow item that is architectural salvage or similar would be very pretty up there. An old piece of molding or.... maybe if you framed a few old tin ceiling tiles *shrug*

Francoise, I'd put that rhino up in a hot minute! Seriously. He complements your black/white geometric cushion fabric.

for the record, I didn't read herbflavor's post before I posted........ so it must be a great idea ;)

An arrangement of plates and platters could also work up there. I might consider black and white, to bring the fabric colors up to repeat them.

The link below shows how someone took picture frames and made them into interesting colorful art for her bedroom. It can be changed depending on what colors she uses for her bedding and decor. Looked super simple to do.

Here is a link that might be useful: Changeable Wall Art

Like circuspeanut, I think the rhino would be perfect. You have a lovely, thoughtfully designed and carefully crafted kitchen. What could be better than a lovely, thoughtfully designed and carefully created faux rhino trophy for a note of whimsey?

If you tire of it, I will buy it from you in a hot minute.

I am no help with your wall. I was going to say built in shelves until I saw the rest of the wall in your kitchen. But I do think the mirror adds to the bistro ambiance.

OT - I have actually searched the forum many times for your finished kitchen post to get the details on your cafe curtains which I am very drawn to. Did you make those yourself? I would love the details and apologize if you've posted them before.

I like the mirror, too. And I like the open space above.
If you do put something there., I like the idea of a special/poignant/whimsical inscription stenciled on the wall. Old salvage iron piece sounds good too.
With the two fabrics there, I'd hesitate to add another pattern to the mix.
I'll get in line for the rhino ! ;)

I like the idea of wallpaper. Some additional pattern would work well and you can always hang an iron piece or other open space type of "art" over the wallpaper for even more interest.

Must. Have. Rhino.

Seriously. I hunted down this thread again just to take another look. Who is he? Whose is he?

Ok, rhino-head lovers: here it is!

Here is a link that might be useful: Rhino Head at Anthropologie

AND, if you're not a rhino fan, they have other animals!! (scroll to bottom of page)

Here is a link that might be useful: More Animal Heads

Beautiful kitchen! I really like the bistro feel of the current table and chairs especially with the cafe curtains. Hanging some antique plates would look really nice above the mirror but I would hate to see that rhino, or any other animal head, in your kitchen.

Have you thought about raising the mirror above the alcove and using the alcove for decorative stuff? Or for something like the set of three prints...

I don't generally like too much "stuff"..... I would either leave as is.....or my eye wants to think, that mirror is too low? Maybe move the mirror into the overhead space and usr the open nook/shelf area for vases, either with fresh flowers, or herbs.....clusters of dried herbs on the little nook walls. I am just not a fan of having the framed mirror, then more framed art on top of it. I love, love the space, and the floor, congrats on finishing your project!

Rhino! Rhino! Rhino!
(seriously).

Hi Domino 3,
I'm glad you like the cafe curtains.
Yes, I made them.
The fabric is Cheltenham Floral (Breeze) from Calico Corners.
I hoped it would set a sort of 1920s-Bloomsbury vibe for the Kitchen.
But I have so many aesthetic urges that I'm sure in the end it
just feels like a 2011 kitchen.

I used inexpensive rods and pinch rings from BB&Beyond.
I like making curtains because I love fabrics and want to try something new every few years.
Custom made roman shades are way too expensive to change out every few years;
and the ones I've tried making myself haven't been
very successful.
Cafe curtains are also more economical than full length curtains.

Just musing now...
I'm always surprised by how many of my friends have no
window treatments in their kitchen.
I guess my contemporaries and all started out our domestic lives as early 1980s minimalists;
kitchen curtains must have remind us of our mothers kitchens we were fleeing from,
with her copy of Julia Child hidden in our suitcase.
Or, "window treatments" seemed too "decorated" and tract mansion.
But I like a little fabric on my windows!

If it fits with your decor, consider a stenciled or appliqued script typeface saying something of significance to you. I know that you can order these or cut the stencils yourself. Consider a glam color, perhaps silvery-gray.

I am also a fan of using green plants to add life and good green to a room. If there were a plant shelf at same height as top of the door, you could water plants by standing on the bench. How would a couple nice, long cascades of pothos or etc look against that mirror? And something green rising up from the shelf. Pots should be in a nice, warm brown to complement your woods.

Hi Florantha,

Thanks for your ideas -- I've been trying to figure out
how to get some plants and greenery into the kitchen.
I love your idea of a plant shelf with some trailing vines.

And the plants would make my kitchen feel a little more "Laurel's Kitchen,"
one of many happy imaginary places in which I cook)
(minus, of course, the diagonal paneling -- somehow I had blocked that out in my memory!)

I love the rhino. I love the idea of writing on the wall. I do love an Eleanor Roosevelt quote in calligraphy on the wall. "You must do the things you think you cannot do."
We have a similar wall and now I must convince DH to put Mrs. R on the wall.

i vote no rhino. :)

i would dress the table with tablecoth etc to see how it looks. i am not sure about the mirror but do like the bistro idea. i am not convinced you need anything in that upper space.

Before addressing the area above the mirror, the first priority is the back of the banquette. The fact that it is a blank wall is the reason why it's not working as the bistro mirror you envision. You need the back of the banquette and the mirror to read as a single unit, and then you can see how much visual weight the upper wall needs.

Simplest fix is a cushion that fills that space below the mirror. It doesn't need to be too thick, and it can be secured with Velcro.

How about a clock?

OK, after staring at it again, I'm with Live Wire and Marcolo. The problem isn't the space above the banquette (although some interesting print or something there would be great). The problem is the banquette itself looks unfinished without a back cushion. There doesn't appear to be anything tying the banquette to the mirror. Painted woodwork isn't doing it. That's where the "blank spot" is that the eye is going to. It's feels forgotten. I vote for another black and white print, in a larger scale than the seat cushion. As Marcolo said, it doesn't have to be a thick cushion, but there needs to be something there besides the blank whiteness.

Francoise, all rhinos aside, I do love the coffeehouse idea, very much, and I think you're spot on with the mirror behind one's heads (plus, it does really enlargen your space).

I agree with le Marcolo, whose eye is impeccable, that you might want to upholster the back of the bench as well. As it is, it's got that Swedish Gustavian look, which is rather austere compared to a cozy coffeehouse.
There are a number of ways you could do this, and since you already work with fabric it wouldn't be a stretch to do it yourself with some quilt padding. As an upholsterer, I'd suggest using upholstery cushion clips instead of velcro, though, for more stability and a cleaner look. Although building cushions onto the back wouldn't be bad, either, and more comfortable for moving in and out.

My own cafe references are all central European, and my first thought is that actual coffeehouses often have a nice Victorian gilded coat and hat rail above the banquettes, like this:

and this:

(Hey! A huge portrait of the Kaiser, perhaps...?)

Often there are nice Nouveau lamps above the banquettes. Hmmm. The cafe curtains are a must:

I like the idea of a wallpaper, but making sure it's framed by trim to keep it in bounds.

wallpaper and paintings (Cafe Sacher in Vienna, mother of all cafes):
{{!gwi}}

posters:
{{!gwi}}

wallpaper and smaller art (not my favorite, and this shows the effect of putting tschosckes up on a shelf above, not my favorite either):
{{!gwi}}

painting around the mirror:

wallpaper around mirror (my favorite, but then you'd have to hire these refined people to sit in your kitchen all day):

I love mirrors. especially interesting ones. This one fits the bill for me. I love it. :-) My only issue with it would be -- is it too low? if you are sitting in the chair opposite of it, are you able to watch yourself talk/eat? That could be distracting. Otherwise, I think it is fantastic.

As for your wall space above, I immediately thought it was a good place for a word wall... a favorite quote, a scripture... you get the idea.

While I think the rhino is interesting, I'm not feelin' it. Is it your style? If so, go for it...

my vote is words above the mirror. Clock above the doorway. (I suppose the rhino could go above the doorway if it really speaks to you. ;-) )

Love the idea of a piece of architectural salvage above the mirror - iron, wood, whatever, but something a little worn and imperfect. (As for the mirror, keep it, keep it, keep it -- love the sparkle it adds to the room.)

I wonder if you couldn't just paint the back, up to the bottom of the mirror, a dark color (that matches the fabric) and get the same look without actually having to do a small, thin cushion? Although, I think that would be cool too and Marcolo is right - it doesn't have to be hard.

Above the mirror you have a great space to play with. Have fun. Three vertical prints, a mis-match of things that struck your fancy - prints, iron pieces, signs, etc (I have such a wall and it is fun to add to it and see it change and evolve) or get a fancy stencil. Like one of these:

The two places online for stencils are Cutting Edge Designs and Royal Design Stencils. Just a thought...

The rhino is neat but doesn't seem to fit as someone else said. I'm seeing the dark wood of the mirror and table and counters... what about one huge or three largish dark wooden platters hung up there? Handpainted maybe, or an old sign as someone mentioned. The one in the link is kinda charming...

Here is a link that might be useful:

Is your irregular wall a liability or a feature? Up to you.

Not sure I like the idea of putting more fabric on the interior part of the banquette since the window section won't have it. Unless you use same fabric at window and on wall. But the area above the mirror will still seem unfinished.

I think that the wall needs to be about something besides the mirror, that the mirror is there because of the original architecture but now since the room is moving on, you get permission to handle it as you will. That's why I thought that plants hanging down on it would connect mirror to sections of wall farther toward ceiling. I thought of the idea because I very much felt the need of something else closer to ceiling, something not connected to the banquette but serving the room and people who have the vantage you get when you're in the place the photographer is in. That's a high ceiling, you've got a set of really tall cabs and the windows are taller than the door already--giving you that open space that seems to need some attention, the problem you posed at top of this conversation.

Don't rush to fill it in with a permanent solution yet. Try hanging a large-scale design up there, but covering a smaller area than the mirror so the painted area retains its unity. Begin looking at art fairs for a good piece of framed art for the spot? Or a woven piece with good personality when seen from a distance? Or 3 rhinos in a row? Or offer an artist $100 and the scraps from your floor and see what happens--a sculptural item or a 3D frieze?

Or look for a large metal object or a set of objects that repeat that metal of your pendants. Serving trays? Steampunk object(s)? Railroad car-style storage units to continue the coat&hat idea mentioned above as being in bistros? But instead fill the period shelving with plants or a collection or something in them, since they will be too high to be functional? Nothing subtle or small scale--something big enough to speak to those across the room.

Or what about copying the pattern of the cushion fabric in paint and stencil it as a patterned decorative band on the paint along the lip above the mirror? (Or create a complementary set of stripes, perhaps also alluding to the floor pattern? Imagine it 6 inches deep. Imagine it a foot deep and as wide as the mirror nook.)

How about a collection of creamy white plates, platters, saucers, etc. They can be mismatched, and be new or antique (or both). Start with a large platter or plate in the center, and work your way around it. In fact, lay it out on the floor first. Also a large object, like a clock would look great. A large flat basket of some sort would be great, too. BTW, I like your cafe curtains!

Oh, and I always say there's nothing like a rhino to complete a kitchen :)

Wow, who knew how many paper mache rhino lovers there were on Gardenweb?!

I wish I was the kind of person to put a rhino on my kitchen wall.
But I hope to see some rhinos in other GW kitchen soon.
Maybe we'll create a new category: The One True Rhino Kitchen.

Seriously, thanks so much to everyone who has taken the time to offer advice,
both about what to do with the wall above the banquette and mirror
and about what do do about the banquette/mirror unit.
I super appreciate the advice.

Circuspeanuts -- thanks so much for your inspiring cafe images
and advise about upholstery cushion clips

Marcolo and Greendesigns -- thanks for helping me see that the problem
isn't just the wall space above, but is also the plain white painted slant back of the banquette.
I experimented with some fabric and cushions there when I got home from work today
and think that is certainly something I'm going to consider.

Newsouthernbelle -- your suggestion to paint the back of the banquette seat
a contrasting color is something I hadn't thought of.
I'll mock up some colors and try that. And thanks for the link to the stencils.

Sixtyohno -- thanks for the word art/quote suggestions. Great idea!
Although my otherwise saintly DH would never go for it, if I did do it,
perhaps a favorite recipe:

1 cup flour,
4 eggs,
1 cup milk,
4 tbsp melted butter,
bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes,
voila: popovers.

Caminnc -- love the clock idea.

Lawjedi -- glad you like the mirror. No, you can't see faces or even heads in the mirror.
It is too high for that. We did the poker test last weekend too,
making sure that you see a hand of cards when playing poker.

Lake Girl -- yes, good idea: a collection of antique plates --
perhaps tying in with the 1920s vibe of the house --
would be easy and something I could change out from time to time.

Having so many sets of eyes on my problem area has been so useful.
I'm leaning toward removing the mirror from the door frame and just mounting the mirror in the alcove.
The mirror, original to the house in 1928, has a beautiful patina to it.
But the fame is perhaps a bit heavy and less interesting in the space.
It is also 2 inches thick and covers the walnut ledge our contractor built on the top of the banquette.
I think the mirror alone will look more graceful without the mahogany frame
and will look less like like it is part of banquette unit. Hope that makes sense.
I may paint the several inches of alcove wall that will be visible behind the mirror
an even deeper color, to accentuate the depth of the alcove.

Keep the ideas flowing!

I love your kitchen and the mirror too. I think the perfect thing to add there would be an antique wall clock. Here's a mockup of your kitchen with one hung there.

What do you think?

Dear Blondelle,

Thanks for the photo mock up of the antique clock --
it really helps to see it.

Well to solve the problem of not having the fabric of the banquette back on the window side, why not use the window fabric as the banquette back? Yes, it's a sheer and would need to be backed with some iron on facing to give it enough body, but it might work.

Is the banquette deep enough to have a padded back piece mounted to the wall in the same fabric. I don't mind it being bare but I'm concerned it will get really dirty as people lean against it. The paint might also take on a shine from wear there. The other cushions can lean against that. It would be a lot more comfortable too.

I really like the big antique clock idea.
But, failing that, and the rhino,
How 'bout this?

Is the banquette seat deep enough to have a padded back piece mounted to the wall in the same fabric? Maybe something not too deep with button tufting. I don't mind it being bare but I'm concerned it will get really dirty as people lean against it. The paint might also take on a shine from wear there. The other cushions can lean against that. It would be a lot more comfortable too.

Is the banquette seat deep enough to have a padded back piece mounted to the wall in the same fabric? Maybe something not too deep with button tufting. I don't mind it being bare but I'm concerned it will get really dirty as people lean against it. The paint might also take on a shine from wear there. The other cushions can lean against that. It would be a lot more comfortable too.

willtv -- only if it sings.

Willtv and Circuspeanuts:

A singing stuffed fish --
now I can say that GW
has truly helped me think through
every option!

Blondelle -- yes, the banquette is deep enough for a thin back cushion.
Tufted would be a good look in our kitchen.

Livewireoak -- the curtain fabric is flax and has a nice body to it.
It could be used for the back cushion. I'll try mocking that up with
some extra fabric today. Thanks for the suggestion.

Following up from yesterday:

Bmorepanic and Christine40--
thanks for the suggestion about moving the mirror up
and finding another purpose for the alcove.

Babushka cat -- yes, table linens might help part of the problem with the space!

I like it as it is. Beautiful mirror, it seems to fit right. The only suggestion is a cushion behind the left seat. Pillows don't seem right and my experience is people continue to move them out of the way. The writing above wall is interesting and simple enough not to take away from what is a wonderful corner.

Seriously now, I think the mirror is fine.
I agree with others that the back of the banquette needs some upholstery. I would use the same fabric that you're using for the cushions.
And again, I really like the oversized antique clock idea.
Post a few shots after you decide.

Thanks so much for all of your helpful suggestions last month
about what to do with the alcove above my banquette.

We decided (for now) to take down the mirror
and build paneling in that area to match the molding profile
on our kitchen cabinet doors.
I think DH did a great job matching the trim on our cabinets.
This may look a little plain and in the photos the trim detail is washed out;
but in real life it makes the banquette area even more integrated
into the kitchen, especially since everything is painted in the same color.
The magnetic paint is still underneath the top coat of white paint
and you can see it in action in this photo:

{{!gwi}}

We are still trying to decide what art work or clock to put on the wall above;
for now we've put a picture of our house by a local artist.

{{!gwi}}

After the holidays when I have more time I plan to make a thin, tufted back for the banquette, possibly with a nailhead trim detail:

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

A clock for the wall above is still a possibility;
I'm also thinking a glass shelf for plants (one of the GW suggestions)
or these glass wall pockets might be interesting in that space:
{{!gwi}}

Comments and suggestions are still welcome!

I glanced through this thread but the ideas I like are: keep the mirror, put a matching cushion of the back wall of the bench as suggested by marcolo, and put an inspirational wall stencil above the mirror like dilly suggested.

Here is a link that might be useful: Word stencils

I like the mirror. Jackye Lanham, an Atlanta decorator, has a kitchen where she used old pewter platters on the wall. It looked great. Or creamware. It would be too high I think for art or anything that needs to be viewed at eye level to be appreciated.

She has a full website but here is a link

Here is a link that might be useful:

Dear Mercy and athensmomof3,
Thanks for your suggestions.

I love the Jakye Lanham kitchen and had never seen it before.
Those pewter plates are beautiful on the wall.
They seem to be one of her signatures:

{{!gwi}}

I didn't carefully read everything above but did scan. I like the mirror where it is, in the niche -- especially since it's original to the house. To me, though, it kind of got a bar/bistro feeling going and when I googled to see what was paired with behind the bar mirrors, I got this image:

{{!gwi}}

I like the chalkboard menu idea for the space above (making it go only as high as the neighboring window), but since the above look isn't exactly congruent with your "more bistro than bar" feeling, I'd execute it more like this (from boxer pup's archives):

No rhino, though.

francoise47,

I like what you did with the nook making it more in keeping with the rest of the kitchen. What I don't think works is the picture that is above it. For one, it is way to high (above eye level) for anyone to view properly. Art is generally viewed at eye level. Exceptions being things that are huge and very graphic (like a big antique sign for example), which this is not. Second, it is way too small for the space. Looks like a tiny island floating in a beige sea. I say go for something that doesn't need to be viewed up close to be appreciated. Some great ideas so far plates/platters metal or ceramic, or a nice BIG clock.

So sorry, I just read that you'd given an update at the end. I think what you did looks great with the paneling. Good solution and great work by your dh.