THE GAPING MAW

Tobacco basket in an earthy green.

Arched and latticed window frame, in a variety of sizes.

Definition: The space above kitchen cabinets before the ceiling starts. In modern construction, the maw is not limited to just the kitchen, but can also be found randomly throughout the house — above the coat closet or in the stairwell, for instance. Someone thought it would be a good idea to have a display space 8-14 feet off the ground, making cleaning it an unpleasant affair involving extension poles and ladders. Conversely, maybe you didn’t have to clean it, because it’s 8-14 feet off the ground and no one can see it anyway. See what I did there?

Back when I lived in a house built in 1926, I didn’t have this problem. The cabinets went all the way up to the ceiling. Fast forward to my 1992 split level, with a big kitchen featuring three gaping maws created by the airy cathedral ceilings. Happily, the rest of the house is maw-less.

What to do? I left it empty for a while, which contributed to the overall feeling that no one lived there. I put my treasured collection of midcentury hand-blown glass vases and pitchers up there, but they looked like shot glasses from normal viewing height. So, with scale foremost in mind, I began my quest for something the right size, unique and easy to remove and clean. Here’s what I found.

Both from Burlap. burlapfargo.com Antique botanicals in black and white from Eco Chic. iloveecochic.com

Fringe and tassels, for the boho kitchen.

Super modern and clean black metal wall hung sculpture. [below]

Both from Dash + White. dashandwhite.com And here’s my actual gaping maw, nicely filled with stoneware pitchers from Burlap. burlap.com