Installing a window over the kitchen sink is a design default for many homebuilders. Having a view of nature while you’re washing dishes is nice, but it’s not the only option for kitchen design. What if there aren’t beautiful views on the other side of the wall, or maybe you’d rather get more function from the space above your kitchen sink? If you’ve been looking at this area and wondering how to make it more useful or attractive, we’ve got some ideas to share!

Essa Single Handle Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet in Matte Black (above); Contemporary Wall Mount Pot Filler and Single Handle Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet with Touch₂O Technology (top)

Fantasy Island: A room with a view can be an appealing proposition, particularly if your kitchen sink is fixed in an island. This design allows you to face out into a room of family and friends instead of doing dishes with your back turned to them. This socially minded setup lends itself well to entertaining and continuing conversation while performing prep work or cleanup chores. To make this space truly inviting, consider hanging stylish pendant lights over the counter. If cabinet space is at a premium, install a pot rack and show off your cookware. With an island sink, you can even supervise homework or crafts while you cook.

Essa Single Handle Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet with Touch₂O Technology

Deft Display: If you need more space, the solid wall in front of your kitchen sink provides an excellent location for additional storage. You can choose to install glass-front cabinets to show off your beautiful dishes or open shelves to make your mixing bowls easier to reach. (Open-air shelves will need to be dusted and cleaned more frequently, so limit the items you put on them.) Illuminating your cabinet spaces with curio lights makes for a nice finishing touch.

Cassidy Single Handle Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet with Touch₂O and ShieldSpray Technologies

Art Attack: You’ll be spending a little time each day standing in front of your kitchen sink, so select something lovely to dazzle your gaze. Choose a work of art you love—a painting of a relaxing scene or framed doodles from your children—to decorate this space. Antique farmhouse kitchen gadgets or a vase of fresh flowers will add great color and texture. These can be hung directly on the wall or placed along a shelf or two. Make sure the art you select is lovely but not precious since these items will be living above an active water source.

Trinsic Single Handle Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet

Mark Your Words: Your kitchen sink isn’t lacking a window—it’s gaining an area for positive affirmations and culinary inspirations! It’s easy to make the area around the sink into a more rejuvenating space. You could try painting the windowless wall in chalkboard paint and covering it in motivational quotes. Using the space to write out your weekly schedule or grocery list could make organizing that much easier. (Keep a container of chalk next to the sink so it’s at the ready.) This would also be a great place to hang a corkboard to house favorite recipes or magazine clippings.

A kitchen sink without a window presents an opportunity for creative décor. When the view isn’t predetermined, you can really think about what you’d like to see while standing at the sink. Whether you’ve got a wide-open space with a view to the TV (hello, cooking shows!) or a wall that would be perfect for your antique pottery, the area in front your kitchen sink is your canvas.