Easy way is to increase header size by a few px and reset position.
I see what you are trying to do. The blank space in Adam's example is part of the LAYOUT. Don't know if that can be addressed.
As for the blank space in header/head.tpl increease or decrease header px in style.css. Let me take a look and can find where it is.
I did a similar thing for my logo to make it even. Give me a day or so and I will get back to you. Working on something else right now with different code.