This is the original theme file from a clean opensuse 13.1 - Gnome installation: /usr/share/themes/Adwaita/metacity-1/metacity-theme-3.xml
<frame_geometry name="max" title_scale="medium" parent="normal" rounded_top_left="false" rounded_top_right="false">
<distance name="left_width" value="0" />
<distance name="right_width" value="0" />
<distance name="title_vertical_pad" value="15"/> <!--
This needs to be 1 less then the
title_vertical_pad on normal state
or you'll have bigger buttons -->
<border name="title_border" left="10" right="10" top="1" bottom="2"/>
<border name="button_border" left="0" right="0" top="0" bottom="0"/>
<distance name="bottom_height" value="0" />
</frame_geometry>
My Dell has a 13.3" screen
So, to get back this useless area, set has_title="false" and remove that 15 from title_vertical_pad
<frame_geometry name="max" title_scale="medium" parent="normal" rounded_top_left="false" rounded_top_right="false" has_title="false">
<distance name="left_width" value="0" />
<distance name="right_width" value="0" />
<distance name="title_vertical_pad" value="0"/>
<border name="title_border" left="10" right="10" top="1" bottom="2"/>
<border name="button_border" left="0" right="0" top="0" bottom="0"/>
<distance name="bottom_height" value="0" />
</frame_geometry>
To apply this changes, run the command r: Alt-F2 and then r