Can you believe it is almost Christmas? If you are in a panic for decorating ideas, I have you covered. Let me help you transform your kitchen into a festive wonderland with 51 of my all time favorite Christmas kitchen decorating ideas.
The kitchen truly is the heart of the home and while it also may be the workhorse of the home, it often is neglected when it comes to Christmas decorating. The living room or dining room always seems to get the most attention, but wait until I show you these easy ways to bring holiday cheer to your kitchen!
But before I get started, it is our Christmas edition of the Designing Women Tell All, where I have joined with two other interior designers to share all of our interior design experience and knowledge.
Let’s get started…
Table of Contents
1. Decorate the pendants over the island
We often overlook the lights hanging above our islands because we are so focused on decorating surfaces such as kitchen countertops and shelves. Don’t neglect them though because the light illuminating from them can look charming peeking through a sprig of evergreen bough held by a simple velvet ribbon.
Or you could always wrap twine and hang a small wreaths made of red jingle bells as I did over our water glass pendants.
2. Hang a wreath on your hood fan
Many people hang wreaths from their wooden range covers but if you have a more modern stainless steel one like ours don’t let it deter you. I simply used a clear command hook to hang the wreath which will be easy to remove later. The hook is quite difficult to see so I may just leave it and start adding wreaths in this location throughout the year.
As our hood fan is quite modern, I kept the wreath very simple with a rope base, faux evergreens and a red velvet ribbon.
3. Replace the cushions on your chairs
Island chair cushions are a fun decor piece to swap out with the seasons.
These red buffalo check ones with white and red pom pom fringe are absolutely adorable!
4. Add embellishments to charcuterie boards
Charcuterie boards have become a staple in the kitchen with all their shapes and sizes. They offer a perfect opportunity for a new item to decorate.
Dangle a pretty little ornament from the handle or wrap the handle in ribbon with holly.
5. Display a gingerbread house
Gingerbread houses are so popular this year so why not incorporate one into your decor scheme?
This one placed on a wood riser looks right at home on my dining room hutch. Surrounded in matching wood trees, it is picture perfect!
These sweet gingerbread houses were once a mismatched pair from a variety of Christmas house villages I had. Click on this link if you want to learn how to turn them into this sweet matching pair in 3 easy steps.
6. Bring out the pretty seasonal tea towels
Seasonal tea towels are so fun to collect, but make sure they don’t sit in a drawer because you are afraid they will be used and get dirty.
Hanging them from a barat the end of my island, keeps them protected but also puts them on display!
You can always use them as a base for an arrangement or other decor. Or wrap them around the pot of a poinsettia. The options are endless.
7. Decorate a tiered tray with a Christmas collection
Tiered trays are a must at Christmas because they are the perfect spot to exhibit a cherished Christmas collection.
8. Don’t forget about the silver
It is Christmas and now is the time to get fancy so bring out the silver. Whether it be a silver tea pot, serving dishes or this martini set.
9. Decorate your upper glass kitchen cabinets
Christmas is the perfect time to change up whatever you have in your upper display cabinets. This is the perfect spot for delicate breakables as they will be out of reach of small children.
If you don’t have glass upper cabinets, you could display Christmas cards on the tops of your cabinets.
10. Now is the time to show off family heirlooms
Do you have china that is been handed down from generation to generation? Or what about fancy glassware? If so, think about showcasing them on open shelves because this time of year they will blend in nicely with more formal and elegant kitchen decor.
11. Invest in Christmas placemats and chargers
Elevate your Christmas tablescape by starting with dedicated Christmas placemats and chargers below your china.
12. Place wreaths on the back of chairs
Often the best place for a mini wreath is on the back of a chair. They look so pretty there and add so much festive cheer to what would otherwise be a bare chair back.
13. Create a hot cocoa station
Be ready for a sudden chocolate craving by having a dedicated hot chocolate station. For mine I used a tiered tray and placed all the necessities such as mugs, hot chocolate mix, mini marshmallows, candy canes, sprinkles, etc.
14. Display a seasonal mug collection
Are you a closet Santa mug collector? Well don’t hide this obsession, embrace it and share all your Santa mugs with your friends and family.
15. Christmas oven mitts
Hide away the old stained oven mitts and bring out a fresh pair of pretty Christmas oven mitts. These ones won’t need to be hidden in a drawer but will look great laying on the counter or hanging from a towel bar.
16. Dry fruit and display
If you are looking for an old fashioned Christmas look loaded with sweet charm, consider drying fruit like oranges, apples or pears. They can be strung into garlands or hung as ornaments.
If you want to learn how to do this, just click on this link for an informative fruit drying and decorating post.
17. Set up a Christmas tree in your kitchen
If you have the space, I highly suggest having a Christmas tree in your kitchen. It can be a small tabletop one or a full size one like ours. The sparkle, color and warmth an extra Christmas tree can bring to your kitchen is surprising.
This year, I placed our flocked Christmas tree in our kitchen/dining room and it has brought so much Christmas cheer to the area.
18. Add ribbon and cookie cutters to canisters
One of the easiest ways to add a little Christmas to your kitchen is to tie Christmas cookie cutters onto your flour and sugar canisters with a Christmas ribbon.
19. Replace art with Christmas signs
Swap out art or family photos with Christmas art and signs.
Snuggling them into a centerpiece or a floral arrangement can be fun too.
20. Add metal stars to your decor
Metal stars that can be used any time of year, can be especially festive at Christmas as they can represent the North star above Bethlehem.
21. Candy canes
Candy canes tucked into mugs or on garlands or hung or in a mini Christmas tree in your kitchen are also an easy way to decorate.
22. Frame a window with an evergreen garland or with twinkle lights
Simple frame a window with an evergreen garland or twinkle lights and voila instant Christmas cheer!
23. Add evergreen boughs to a chandelier
Like pendant lights, people often forget that chandeliers can be decorated for Christmas.
You can add something as simple battery operated string lights, or hang Christmas ornaments or even intertwine fresh greenery into the chandelier.
24. Hang a wreath on a kitchen window
Suction cups are a great way to hang a wreath on a window, or by a beautiful deep green satin ribbon.
25. Add bottle brush trees to your shelves
Bottle brush trees add instant Christmas charm to a shelf.
26. Set up seasonal place settings on your island or table
No need to wait for the guests to arrive when you have pretty place settings, set them early just as you would Christmas decorations and enjoy them for an extended period of time.
27. Get out the doughbowl and be creative
Doughbowls are so versatile and fun. Line the doughbowl with plastic and insert small Christmas trees (real ones) and cover with moss.Add a rustic ribbon and a couple of dollar store reindeer. Surround with cedar boughs and candles.
Or set up two cute snow people in it.
There are so many options so let you creativity flow. If you would like to learn how I created these doughbowl centerpieces and a few more, just click this link.
28. Add red or green plates, bowls and mugs to open shelves
Our kitchen color scheme this year was red and white and wow what an impact it has. It truly says Christmas so even just a few red mugs are enough!
29. Star Anise
I love star anise – they are so pretty and smell so good. Simply glue one to a dried orange and hang on a tree or in front of a window and let the sun shine through.
30. Hang ornaments from ribbon in front of windows
Tie a pretty ribbon to a special ornament or a few of them and hang them in front of a window. They will turn and sparkle all day long and even catch the glimmer of your Christmas lights outside.
31. Change out your everyday mat, rug or runner for a seasonal one
This has to be one of the easiest ways to infuse your kitchen with Christmas spirit – just add a pretty “Merry Christmas” mat in front of your sink or a runner with a Christmas pattern on it.
32. Prepare a simmering pot
If you want to infuse your kitchen with rich Christmas scents prepare a simmering pot. This is done by simply filling a pot with water, apple juice or apple cider and bringing it to a low boil. Then add slices or oranges, cinnamon sticks, cloves, evergreens and rosemary. Turn the heat down and let simmer.
33. Use fresh holly as a tablescape decoration
A simple sprig of holly with red berries on a crisp white plate looks so festive.
34. Display all your baking and chocolates on a dessert stand
Don’t hide away all your baking but display it on a beautiful dessert tray or stand.
35. Hang a wreath or artwork on a suction cup on the tile backsplash
We often don’t consider sprucing up our tile backsplashes but they can be a great place to add a wreath or artwork by simply hanging them from a suction cup hook.
36. Make a winter scene under a covered cake plate
This sweet cake stand is not actually large enough to hold a cake but it sure can hold a pretty Christmas house!
37. Add fairy lights
Simply adding some fairy lights to faux greenery down the center of your table can be enough. Just small touches like that can make all the difference.
38. Replace a bow on a wreath with red or deep green satin ribbon
Forget about the big overdone bows of the past! Simply tie a red or green satin ribbon on a wreath and let it droop. You will go from out-dated to simple elegance with this easy swap.
39. Place boughs of cedar on counters
You don’t always need to create a centerpiece with cedar boughs – they are fine all on their own.
40. Display a variety of pinecones
Collecting pinecones is a hobby of mine so I cannot wait until Christmas to display all my treasures. They are so easy to display too as all you need is a basket or tray.
41. Invest in seasonal napkin rings and cloth napkins
Napkins are a must, so why not elevate the decor and use cloth napkins with beautiful napkin rings.
These reindeer napkin rings are one of my favorites.
42. Place candles on a mirrored tray
Look for ways to use mirrors at Christmas because they are perfect for reflecting all the lights of the season. This beautiful round mirrored tray looks beautiful with silver tree shaped candles, tiny trees in pots and a red berry wreath.
43. Change out everyday cookie jars with seasonal ones
Replacing items, like cookie jars, with Christmas or winter styled ones is also fun. One of my favorites is my brand new snow man cookie jar. It makes me smile every time I see it.
44. Add children’s Christmas books on open shelving
Christmas books can add simple touches to shelves. You can either have them upright or stack them and place a pinecone or tiny tree on top.
45. Fill mason jars with snow and small figurines
Another easy Christmas diy is to take a mason jar, fill it with faux snow and then add an ornament on top like a small ceramic snowman. Screw on the lid and tie a simple ribbon around it.
46. Place Christmas candles on a window sill
Christmas candles don’t always have to be on the table, consider placing them on a window sill. They will not only look great from the inside but also the outside.
47. Add scented potpourri to a bowl
If you love to smell all the Christmas scents, potpourri is a great option. Simply place in a crystal bowl and enjoy!
48. Table runner or tablecloth
They have the prettiest Christmas table runners and tablecloths at inexpensive prices at so many of the stores now. Look at this beautiful one I found at Homesense.
49. Decorate cabinet doors
Tape a piece of ribbon on the back of a cabinet door, then bring the ribbon up and over and hang a wreath or dollar store ornament from it. Now while this is my laundry room, I am sure you get the idea of how to decorate the doors by seeing this photo.
50. Create an evergreen centerpiece
Fresh evergreens not only say Christmas but they also bring in a beautiful Christmas scent to your kitchen. Creating an evergreen centerpiece is also extremely simple. Start with an unusual base such as this vintage sleigh, add candles and intersperse with holly branches.
For a traditional look, insert oasis into a pretty urn and start arranging the pieces of evergreen. Start with the largest ones at the base and work up to the smaller ones. You can also add red or white roses and a beautiful ribbon bow to match.
51. Place a Christmas cookbook on a cookbook holder
Can it get any easier? Just place a Christmas cookbook open to a favorite recipe on a cookbook stand and voila – instant Christmas decor!
In summary…
Throughout the holiday season there is one thing that will not change and that is the fact that you will spend most of it in the kitchen. Therefore it is a great idea to decorate your kitchen with all your might and make the heart of your home a cozy Christmas kitchen that you will love to spend time in!
It is time to check out the other Designing Women…
Kristy from At Home with Kristyis from Texas,is a homebody at heart and very passionate about creating a warm & welcoming home environment for family and friends. Kristy has a BS Interior Design and has worked as an Interior Designer for 35 years specializing in Residential Interior Design. She is a planner, perfectionist, & big picture thinker, but also loves getting lost in the weeds perfecting every detail. Kristy loves sharing her knowledge and expertise to inspire, encourage and empower others. This month Kristy is sharingholiday kitchen decor with a French country touch.
Sheri from Savvy in the Suburbsis also from Texasand owned and operated a successful interior design business for most of her adult life. Now she is enjoying fluffing her own nest, spending time with her family – three married children and five grandchildren, and growing in her relationship with the Lord. As she joyfully enters the last season of her life, she relishes family time and believes in the old adage: God first, family second, all else third. She is enjoying the opportunity to share this truth as well as her years of design expertise and love of all things home. This month Sheri is sharinghow to create a unique Christmas centerpiece on a budget.
Thank you!
As always, thank you for reading until the end. I appreciate your support so very much.
Best wishes for a most joyous Christmas and holiday season!
