Heart Of Your Holiday Home: 8 Things to Make Your Kitchen Festive
Tis the season to decorate your Christmas kitchen. Here are eight additions to amp up the festive vibe. Embrace the warmth of the season and let the heart of your home radiate the unmistakable charm of Christmas.
No matter who comes to visit us at Christmastime, family and guests end up in our kitchen. Is your kitchen a gathering place too? So let’s infuse our kitchens with the spirit of Christmas using 8 decorative items that will give your kitchen a festive and cozy look.
Decorating your kitchen at Christmas is more than just a holiday indulgence; it’s a heartfelt expression of the season that resonates throughout your home. Our kitchens, the heart of our holiday home, become a hub of activity during the holiday season. Adding Christmas decor to your kitchen not only elevates the visual appeal of the space but also creates a tangible sense of celebration and togetherness.
Decorating your kitchen in Christmas finery sets the stage for creating lasting memories by serving a beautiful backdrop for special moments like coffee with a treasured friend or baking your favorite Christmas cookies. And a Christmas kitchen makes everyday tasks a little easier and our hearts more joyful.
Even At Christmas Function, Trumps Form
When it comes to decorating a kitchen for Christmas, the age-old saying function trumps form takes center stage in the most delightful way.
While we love the charm of Christmas decorations, the heart of the kitchen lies in its functionality, especially during the bustling holiday season. It makes common sense to want our decorations to seamlessly enhance our kitchen’s beauty but not hinder its efficiency. Practical elements like well-organized utensils, accessible ingredients, and a clutter-free workspace become the unsung heroes, ensuring all your culinary activities run smoothly.
Keeping this in mind, decorate your Christmas kitchen to reflect a color palette, style, and theme that compliments the rest of your holiday home.
So, let function lead the way, allowing festive decor to enhance, not overshadow, the magic unfolding in your holiday-ready kitchen. Your kitchen should be where the joy of cooking and the spirit of Christmas go hand in hand!
A Bit Of Greenery
A must-have in your Holiday kitchen is a bit of Christmas greenery. Evergreen clippings and small branches instantly bring a warm, nostalgic spirit to your kitchen.
Add real or faux greens to a bowl, pedestaled cake plate, or tray, along with other Christmas elements like ornaments, berries, and pinecones. Nothing transforms a kitchen into a Christmas kitchen like greenery!
In our Christmas kitchen, I use both real and faux greens and in two small arrangements, I used real and faux together. I like to disperse the greens somewhat evenly around the kitchen, staying away from work surfaces.
I used greens in a few spots in our kitchen to give our white kitchen warmth and a festive look. I added a metal and copper tray of greens and pinecones in front of the sink.
One Christmas Arrangement
If you have room in your kitchen, add one arrangement, centerpiece, or vignette that will get attention. Think of it as your kitchen’s focal point.
Adding a focal point centerpiece to a kitchen countertop or island is more than just a decorative flourish; it’s a savvy design choice that can transform your entire kitchen, making it look festive. A carefully selected centerpiece draws the eye, creating a visual anchor that captures attention and adds a touch of personality to the heart of your home. It can be as simple as a beautiful vase of store bought Christmas-inspired flowers flowers or a bowl of pomegranates and greens. Or as elaborate as a vignette with Christmas dishes and other things in it.
There is a spot on our kitchen counter that is perfect for a large Christmas arrangement. It can be seen from the living room, dining room, sunroom, and kitchen. Every year, I create something new for this area. This year, I put together a bowl of paperwhite. I LOVE paperwhites. They are wonderful flowers to use for Christmas and winter. And they smell heavenly.
The paperwhites in this arrangement are fake! I will use them now until the spring in the kitchen. Look for a very easy DIY about how to make an arrangement for your home soon.
If you have been following StoneGable for any time you will probably know that I say…
Don’t let decor be the cheese.
The nursery rhyme The Farmer In The Dell is a lesson in good interior decor! You know the song… the farmer takes a wife, the wife takes a child, the child takes a dog, the dog takes a cat, the cat takes a rat, the rat takes the cheese, and the cheese stands alone!
Decor, like the living things in The Farmer In The Dale, doesn’t like to be alone. In many cases, accents and even some centerpieces look best with other decor beside or around it. So don’t let your decor stand alone.
Unless it is a large centerpiece. The paperwhite centerpiece liked being alone. It was very happy to be the big cheese all by itself!
However, if you have a smaller arrangement, add other decors to help support. Most of the time, decor is happiest when put with other items.
Trees
Kitchens are a great place to add a few little trees, especially if your full-size tree cannot be seen in your kitchen. They’re not just decorations; they’re tiny emissaries of the season, reminding you to savor the merry moments in the midst of meal preparations and other kitchen tasks.
Small trees are perfect because they can be grouped together, making a sweet and harmonious composition that is sure to draw the attention of anyone who comes into your Christmas kitchen. Trees are added to other decor creates holiday synergy!
So, let the little trees take root in your kitchen, and let them bring their own unique beauty and whimsy to every corner!
Trees are my Christmas collection of choice. I’ve been collecting them here and there for decades. A couple of years ago, I found white porcelain trees that lit up in three sizes. These are my go-to additions to a little arrangement or vignette.
Candles
Decorating with candles in a Christmas kitchen creates an atmosphere of warmth, intimacy, and serenity. Candles, with their soft, flickering glow, make everything look and feel almost magical. What a perfect setting to enjoy family and friends.
Candles come in delightful seasonal scents like cinnamon, pine, or gingerbread, filling your kitchen and home with scents that are nostalgic and remind us of Christmas past. Our favorite candle scent is sugar cookie dough. It always reminds me of baking with my children.
Candles are another must-have when decorating a kitchen for Christmas.
A Merry Coffee/Tea Station
Decorating a coffee station in your Christmas kitchen is like giving your daily jolt of caffeine a festive makeover.
Just think how fun it would be to wake up and make your coffee at a station dressed up for the holidays. It’s not just about functionality; it’s about turning your morning routine into a holiday ritual. From festive mugs and seasonal coffee blends to a sprinkling of Christmas decor, a Christmas coffee station will start your day off merry and so much brighter.
Art
Art depicting Christmas scenes is a nice touch to add to the kitchen if you have a little space. Art allows you to express your unique style and personality. By choosing Christmas-themed art, you can personalize your kitchen decor, and it elevates your kitchen’s aesthetic.
If you don’t have space in your kitchen for a small picture, go vertical.
In our kitchen, I have a trio of pictures on the wall depicting Santa in his sleigh with the reindeer pulling it. And on a countertop, I added a scruffy reindeer watercolor. Reindeer are one of the repeated elements in our Christmas home.
A Christmassy Scent
When you think about filling your home with beautiful scents, it’s not just about cooking; it’s about curating an experience that indulges the senses and fills your space with nostalgic scents of the season. Whether it’s the piney aroma of a Christmas tree, the sweet vanilla undertones of sugar cookies, or the rich aroma of holiday spices, each fragrance adds its own delicious layer to your kitchen.
This season I made a Christmas Simmer Pot to infuse our kitchen and home with the scents of orange, evergreen, allspice, cinnamon, and clove. Our home smells like Christmas!
I also made a Christmas Simmer Pot to give as gifts using dried fruit instead of fresh. You can see a How To Make A Christmas Simmer Pot HERE. Included in this post are printable Christmas Simmer Pot gift tags.
Other Things To Make A Kitchen Look Festive
Your kitchen is the heart of your holiday home, so make it festive and functional. Here are other things to enhance its Christmas spirit…
- Holiday-themed linens
- Garlands and wreaths
- Seasonal dishware
- Snow and snowflakes
- Fairy Lights
- Jars filled with cookie cutters, ornaments, hot cocoa, marshmallows, candy canes, and other Christmassy items.
- Season rug
- Gingerbread houses and men
- Cookies on a domed cake plate
Click On The Video Below For More Christmas Inspiration
May your Christmas kitchen be filled with delicious aromas, heartwarming traditions, and the magic of a kitchen that radiates the true spirit of the holidays.
I have those same little white light up trees. I bought them last year at a cute shoppe on vacation.
They are the perfect addition to any vignette! Merry Christmas 🎅🏻🎄
Merry Christmas!
Wonderful ideas. Have a wonderful Christmas, my friend.
Thank you Renae, you too my friend!
Years ago, my living room was probably the most heavily decorated room in my house. But somewhere along the way, I realized that I spent most of the time in the kitchen baking cookies, making meals, enjoying a cup of coffee in the morning. When I realized that Pier One had a 50% off sale on 12/26 at 8 a.m. (and in later years the week before Christmas), I went hog wild! Above my sink I have a 3 ft wide window box and I swear, it could compete with Macy’s in downtown Chicago! It typically displays a Christmas tree farm of mercury glass trees. I also changed out linens, dishes, rugs, etc to Christmas decor. I always have candles or potpurri and Alexa is always playing music of the season! Now, I’m not so grumpy when I’m relegated to the kitchen while others are looking at the tree – in fact, the last two years I’ve skipped the tree! This year, I decided on a lighter hand, but it’s still festive!
I think there is a lot of wisdom in your example. Good for you, you can still be festive and still have lots of room to work in our kitchens. Merry Christmas.
I love the round table in the kitchen. It finishes the room. Beautiful kitchen Christmas decortions.
Love it all Yvonne! As you continue to post your holiday ideas I get more and more excited about the idea of decorating for the holidays in a downsized home. We know where that will be just waiting for one to go on sale. Most excited about the four season porch. Thanks for the great posts!
Hi June, I’ll be posting my Christmas porch on Monday. Merry Christmas!
Wonderful ideas. I’m afraid my kitchen gets left out of the Christmas vibe, (except for the food!), so this year I must follow your directive.
So glad you are going to add a bit of Christmas cheer to the heart of your holiday home.
Yvonne, I love your Christmas kitchen — so beautiful and so cozy! I, too, enjoy having Christmas items in my kitchen. Have a great week! Bless you! Thanks for all your fabulous ideas!
Merry Christmas Mary Ann!
Love your ideas and it’s always a pleasure to open your emails. Merry Christmas🎄and thank you!
Where did you purchase the black and white checkered planters?
Lovely ideas for Christmas!
Thanks fir this fantastic idea. I am making my house smell so festive as of now. You rock!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family
Thank you Ivory! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too!