It’s the time of year when everyone starts decorating their homes for the holidays. Whether you’re hosting a large family dinner or have a series of smaller events planned at home, you want to showcase its best features. If you’re just starting to decorate for the holidays, why not start with the kitchen?
At this time of the year, most families gravitate towards the kitchen and it’s a good place to begin setting up the winter decor. Creating a winter wonderland in the kitchen does not mean you have to take it down after the holidays. Don’t restrict yourself to holiday decor and create a winter-themed kitchen you can enjoy until spring!
Set the stage for holiday cooking and baking with some of these ideas for your kitchen.
Less is more – keep it minimal
If you look around stores for winter decorations, there are just so many options. It can be tempting to buy everything that looks good but keep in mind that less is more when it comes to decorating. Don’t go overboard and start decorating everything in sight. Pick out a few key areas around the kitchen to spice up for winter. Or select a theme and use variations of it through the kitchen.
Keeping it minimal has many benefits. You don’t have to break the bank to decorate the kitchen, nor do you have to spend a lot of time making your own ornaments. With just a few touches here and there, you can finish decorating and spend the time with your family and friends instead.
Consider the lighting
Use string lights to evoke a starry night sky inside your kitchen. Hang a few strings near the windows or on top of the cabinets. You can even coil the strings in a few mason jars to display on the counter. Or use them on the dining table for family dinners. You can also light some aromatic candles to create the cozy ambiance you want. If your budget allows it, you can even get a few color-changing LED lights strips to make some magic!
Where should you start?
The best place to start is to look around your kitchen and note the key features. Do you have a vintage island, a dainty window above the sink, or a bright stove/hood? Then that’s where you can start. If you have a small breakfast table or counter in the kitchen, you can decorate that too. Some other areas you can decorate include:
Use centerpieces
If you have a small dining table for family meals, you can make or buy some winter-themed centerpieces. Snow-covered trees, little animal figurines such as polar bears or snowmen make great centerpieces for winter.
Decorate the cabinets
You can also choose to dress up your cabinets for the winter with some decals, stickers, or ribbons. Small wreaths and sparkly ribbon bows on a couple of cabinets instantly add a winter feel.
Dress up your island
A large kitchen island is a perfect location for your winter decorating ideas. You can make this the focal point by only decorating the island or including it as part of the general festive theme. A few sprigs of winter greenery around the island is all you need.
Windows and doors
Does your kitchen have large windows overlooking your garden? It’s the ideal spot to hand a wreath, some fairy lights, or homemade decor. You can even create your own hanging decoration by using pine cones, branches, and sprigs of holly.
Chairs and stools
Don’t overlook the opportunity to spruce up the chairs and stools in the kitchen. Small white bows made of ribbon, sparkly stars, or mini-wreaths are perfect additions to this overlooked decorating spot.
Ideas for a winter wonderland in the kitchen
Candy canes and cookies
Many people focus on baking sweet treats or cooking special recipes for the holidays. So why not use food-inspired decor items around the kitchen? Candy canes, cookies, and gingerbread houses are great sources of inspiration.
Snowflakes and snow
Whether it snows or not where you live, using white and snow can create an instant wonderland feel. Showcase a few snow globes on the counters or display snow-covered ornaments on the dining table. Stick some snowflake decals on the cabinets or windows too.
Use lots of white
Use colors to unify your decorations but think beyond the traditional red and green. Use lots of white for your decorations unless your kitchen cabinets are white. In that case, try using light blues, golds, and pale pinks for the decorative touches.
Greenery – natural or artificial
Greenery always livens up a space, even if you’re going for a snowy theme. So scatter a few fir branches, pine cones, sprigs of holly, or even mini-trees in small pots around the kitchen. You can also use artificial plants if you want to save time on cleaning up.
