5 Simple Steps to a Warm and Cozy Holiday Kitchen

Decorating for the holidays is always such a joy. However, this year, purchasing gifts and shopping for holiday dinners means stretching every dollar to the max. Adding in new decorations is pretty much a pipe dream. So today I’m sharing 5 simple steps to a warm and cozy holiday kitchen that won’t bust your budget!

There was a time when I completely gutted the kitchen to redecorate it for the holidays. These days, I’m finding I’m a bit more lazy and a whole lot more frugal than I used to be! Although I love to look around the kitchen and see nothing but Christmas, I have found I can accomplish that without bringing in a slew of new items and without moving much of anything. So… don’t put that away! Give it a holiday twist instead.

Step 1 – Give Your Everyday Items a Holiday Twist

Kitchen Scale

A kitchen scale can make a great holiday decoration. I used a cute candle holder and a festive candle to update mine for the season. A small tree or a bowl of ornaments would be pretty too.

Standing Mixer

My KitchenAid mixer is always on my counter. Years ago when we had our little food cart, it was in constant use. In fact, I bought a second bowl so I could mix in one while waiting for a dough rise in the other. I no longer need two bowls and if the truth be known, I don’t really need the mixer either. A small hand mixer would be fine for anything I make these days. But since I’m not quite ready to part with it, I might as well make it pretty!

Colander

A cute little Christmas tree is a great addition to any room. Adorned with baking items and set in a colander, it becomes the perfect kitchen decoration.

Holiday Dish Towels

I don’t know about you but I have accumulated quite the collection of holiday dish towels. I usually empty out the drawer that holds my everyday assortment and fill it up again with the towels I will use through the season. However, some are just too pretty to be hidden away in a drawer.

As I did with my autumn assortment, I took a few of those and folded them into a basket. So convenient!

Step 2 – Bring in the Greenery

Greenery goes a long way towards creating a warm and cozy holiday kitchen. Garland, picks, and stems pack such a punch wherever you choose to display them.

My Christmas teapot is pretty in it’s own right but it’s adorable with a few green stems.

Small wreaths tied on with a Christmas ribbon work well to dress up kitchen cabinets.

This time of year, I utilize the space above my cabinets for several of my Christmas treasures. Adding garland or small trees brings such warmth to the overall look.

A pretty Christmas wreath on a stand is always a welcome sight!

Step 3 – Add Some Holiday Lighting

Lighting can really bring a cozy feel to any room. I tend to mix it up a bit this time of year. Of course my fillable lamps are always a part of every season.

Lamps and Shades

My smallest lamp is filled with gumdrops. It adds light to the cocoa bar which gets quite a bit of traffic these days. A peppermint striped curly bow brings the shade into the season as well. I’ll be sharing the cocoa bar in a separate post coming soon!

A shadow box was my favorite DIY last year and was used for a decorative ladder. I have plans for a different design this year so I used the box in a corner of the counter with some greenery. You can find the tutorial to make one of your own right here.

It looks so pretty next to another fillable lamp and a water lantern that has become a Christmas treasure.

Light Up Decorations

Light up decorations bring a whole other dimension to the word “cozy!”

A light up gingerbread house has been bringing in that cozy vibe for years!

Candles

Whether real or faux, candles bring a warmth that can’t be matched. Faux candles are mixed in with the trees that top my cabinets. With the remote control, I can light them whenever I want or set a timer for dusk each evening.

Real candles with scents of pine, cedar, and peppermint are a great addition as well.

Step 4 – Use Your Christmas Serving Dishes

I love when it’s time to break out the Christmas dishes. There are just so many cute ones! From large serving platters to little snowmen S&P shakers and everything in between. I use several mugs, crocks, and jars on the cocoa bar each year.

Larger bowls are great to hold other decorations. How cute is a bowl full of Christmas bears???

Others make beautiful decorations all on their own! This cute bear cookie jar was a gift from my son many years ago.

Although the kitchen table is not the place for a holiday dinner, it is a warm and cozy breakfast spot nonetheless. Making sure it reflects the season is always fun.

Step 5 – Make Memories

As corny as it sounds, what really makes a warm and cozy holiday kitchen are the people who visit there! So many wonderful Christmas memories are made in this room. Baking cookies with the little ones, visiting with family over casual dinners, even an impromptu lunch with friends. They are all so special.

The holidays are hectic and time is at a premium. They tend to fly by and you’re left wondering how you missed them. With everything we’ve been through in the last several years, let’s take a minute to just enjoy this special season.

Gather in the warm and cozy kitchen that you’ve created and make some memories. That’s really the most important step of all!

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Before you leave today, make sure to check out my latest post, Free Holiday Printables to Brighten up the Season. You’ll find everything new this season detailed there.

See you soon!