Kitchen Christmas decorating ideas to add festive cheer to cooking

As the heart of our homes we spend a large portion of our time in the kitchen, especially at Christmas. Yet year after year, the room that serves us so well throughout the festive period gets forgotten when it comes to the decorating scheme. Not this year, thanks to our thoughtful kitchen Christmas decorating ideas – we are dressing kitchens to perfection.

From decorative wreaths to statement Christmas lighting ideas,  we've rounded up the perfect solutions to cheer up your hardworking kitchen. These simple Christmas decor ideas do the job without any hassle or demands on precious kitchen space this...

Kitchen Christmas decorating ideas

1. Decorate the cooker

As the main attraction of any kitchen the cooker is a the ideal focal point for your kitchen Christmas decorating ideas. A simple festive garland above the cooker surround frames the space beautifully. Interweaving fairy lights into the garland helps to make the display all the more captivating.

If you have a wall rack for hanging pots and pans this can act as the prefect place to decorate with lights.

2. Unify an open-plan kitchen with coordinated foliage

Keep it simple but uniformed to add an understated festive touch to your kitchen. Coordinate a festive scheme with fresh foliage adorning the kitchen counter, dining table and walls with a wreath. The simple presence of well-style greenery signifies a nod to extra decoration without having to embrace full-on Christmas decorations.

This idea is particularly effective to unify an open-plan kitchen dining area. Not just for christmas either, you could choose seasonally relevant foliage to dress the kitchen, ensuring it's always dressed to impress at all times.

3. Curate a merry Christmas display

Just throughout the festive season choose to clear the kitchen shelves of cookbooks, tea and coffee canisters – freeing up valuable space to curate seasonal displays. From christmas figurines and paper decorations to statement neon LED lights, group a selection of decorations to style a fabulous festive shelfie.

Swap out your everyday essentials for a festive alternative; such as Christmas tree shaped chopping boards and seasonal placemats.

4. Add ambience with candlelight

Create ambience with candlelight. Christmas candle ideas, whether real or LED, offer more intimate and softer lighting for those spending time in the kitchen. LED lights are the obvious choice for safety, especially in a busy family kitchen but real candles offer a flickering flame that feels enchanting. Just be sure not to leave real candles left unattended.

5. Light up kitchens with striking stars

Create the ultimate Christmas shelfie with a selection of the best christmas lights. From draping strings of decorative fairy lights along the shelf edge to making space for large statement star lights, like these from Wooden LED stars form Dunelm. The battery-powered lights are ideal for kitchen shelves because they don't require a mains plug.

6. Set up a drinks station

Create a drinks serving station on a section of clear kitchen work surface, to keep all your finest serving ware on display – all grouped together. Add festive foliage and fairy lights to suitably decorate the set up.

Whether you have to hideaway kitchen appliance for a few days or are fortunate to have a larger enough space clear already this idea is about dedicating an area to display your best Christmas drinksware and use the area as a serving station. Keep this area away from the food preparation area, to ensure the frequent re-fillers aren't under the feet of the chefs.

7. Put your Christmas cards on show

The kitchen dresser is a prime place to show off all your Christmas cards, as they over spill the living room mantelpiece. A kitchen dresser also proves handy as a creative place to display Christmas card idea as a means of hiding what's already in the dresser – so it instantly feels more festive.

8. Choose a mini tree

A create alternative tree idea for a kitchen is a miniature tree. The small but impactful tree welcomes a flavour of Christmas without taking up valuable space – which in a busy festive kitchen is invaluable.

9. Frame the window with foliage

Garlands are not just for Christmas mantel decor ideas. A simple flourish of foliage can make all the difference when it comes to festive styling. None more so than when used at the highest point to frame the window, effortlessly elevating the decorating scheme. Use command hooks to secure the garland in place, to avoid it crashing down in the middle of festive food prep.

10. Welcome wreaths indoors

Wreaths aren't limited to front doors and blustering winds – bring them inside. Hanging a circular garland from your kitchen door will add instant Christmas cheer to a room – even if it's otherwise undecorated  – and won't take up precious space.

11. Bring on the baubles

Wreaths hung from the ceiling and cabinet knobs make the perfect hanging spot for baubles, while cornices and pelmets can be adorned with holly and spruce. Select moisture-resistant, wipe-clean decorations and faux foliage to avoid wilting in the heat.

12. Display seasons greetings

Extend season's greetings to all by writing a happy message on a chalkboard to display in the kitchen. A message board is a DIY Christmas decor idea that is easy to do but immensely impactful on the decor and vibes within the room.

Surround the chalkboard with your best seasonal tableware. Christmas offers a great excuse to invest in cake tins and containers – they are perfect for adding a seasonal burst of colour to the space.

13. Bring in some natural foliage

This can look great all year round, but works especially well over Christmas. Holly, ivy and mistletoe suit a rustic kitchen to a tee, but equally would soften the edges of a very modern scheme. If you hate Christmas kitsch, this could be the look for you.

14. Serve up some edible decorations

With all the food that's going round, you'll have enough for a few decorations. Christmas cake, mince pies, sausage rolls and biscuits, will look that bit more inviting sitting on red table runners, and are sure to tempt any passing guests. Don't forget to put out a few plates and napkins to catch crumbs.

15. Add festive ornaments

Ornaments are fitting for the Christmas kitchen as they are small and discreet. Small trees, themed prints, wooden reindeer and bowls of baubles can be dotted on worktops, shelves and islands to ensure the Christmas theme runs throughout the house.

16. Set your festive table

If you're dining around your kitchen table this Christmas, then decorate it extravagantly. The rest of the room will then require little or no other decoration, yet it feels sufficiently festive. We love a bold red that's fun for both children or grown ups and works brilliantly with two kitchen colour schemes of the moment – navy and grey.

17. Go bold with a tree

If you have the luxury of unlimited space in your kitchen, then the best way to give it some Christmas cheer is by adding a tree. Place it near the dining table to be admired at meal times and decorate in colours that complement your kitchen.

18. Lighten the mood

Twinkling fairy lights strewn over fireplaces, cabinets and open shelving are an instant Christmas pick me up and will create a festive atmosphere during the evening. Hung up high, they are out of the way and a simple decoration but have a big impact in a busy room. Save energy by opting for eco-friendly LEDs.

19. Fill your kitchen with scents of the season

A fragranced candle will infuse your kitchen with mouthwatering aromas before the oven is even turned on! Cranberry, pomegranate and festive spices like clove work especially well.

20. Create a glamorous bar

Convert an existing storage space into a drinks station. Here, gleaming mirror-lined walls and sparkling glass shelves create a dazzling display space for coloured glassware and a selection of everyone's favourite seasonal tipples.

The built-in table makes a great drinks prep space as well as a handy nook for tucking in a bar stool. Keeping wine and spirits out on display rather than hidden away creates a warm and hospitable feel in a house full of guests.

How can I decorate my kitchen for Christmas?

A kitchen can be easily decorated for Christmas with small touches that welcome festive cheer. Displaying Christmas cards is an easy way to instantly add festive feel-good factor to kitchens, be it on a clear shelf or with a kitchen dresser. If your kitchen is an open-plan dining space adding a second tree helps to carry the decorating scheme through from room to room.

Kitchen shelves provide the perfect platform to curate Christmas displays of garlands, lights and ornaments. Welcome Christmas characters and signature festive motifs to add personality to the space.