5 Tips to Decorate Your Kitchen for Any Holiday

Decorating a kitchen for the holidays is a constant struggle between practicality and festivity. You want to add fun touches, but you also need to keep the space usable and clutter-free. Here are tips for holiday decorating that will help you spread the cheer while still spreading that mayo on sandwiches for school lunches. Try these 5 decorating tips that can be translated to any holiday décor, from the Fourth of July to New Year’s Day.

Go Above the Cabinets
Don’t waste that valuable space above your cabinets! This is a prime area for some festive fun that is out of the way of the kitchen’s day to day hubbub. If you are not already using the space for storage (which is completely understandable), start using it for decorations.

Here are some items you could add for various holidays:
• Garlands
• Small collectibles
• Framed artwork
• Pottery
• Figurines
• Baskets

Think how cute a collection of nutcrackers would look. Or, imagine Easter baskets with eggs and a watchful Easter bunny. Just don’t fill the space too much, or else it will cluttered and tacky. Choose items wisely, and space them out across the cabinets for the best effect.

Dish It Up
Dishes aren’t just for eating off of—they are the perfect tools to spread holiday cheer. Try hanging a collection on a wall, and then switch some out for different season. Display beautiful pieces on open shelving or in glass-front cabinets. Or here’s a novel idea—actually use holiday dishes to eat. Any meal (even leftovers) becomes more exciting with fun dishes. Check out craft or department stores to buy them, or make your own with easy transfers or vinyl images.

A Little Linen Love
What kitchen isn’t laden with dish towels, tea towels, napkins, and tablecloths? The idea for this tip is to transform things you already need and use in your kitchen into festive additions. You already use towels in your kitchen, so why not make them a decoration, too? Spread out a tablecloth on your table or counter top. Hang some towels on your oven handle or a hook. You can add a lot of color with only little space, while adding high utility. You can even make your own holiday linens with some flour sack towels and simple embroidery (plus a few details like buttons or fabric scraps).

The Central Affair
Add an easy centerpiece to your dining or kitchen table. The best centerpiece is one that is easy to change between seasons and holidays. Have a few foundation pieces, like a tray, a monogram letter, and a few large apothecary jars. A tray is a good way to contain the space, and it’s easy to remove the centerpiece for meals. To change the scene for different times of year, fill the jars with different items. For Easter, fill the jars with plastic eggs and pastel candy. During Halloween, drape with spider webs and flying bats. At Christmas time, add ornaments or candy canes.

Don’t Forget the Food
Remember what the kitchen is about? Oh yeah, food! Use the function of the kitchen to inspire its décor. Food is a perfect reflection of seasonal changes. Strawberries call up thoughts of sunshine and summertime, apples remind us of autumn and new school years, and pomegranates and oranges bring Christmas and winter cheer. Simply display fresh fruit in a bowl on the counter. You can also add more holiday-inspired items like frosted sugar cookies for Valentine’s Day, dried corn and gourds for Thanksgiving, and gingerbread for Christmas.

Your kitchen doesn’t have to give up its functionality for festivity! Use these tips to decorate for any holiday in a few easy steps. You’ll wow your friends with your constantly changing (but super easy) décor throughout the year.

Melanie Hargrave is a wife and homemaker whose pride and joy is her family. In addition to spending time with her husband and daughters, she loves being outdoors, playing sports, and sharing her experiences with others. Melanie loves decorating her home (especially for the holidays) and renovating, and enjoys working with Always Plumbing & Heating to make sure her home is in tip-top shape.

Image Credit: homedit.com