How to Turn Your Kitchen into a Winter Wonderland (2024)

Tall windows like this Brooklyn Heights kitchen vignette lends itself to all the garland bling. The window display, bedecked with hearty Anthropologie garland, transforms the space into an evergreen winter wonderland.

A garland loosely draped across an open shelf is seemingly suspended across this earth-toned lakehouse kitchen, belonging to Anastasia Casey, founder of boutique creative agency IDCO Studio. The key to a tasteful sprig lies in quality, Casey says. “Using a layer of faux as a base is cost effective while also giving that coveted full look,” she explains. Her other hot tip? Think ahead, but allow for versatility. “I like being able to use the same base layers year after year and only swapping the color palette.”

This rustic rosemary wreath is the secret ingredient to Casey’s festive Texas kitchen. The corresponding sage-green cabinets ground the room, while flourishes of varying greenery echo the outdoor-indoor theme. Our favorite detail? The floppy gold velvet bow. “As we head into the holidays, I always pick a color to focus the theme on and purchase 15 yards of velvet ribbon in one and a half-inch and three-inch widths,” Casey explains. “Cutting the ribbon in long, loose, uneven bows layered in two slightly mismatched hues creates an editorial, yet still festive, look.”

Amaryllis’s Rick Davis takes advantage of the windows above his kitchen sink with a trifecta of botanics. “It doesn’t feel like Christmas until we hang these wreaths in the kitchen,” he tells ELLE DECOR. “The kitchen is the room most people don’t really think about decorating for the holidays, yet it’s the most daily used room, besides the bedroom, in the house.” Here, an arrangement of amaryllis, ilex berries, pine cones, and evergreens sits atop a circa-1800s trunk in Davis’s Maryland farmhouse. Who knew cooking in December could be so much fun?

Fairy lights are the ultimate way to create magical ambiance and soften an industrial-style cooking space. In this Belarus kitchen, these mind-glowing wall lights create a warm luminescence against the garland flourishes placed strategically across the room. Not interested in committing to a full-on fairy moment? Create countertop lights by placing battery-operated fairy lights in a glass canister.

Flocking, it turns out, isn’t just for full-scale Christmas trees. A few tabletop trees give a festive punch to this Ukrainian kitchen. A decorative pom-pom garland adds the finishing touch.

Need some company in the kitchen this season? While your kids might be more hesitant to pitch in on the food prep, these charming Christmas gnomes, perched atop an open shelf in this Ukrainian loft-style kitchen, are the perfect companions. They won’t even try to snitch.

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is with a home bar and drinks so dear. A subtle change in some side nook of your kitchen like this one, curated by Emily Henderson, can make your kitchen merry and bright. Here, Henderson brought in a gilded deer candelabra, smoky glasses, and a red cake stand to incorporate festive but modern colors. ’Tis the season for Christmas-themed co*cktails!

Move over, coastal grandpa. Grandma knows best. A traditional decorative ceramic bowl and glass stand are the ideal countertop receptacles for seasonal fruit. A few evergreen sprigs add a festive touch to the bowl of tangerines.

A thoughtful centerpiece is a fail-safe way to make a statement on your dining room table, so why would a kitchen island be any different? Tamara Anka of Citrine Living spruced up this spacious countertop with a modern assortment of miniatures. With a textured palette of silver and white, this setup would look right at home in an all-white kitchen.

While Christmas has different meanings for many, some people boil it down to one thing: Presents. Turn your kitchen into the gift that keeps on giving—literally—by tying some ribbons on jars, as seen on Citrine Living.

Need a bright idea? Take a cue from Gatehouse Style, who spruced up professional dancer Whitney Carson’s home just in time for the holidays. For a look that’s festive without seeming over the top, the Utah design firm added mistletoe-like bunches to the kitchen’s pendants.

This elegant holiday kitchen decor idea, courtesy of ELLE DECOR A-List designer Ken Fulk, brings the snowy Montana landscape indoors. Here, Fulk delineated the cooking area with an evergreen garland draped from the ceiling and emphasized the powdery views by outlining the windows in fresh magnolia leaves. A rustic pail full of blooms and branches adds an extra heap of cozy romance.

Contrary to popular belief, a Christmas tree doesn’t only belong in the living room—or even right side up. In this metallic kitchen, John McClain turned the festive foliage into a “wow” moment. “One item that had always been missing from this space is a central light fixture,” the designer shares. “Cue the conifer decked in baubles and battery-powered twinkle lights. This special touch really sets the mood and makes the kitchen feel special.”

If your design style skews on the more minimalist end of the spectrum, stick with a muted color scheme. For designer Megan Molten, it’s all about adding touches that match your home’s evergreen decor. “I typically like to focus on the colors already in the space; for this space we have a lot of white, brass, and black,” she says. “Also, adding touches of greenery—a mix of real and faux—really helps elevate your holiday decor.”

Or, for a more conventional take on your favorite festive foliage, place a traditional Christmas tree in the corner of your kitchen. “I have always dreamt of having a Christmas tree in the kitchen, as it’s where everyone seems to gather” during the holidays, says Amy Nightingale of Feathering Our Nest. “It makes it feel extra festive!” The content creator dressed up this tree with star-studded ornaments and sweet twinkling lights.

Anyone who is looking for a holiday-packed happy hour—and just so happens to have a wet bar in their kitchen—will find a lot to love about this decorating idea from Emily Henderson. In addition to a lovely strand of garland, the designer added some festive touches such as a gilded candleholder, smoky glasses, and a red cake stand to make this a setup worth toasting to.