Christmas Décor for the Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the home and during the holidays many sumptuous meals will be prepared in this room. It is therefore imperative to include holiday décor in this room to keep the holiday spirit alive and to motivate holiday meal preparation. A necessary accessory during meal preparation is the apron and it is exciting to prepare and serve Christmas dinner while donning a Christmas themed apron or one in Christmas colours such as red, white, blue, green, gold or silver in varying combinations. Kitchen towels and pot holders are another necessary accessory and they are also available in holiday themes that will brighten up any kitchen in Christmas cheer.

Flowers for Kitchen Christmas Décor

One can never go wrong with flowers and plants especially when they are tastefully done to brighten and freshen up a room including the kitchen. Creative centrepieces in colourful Christmas flowers such as poinsettias on a kitchen table or the worktop will definitely herald the season’s cheer. Striking flower arrangements placed on a window sill are a beautiful complement to the kitchen décor and during the Christmas season these can be replaced with a miniature Christmas tree, either live or artificial with all the trimmings such as lights, ornaments, garlands and even a star topper.

The tops of cabinets are great surfaces to decorate for the holidays especially if there is room between the top and the ceiling. A garland can be run along the edge of this surface and Christmas lights added to further brighten up the kitchen. Serving dishes and other dining crockery and cutlery in Christmas colours are great for that extra holiday pizzazz at the Christmas dinner as will chargers, table napkins and placemats in a holiday theme. The holiday décor will be heightened by draping a Christmas themed cloth on the kitchen table.

Functional Kitchen Shapes and Designs

The kitchen shape and design will greatly influence the placement of different interior decorating components. There are several kitchen shapes and designs that can be worked with to ensure a proper kitchen layout and easy flow between the different working stations. A kitchen triangle, which is the connection between the cook top, refrigerator and the sink, must be kept clear whichever shape the kitchen takes. A most common kitchen shape is the U-shape, which works best with a square or almost square kitchen. In this shape the cook top, refrigerator and the sink are on different walls with the extra side opening up to the breakfast room.

Kitchen shapes and Kitchen Triangle

Another kitchen shape is the L-shape which uses two walls of the kitchen for the kitchen triangle. This shape has the refrigerator at one end and the sink near the middle of the long leg of the ‘L’. The cook top is then placed at the shorter leg of the ‘L’, making it a compact triangle with little interference from room traffic. This shape works well in a large room that has space for a family room. The G-shape places two appliances on two separate walls and the third appliance on a peninsula or island separating the work area from other area of the room. The best appliance for the peninsula should be the sink as the cook top and the refrigerator may present safety concerns.

Whichever shape the kitchen takes it is important to have the sink in the middle of the triangle for ease of movement since it is the most used appliance. The refrigerator should also open into the triangle and not out of it. Enough counter space has to be allocated in between the different appliances with heat-resistant material that complements the interior decorating used near the cooking appliances.

Functional Kitchen Lighting

A very important factor to consider when engaging in interior decorating for the kitchen is the lighting. The kitchen should have as much natural light as possible which can be enhanced with decorative lighting for the evenings and for days that are not so bright. Adequate lighting will ensure a smooth flow of the duties and ease meal preparation techniques. Overhead lighting is common and works well for smaller kitchens, however in larger kitchen, overhead lighting alone increases shadows and some dark corners. Larger kitchen benefit from low voltage under cabinet lighting that makes sure all work tops and the sink area are well lit. Marble work tops will shine to their full splendour under this type of lighting.

Enhancing the Kitchen’s Natural Light

A well lit kitchen will create a happy mood that will result in happy and creative meals being served out of the kitchen. Natural light in the kitchen can be increased by removing window coverings or going for sheer curtains, having a skylight window also adds character to the kitchen. The kitchen door can also be replaced with a glass door that lets in more natural light. Lighting can be used to highlight the kitchen fixtures by installing lights inside a cabinetry with glass doors to display the beautiful items inside.

Ventilation in the kitchen is very important and in hot climates ceiling fans are installed even in the kitchen. A ceiling fan with light will not look drab but will rather enhance the overall elegant look. A striking ceiling fan with light may end up being the focal point in the kitchen so it has to blend in well with the décor and be just the right size. The illumination from any kitchen light fixture must be sufficient for the function of the room and heighten the kitchen interior decoration.

Traditional and Contemporary Kitchen Décor

As one enters a kitchen one of the features that command attention is the floor, so it should not be neglected in interior decorating.  Kitchen décor is never complete without incorporating a flooring option. Of all the floors in a home, the kitchen floor probably experiences the most abuse due to spillages both wet and dry. Therefore, in choosing from the enormous collection of flooring options consider one that can withstand punishment without compromising the overall décor.

Flooring Options in Kitchen Décor

Linoleum and vinyl flooring are increasingly becoming popular in passing times. These come in a wide array of colours and designs that complement any kitchen décor. These are also pretty easy to clean and install requiring little or no professional assistance. They are fairly priced, are soft underfoot and the designs mimic various other types of tiles like wood or quarry popularly known as mazeras. However these two flooring options do not handle foot traffic very well and may need to be replace or repaired regularly. Another increasingly popular flooring option is the bamboo. This is used as a cheap alternative to wood and is also an environmentally friendly option. Bamboo tiles are durable and stylish having a high moisture resistance and are easy to clean, making them ideal for the kitchen floor.

Ceramic tiles are also very popular in kitchen flooring. They are extremely durable and very low maintenance. They also come in a variety of colours, textures, sizes and shapes. However they tend to be cold underfoot and since a rug is an absolute no-no for kitchen décor, a special heating element may need to be installed underneath the tiles to counter this. It is important to consider the foot traffic to and from the kitchen due adjoining rooms and the cleaning rate before deciding on this aspect of interior decorating.