Christmas Kitchen Decor with French Country Elegance

In this post: How to add French Country elegance to the heart of your holiday home, using Christmas kitchen decor and a light sophisticated touch.⇒

Do you like to bring the holidays into your kitchen?

Or is your workhorse kitchen too cluttered to even see decor you might add there?

I love to decorate the kitchen with a light hand and in my blazing white kitchen, a little goes a long way.

In fact, one of the things I most enjoy about a white kitchen is that you can accent it with any color you choose. It’s quite easy to change the look from season to season and adding touches of color in small bursts can make a pretty big impact. 

Christmas Kitchen Decor

I’m not one to drape huge garlands across my cabinets and instead went for soft and gentle holiday hints. I wanted to work with the vintage French elements that are already in my kitchen and highlight them rather than drown them out.

Here I’ve decided to add mostly natural elements, as they feel the most suitable to me for a kitchen. Yes, a stray bauble here and there punctuates the look, but primarily I’m working with fruits and florals. Still, each of these concepts can be achieved using faux versions of the elements I’m highlighting.

Our kitchen is in the center of our home and is open to the family and breakfast rooms, so I think nothing of serving guests around our island. I have friends who prefer not to serve guests in the kitchen but for us, it’s seamless with the flow of our entertaining. This makes it a prime location for a focal point for holiday decorating.

Here are tips and ideas for bringing Christmas into your French Country (or really any style) kitchen.

1. Red pears on a beautiful tray

I was delighted to find red pears at the grocers this year and thought they’d look wonderful on a silver tray. A few sprigs of juniper and an ornament or two round out this pretty little vignette.

2. A bowl of baubles and pinecones

Tucked in the corner I have a low distressed bowl which looks lovely filled with glittered holiday orbs and pinecones. One of the most telling features of my signature French style is mixing contrasts like chippy with glam. The vintage marmalade jar embodies this look, as it’s paired with silver and mother-of-pearl spreaders. This mirrors the tone set by the glam baubles resting in a timeworn farmhouse bowl.

3. Pomegranates and greens in a silver bowl

I keep several bowls around my kitchen for various uses and I love filling them with seasonal fruits. We’re a bit early in the season now, so I couldn’t find fresh cedar, but I love the look of pomegranates with greenery peeking over the edges. This footed silver bowl has a sculptural quality that works nicely with the unusually shaped fruits.

4. Gorgeous floral centerpiece

For me, always the most important part of any styling is the fresh flowers. This floral is comprised of white amaryllis, white and red roses, seeded eucalyptus and a few other greens. I often let the greens begin to dry out and just replenish the flowers to extend the lifespan of the centerpiece.

5. Fruits and greens tucked into open shelving

When we renovated our kitchen, I couldn’t wait to put glass fronts in our upper cabinets. How fun it’s been to fill them with white dishes and for the holidays accent them with more natural elements. I used fruits and greenery here, as well, and the white backdrop underscores the presentation.

6. A charming mini tree

A sweet burlap-wrapped miniature faux tree sits comfortably on the counter anchoring the seasonal concept. Here it’s dressed with tiny ornaments, but I’ve used bows and other trinkets in the past, as well.

7. A bud and green bits in a vintage cruet set

Sometimes decorating can be as simple as embellishing your existing pieces with some sprigs of juniper and a well placed red rose. The vintage cruet set says French Country while the plants speak clearly to Christmas.

Presiding over the whole scene are my three mini chandeliers, which always seem to get a warm reception. The crystal and brass fixtures are among the things I’m most often asked about.

I love using elements that highlight my modern French Country decor while enhancing the look of my kitchen and not looking forced or over-the-top. They whisper of the holiday coming and hint at the celebrations on the way. Yet they also feel like they belong in a kitchen on any average Monday.

Additional Ideas for a French-inspired Holiday Kitchen

• French linen tea towels: Drape antique-style French linen tea towels with red or green accents over your oven handle or kitchen hooks.
• French apothecary jars: Fill vintage glass apothecary jars with holiday treats like cookies, cinnamon sticks, or dried orange slices.
• Wrought iron accents: Incorporate wrought iron details, like an antique wine rack or vintage-style hooks, for an old-world French touch.
• Vintage wooden breadboards: Use large, weathered French breadboards as part of your kitchen countertop decor, layered with seasonal elements.
• Red and white French porcelain: Display red and white porcelain dishes or decorative plates with holiday motifs in glass-front cabinets.
• Lavender bundles: Tie dried lavender bundles with festive ribbon and hang them from cabinet handles or hooks for a Provence-inspired touch.
• French bistro stools: Swap out kitchen chairs or stools for French café-style seating, decorated with small wreaths or greenery.
• Copper cookie cutters: Use vintage copper cookie cutters as decor, hanging them from ribbons on a pegboard or arranging them on open shelves.
• Marble accents: Use French-inspired marble cutting boards or trays to display holiday pastries or candles on the kitchen island.
• French market basket: Place a wicker French market basket on the counter filled with seasonal fruits, pinecones, or a small Christmas tree.
• Antique mirrors: Hang a small gilded or distressed French antique mirror on a kitchen wall or backsplash to reflect holiday lights.
• Ironstone pitchers: Fill vintage white ironstone pitchers with winter greenery or holly branches for an elegant centerpiece.
• Antique copper pots and pans: Hang vintage copper cookware on a pot rack or display them on open shelves for a rustic French country look.
• Antique candelabras: Set a French antique candelabra on the kitchen table or counter, with tapered candles in holiday colors.
• Provence-style herbs: Arrange dried herbs like rosemary or thyme in antique terracotta pots, accented with small ornaments or fairy lights.
• French café signs: Add a vintage French café sign or menu board to the wall with a Christmas message or holiday menu written in chalk.
• Toile fabric touches: Incorporate French toile fabric in festive red or green for kitchen curtains, napkins, or seat cushions.
• French bread baskets: Display a French bread basket filled with fresh baguettes or faux loaves as part of a rustic holiday tablescape.
• Antique silverware: Use vintage French silver cutlery for your Christmas kitchen table setting, adding a luxurious and elegant touch.
• Weathered wooden crates: Stack French-style vintage wooden crates on the floor or counter, filled with greenery, wine, or festive decor.

Please be sure to visit all the wonderful posts by clicking on the links below:

Shabbyfufu

Edith + Evelyn Vintage

French Country Cottage

Maison de Cinq