We decorate the rest of the house, so why not our kitchen countertops? After all, we spend a lot of time in the kitchen prepping for the festive feasts, so we may as well make it feel as joyful as possible, right?
The best part about Christmas decor ideas is that there’s no shortage of spaces to transform with some festive magic, from mantels and stairways to doorways and dining tables.
No matter your festive aesthetic (tapping into the Ralph Lauren trend, Scandi chic, or the rustic Little Women-inspired look), don't forget to deck out your kitchen – islands, shelving, countertops – too. Check out these simple, yet sophisticated expert-approved Christmas countertop ideas to add some merriment to your festive workspace.
9 Chic, Yet Simple Ways to Deck Out Your Kitchen Countertops
The last thing you want is extra clutter around when you're catering for the masses over the holidays. These expert-approved Christmas kitchen countertop ideas will keep your workspace clear for the festive food prep, while adding a festive vibe and turning your kitchen a welcoming hub to gather in.
1. Decorate on Multiple Levels
Even when you’re focusing on Christmas countertop ideas, you don’t have to limit yourself to one corner of the room – or even stick to one level.
‘I love using vertical moments in a kitchen for holiday decor,’ explains Linda Hayslett of L.H. Designs. ‘Hanging décor from unexpected spots in the kitchen, like the edge of open shelving or even the range hood, adds a welcoming, lived-in charm. It brings the holiday spirit up into the vertical space so the counters stay functional, but the whole room still feels festive.’
From draping garlands across a kitchen mantle to hanging decorations from ceiling beams, there are plenty of ways to add excitement and send the gaze traveling upwards. You can even get inspired by Chrissy Teigen’s Christmas shelf decor and nestle some Nutcracker figurines (like these from Macy's) and tabletop Christmas trees, next to cookbooks on high kitchen shelves. If you are hanging decor above the stovetop, avoid a fire hazard by ensuring that nothing drapes too close to the hob.
You can even bring stockings into your kitchen, like Hayslett did in Serena and Lily’s Pacific Palisades Holiday House a few years’ back (pictured above). Get the look with these blue and white Walmart stockings which echo vintage blue and white tableware. ‘Stockings on a hood or garland draped over a shelf adds a layer of softness and surprise, and it breaks up all the hard finishes in a really beautiful way. It’s unexpected in a kitchen, so it feels chic and intentional, not kitschy.’ Perfect for adding coziness, without crowding that all-too-precious countertop real estate you’ll be using for meal prep.
2. Choose Display-Worthy Functional Cookware
Le Creuset’s Holiday Collection features pan lids embossed with a festive pattern
When it comes to Christmas counter ideas, think about styling your space with objects that are practical as well as festive. There’s something harmonious about having items on display that don’t get in the way of the kitchen counter’s primary function as a prepping, cooking and serving space, like these whimsical-yet-practical Santa’s Sled salt and pepper shakers (Pottery Barn).
‘The best Christmas countertop decor blends beauty and function, bringing in purposeful elements that still feel special (particularly important in small kitchens where countertop space is at a premium),’ says interior designer Kathy Kuo.
‘I like to swap out everyday essentials for similar versions with a holiday twist – a polished brass utensil holder, tea towels with green embroidery, or a pretty pewter soap dispenser that makes everyday chores feel a little more luxe.’
Looking for inspiration? Check out Le Creuset’s beautifully embossed Holly collection. These pretty stove-to-countertop pieces, from mini white and gold cocottes to large chef's ovens, will bring a wonderful festive feel, and you'll get them out year after year.
3. Try Unexpected Ways With Foliage
There’s nothing wrong with sprucing up a counter with some festive mini-trees (we're going all out on tabletop trees this year) or fabulous blooms in a vase. Then again, if you want to keep your countertops functional and not over-crowded, why not get a little creative when it comes to decorating with greenery in the kitchen?
As founder and CEO of Flowerbx, Whitney Bromberg Hawkings, advises: ‘Hang a wreath where you’ll actually enjoy it,’ instead of sticking it in the same place on your front door yet again.
‘Hanging one above the sink or on an interior cabinet instantly brings festive character into a space you use every day. It feels unexpected yet functional – a simple way to bring a Christmas atmosphere into the room without taking up counter space,’ she explains.
You can avoid using up counter space for garlands and other foliage displays by draping them across window ledges or wrapping them around pendant lights hanging from the ceiling.
4. Add Sparkle to Your Sideboard
Who says Christmas ornaments are only for our trees? You can hang ornaments from ceiling beams, display them in glass jars, or style them alongside some treasured keepsakes, which Austin-based interior designer Bambi A’Lynn Bratton of Bambi A’Lynn Interior Design, likes to do.
‘The holiday season is the perfect excuse for me to pull out my favorite silver pieces that hide in a cabinet most of the year! I'll display them – like my silver tea service – as kitchen counter decor all season long, especially when I'm hosting events like a ladies' brunch or dinner for eight,’ she says.
‘To give things a festive feel, I like to tuck in a few shiny round ornaments here and there. Silver and sparkle is such a simple way to add color and shine to your countertops and make your kitchen feel special for the holidays.’
The Heritage Silver Entertaining Collection from Pottery Barn has an array of classic pieces, from trays to wine chillers that will become family heirlooms.
5. Bring Warmth and Texture With Wood
There are certain things you should never place on a kitchen countertop, but a chopping board most certainly isn’t one of them.
‘I love anchoring a kitchen countertop centerpiece with a beautiful wooden board and placing a moody vessel with large foraged greenery from the yard,’ says Laura Williams of Living Oak Interior Design. ‘Surrounding would be beautiful, neutral bottlebrush Christmas trees at varying sizes and tones – adds a cozy, understated holiday vibe.’ These bottlebrush trees from Walmart are ideal.
Designer Marie Flanigan of Marie Flanigan Interiors layers greenery, seasonal touches like bowls with berries or a vase with foraged branches, then adds a ‘beautiful wooden board or stone tray’ as the finishing touch to her kitchen counter decor.
This helps ‘ground everything and keep the counter feeling intentional rather than cluttered. The result is festive but unfussy, a quiet nod to the season that feels warm, organic, and perfectly at home in a working kitchen. I love styling a kitchen counter in a way that feels collected, natural, and truly lived-in,’ she explains.
6. Give Herbs a Spotlight Moment
We love a deceptively simple decorating idea that’s timeless and contemporary at once. For a minimalist take on Christmas countertops, all you need is a statement bowl and some fragrant herbs, like pine-evoking rosemary. Bonus: you can also sprinkle some on all of your slow-cooking roasts this season.
‘I keep a big vessel of rosemary on our counter in December. It’s used in so many Mediterranean winter dishes – from Hanukkah-roasted chicken and potatoes to Christmas roasts – so the scent feels naturally warm and festive,’ says Elizabeth Krueger Design’s Elizabeth Krueger.
‘It brings in a touch of greenery and a subtle nod to both holidays without overwhelming the space.’ Use an organic vessel like West Elm's Takara Teak Wood bowl, which has a distinctive and rustic 'live' edge', to display your herbs in.
7. Create a Feast for the Senses
One of the quickest and easiest ways to elevate your countertop is by styling with the season’s foodie treats: citrus fruits, chestnuts, winter berries, pomegranates. (This can help minimize waste since your decor doubles as a snack.)
‘I always start with a big ceramic bowl piled high with clementines. This time of year you can find them with their leaves still on, which I think is one of the small beauties of the season,’ co-founder of PORTA NYC, Alice Russotti, says. She finishes off her counter with a vase of paperwhites and an atmospheric candle.
Designer Lauren Carlucci of Lauren Carlucci Studio recalls a similar kitchen counter aesthetic with nostalgia: ‘Growing up, my mom always filled the kitchen with oranges studded with cloves. Our kitchen countertops were never without potted paperwhites, my favorite. We also kept a large bowl of chestnuts we’d collect on walks, which became its own quiet tradition.’
8. Make it an Inviting Space to Gather
Just because you’re working with limited counter space doesn’t mean you can’t go all out when it comes to more traditional or maximalist decor, whether you want to embrace the Little Women trend or opt for something bursting with tartan and texture. (We’re looking at you, ‘Ralph Lauren Christmas aesthetic.’) Creating an inviting and welcoming space encourages easy conversation (and lots of midnight snacking).
‘The holiday is the perfect time to dress anything up. Adding a bit of ribbon or layering some evergreen foliage on which rest your homemade scones,’ advises designer Scot Meacham Wood. ‘I love using a three-tiered cake plate as the centerpiece of our kitchen. It serves as the focal point for tea service, homemade scones, and related morning snacks.’ This Spode tartan cakestand from Macy's is ideal for getting the look.
9. Give Everyday Items a Festive Glow-Up
Your kitchen doesn’t need to be decked out in tinsel and Nutcrackers to feel festive. For a sustainable take on Christmas countertop ideas, use everyday items in unexpected ways.
‘One of our favorite ways to make kitchen countertops feel more festive during the holiday season is to use planters, as they are versatile and can be used for many purposes (holding plants or not),' says Ali Qari, founder of sustainable furnishings retailer, Urban Natural. 'For the holidays, it’s fun to put paperwhites or amaryllis bulbs in them to add some greenery to your kitchen. Or instead, try using them as candle holders,’
Bergs Potter pots (available from Magnolia), made from Italian terracotta, ‘balance heirloom qualities with Scandinavian design, allowing them to feel at home just about anywhere.’
10. Curate an Ambient Lighting Scheme
A pair of candles can create a calming, festive glow that makes your whole kitchen feel cozier and more elegant right away.
‘For holiday decor, we love a warm, subtle seasonal candle with a little evergreen and tobacco note,' Mallory Robins and Elizabeth Bennett of KOBEL+CO explain. Try the luxe Trudon Ernesto Leather and Tobacco Candle from Saks. 'Dining by a taper candle in the kitchen during the winter months adds a romantic flair to the cold, dreary weather,’
‘No Christmas countertop is complete without copious amounts of candlelight. Tiers of taper candles in antique gold candle holders will imbue any kitchen with the perfect dose of holiday magic,’ adds Kathy Kuo. Stock up on taper candles from H&M Home, which come in festive burgundy, more subtle browns, and white.
Festive Buys for Decorating Your Christmas Kitchen Countertop
This stylish steel candelabra in a knot-inspired shape from H&M is a sculptural piece and a lighting design essential in one. Linda Hayslett says, 'A smaller moment, like this sculptural candle, brings seasonality and ‘wow’ factor but won’t interfere with the kitchen’s functionality.'
Perfect for dressing windows, hanging around kitchen door frames, or draping over kitchen cabinetry, this plush faux spruce garland boasts 180 branch tips and is studded with red berries and 50 clear white lights that illuminate when plugged in.
Le Creuset’s Holly Collection Chef’s Oven is both a decorative item and a functional piece of cookware. The enameled cast iron oven is known for heat retention and distribution. Use it to cook soups, stews, bread, and more. Or, just admire it on your Christmas countertop.
Whimsical and surprising, a stocking hung by the kitchen counter – not the chimney –with care can give the room that instant ‘holiday at home’ feeling. And if you’re using vertical space (cabinet knobs, shelves, the hood) as part of your decor, you can minimize counter clutter without sacrificing ‘cozy Christmas spirit’ vibes.
Amongst the eucalyptus branches and wooden boards, we’ll be adding a few of these glitter mushrooms from John Derian to add some elegant festive shimmer to our space.
This marble and stainless steel cheeseboard is another item serving both a practical and aesthetic purpose. Use it as the focal point of your festive Christmas countertop: it works with a variety of color palettes and adds an organic, ‘lived-in-rather-than-staged’ feeling to your space.
There are plenty of Christmas countertop ideas to try this festive season and the next, as well as tips you can use year-round (integrating herbs and foliage, using organic materials, showcasing cookware that doubles as art, to name a few). And if you want more festive inspiration, we chatted to designers about how to try tinsel Christmas decor – the unexpected 2025 trend.
