How to Create a Cozy Winter Kitchen

When the weather outside is frightening...you just want to stay inside. And that might not be all that bad, if you love the space you’re in. This season, we encourage you to embrace the seasonal vibe by making your kitchen cozy, warm and winter wonderful.

Instead of fighting the winter color scheme, embrace it.

A winter color palette holds a lot of possibilities, so start by taking a cue from Mother Nature.

Whites: Bring in more white accessories to match the fresh wintery white that blankets the ground this time of year.

Greenery: At this time of year, your garden full of fresh flowers is a distant memory -- so embrace what you have. Pine boughs and branches make for cheery -- and good-smelling -- decor. A Christmas cactus or ivy can add a much-needed dash of green, too, and if you don’t have a green thumb, it’s okay to turn to fake plants.

Wood tones: Soft wood tones will bring some much-needed warmth into your kitchen. You can incorporate this by using practical items like a wooden bowl on display, wood picture frames, or decorative items like sculptural pieces or winter-themed knick-knacks.

Pinecones: A simple, free and easy way to embrace what winter has to offer is to harvest some pinecones and use them to fill up a glass vase.

Tartan: Keep the holiday spirit alive a bit longer with tartan cookware and décor. It’s a beautiful, classic pattern that comes in a variety of colors, so it’s easy to find something that feels at home with your everyday decor.

Gold: Incorporate gold accents to add subtle holiday cheer and warmth.

Give your kitchen a cozy vibe.

These cozy elements do double duty -- they’ll make you physically warmer and more comfortable, but they’ll also give you that irreplaceable cozy feel. Prepare to cuddle up.

• Add a small rug or kitchen runner to the kitchen to warm your feet on cold winter mornings.

• Create a coffee station for warm coffee, hot cocoa and tea. It can be as big as its own feature in your home or as small as a designated cabinet like our client requested for her kitchen remodel in CT.

Elegant Contemporary Kitchen in Guilford, CT

• Choose upholstered barstools and dining chairs. The extra cushion will provide some comfort and warmth when the temperature starts to drop.

• Keep your home filled with warm, aromatic winter foods like these one-hour dinner rolls or our owner John Feck’s famous Italian wedding soup.

• Make your home smell like the holidays. The scent of pine, cranberries and citrus is sure to bring a cozy feel. Try out this recipe for stovetop potpourri.

Combat the darkness

When the summer sun is shining in, your kitchen might feel light and bright, but in the depths of winter, the days are short, the nights are cold, and a little extra light goes a long way.

• Under cabinet lighting: Under cabinet lighting is both beautiful but practical. It’s perfect for giving you a little extra light when you’re cooking at night and to give your kitchen a soft glow. You can incorporate lighting into your kitchen remodel, or try these flexible light strips.

• Twinkle lights:  String lights are an inexpensive and easy way to bring in some sparkle and some magic to the season. Wrap them up and down the width of your windows or collect some battery powered lights and wind them around the inside of an apothecary jar.

• Candles: For winter mood lighting, nothing beats candles. Holiday scents, unscented, big, small, crackle, flameless and battery powered – there are so many options to keep your home cozy.

This season, embrace the winter color palette, welcome the opportunity to get cozy, and enjoy the season knowing that spring really isn’t all that far away.

What’s your favorite way to incorporate winter into your decor? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below, or on Facebook.