Create a Cozy Kitchen for Fall

Fall is quickly approaching and I won’t lie, it is one of my favorite times of the year. I think a lot of people love the shift from the hot, dog days of summer into the fresh, crisp fall weather. This year, I’m looking forward to making my home extra cozy and I’m going to share how I create a cozy kitchen for fall!

white vertical shiplap in a cottage kitchen

During the warmer months, we keep things light and airy, as we should. The outside is hot and, in our neck of the woods, heavy with humidity. We focus on keeping things bright and open for summer.

Fall is a different story, though. Autumn is the beginning of the “turning inward” phase. Our focus moves from the grill to the oven, the patio to the living room, the picnic table to the kitchen table.

I love creating a cozy little home full of comforts and textiles. The lighting changes, the decor changes, and the entire “feel” of the home changes. It is a delightful transformation and one that is anticipated all year long.

The kitchen is the hub of most homes, so bringing some coziness to this space is a must. It doesn’t take much to edit the space and I’m going to share my top 6 tips for creating a cozy kitchen.

white vertical shiplap in a cottage kitchen with glasses

Cozy Home

One of my main goals with our home is to create a cozy home that feels inviting for everyone who enters. I want lots of places for people to sit and relax. Blankets and pillows to snuggle up with are a must for fall when you’re wanting to create a cozy home.

One area that is often overlooked is the kitchen. Company usually congregates in the living room and it can be easy to ignore other areas, like kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms.

Creating a cozy home and kitchen takes a few simple home edits to achieve. Let’s dive into the top 6 tips!

Cozy Kitchen Tip 1: Add Warm Tones

The first tip for creating a cozy little kitchen is to add in warm tones. This can be done several ways, but my favorite way is by added in warm metals.

It can be as simple as bringing in brass candle sticks with some beeswax candles and setting them on your windowsill.

Or, you can start a copper pot collection and hang them on your wall. This is a trend that is very popular and I am loving it. I, recently, began my own collection and hung my first copper pot on my peg rack under my open shelving.

Wood elements are a sure bet when it comes to editing a space for fall. Wooden cutting boards leaning against the backsplash adds texture and a warm element to a kitchen.

white vertical shiplap in a cottage kitchen with a tablecloth on a table

Cozy Kitchen Tip 2: Add a Tablecloth

For awhile, tablecloths seemed like a thing of the past, but not anymore. If you go to any home store, you can find plaid tablecloths, linen tablecloths, or simple striped tablecloths.

Tablecloths are easy to throw onto a table and instantly bring in a cozy feel, as well as some texture.

I love linen tablecloths, but I hope to expand my collection and add in some fall plaids this year.

Some people worry about tablecloths being just one more thing to clean. I find that taking my tablecloth out the back door and giving it a good shake at the end of every day is all that is needed.

Wash your tablecloth once or twice a week to keep it fresh.

white vertical shiplap in a cottage kitchen with cutting boards leaning on the backsplash

Cozy Kitchen Tip 3: Add a Warm Lighting

Lighting can make or break a space. I always pay attention to lighting in my home. Overhead lights are rarely used. To be honest, I can’t remember the last time we used our overhead lights.

A quick way to warm up the lighting in your kitchen is by adding a small lamp to your counter. In the summer, we clear our counters and make space for seasonal produce.

Once autumn arrives, we need to bring in simple items to fill in all of the negative space. Lamps are a great way to do this. A few quick tips for kitchen counter lamps:

Pay attention to scale- keep it small
Keep it neutral- you don’t want it to be too busy and create a cluttered look

Lamps also become useful in the fall as the time changes and you begin to have shorter days. The warm light really helps set the mood as the evenings get longer.

Beeswax candles are another great way to warm up the lighting in a kitchen. I rarely burn candles in the hot months, but once autumn arrives, it’s game on!

Having a small candle glowing on the counter brings an ambiance you can’t replicate elsewhere. If you want to make candles yourself, I shared how to make some easily at home.

white vertical shiplap in a cottage kitchen with open shelving

Cozy Kitchen Tip 4: Add Natural Elements

The summer flowers are fading and things are looking a bit rustier outside. This is a great time to bring some of the outdoors in! Grab a vase, or mason jar, and go foraging for some natural elements.

Keep it simple and look for interesting sticks, branches, or even wheat. As nature changes, you can find some beautiful foliage to bring into your space.

Another great tip for adding natural elements is to hang drying herbs in your kitchen. Add a hook to your ceiling for hanging herbs, or simply hang them from your cabinet knobs.

white vertical shiplap in a cottage kitchen with a beeswax candle and vintage art

Cozy Kitchen Tip 5: Add Cozy Smells

What would a cozy kitchen be without cozy smells? Fall definitely makes us think of certain smells. Baking pies, hot cocoa, and campfires are just a few that come to mind.

Create a cozy kitchen by bringing in some cozy smells. A few ways I do this are by:

Baking something yummy like an apple tart or crisp
Diffuse fall scents like cinnamon, clove, and orange
Brew fall flavored coffee, such as hazelnut and vanilla

There are many ways you can bring in cozy smells. Simply open a window and let the outdoors in! Those are a few of my favorite ways, though.

white vertical shiplap in a cottage kitchen with hanging herbs

Cozy Kitchen Tip 6: Vintage Dishes

This tip might not be useful for every person, but for those of us with open kitchen shelves, it comes in handy.

Even if you don’t have open shelving, using vintage dishes brings a warm and cozy feel to the dinner table.

One change I want to make this fall is to swap out my white dishes with some vintage dishes. Layering warm tones on the dinner table instantly makes things feel comforting.

Another simple swap that goes along with adding in vintage dishes is to add in fall toned cloth napkins. If you don’t want to mess of washing tons of napkins, only use them for supper and opt for paper napkins for the other meals.