How to decorate your kitchen for spring – 7 easy switches for a beautiful seasonal refresh

Spring kitchen decor ideas can really bring your cooking space to life – and it's a welcome change after the cold, dark winter months. Transporting the outside in and brightening up your scheme is the perfect way to invite the new season into your home.

It's fair to say, the kitchen can be one of the trickier rooms to decorate, especially when it comes to seasonal updates. Most spring decor ideas focus on cozier schemes, however, designers say there are plenty of functional-meets-stylish ways to decorate your kitchen, too.

From bright bountiful foliage to decor in seasonal hues, these are the ways designers always recommend bringing a dose of spring cheer into your kitchen – without compromising on the more practical requirements of your space.

7 spring kitchen decor ideas designers always recommend

When it comes to decorating a kitchen for the changing seasons, big updates like repainting can feel a bit too drastic. But more subtle changes through decor pieces, kitchenware, and textiles feel much more realistic and achievable. These are our favorite spring kitchen decor ideas.

1. Decorate with spring flowers

Whether you like to display blooms on a window sill, your kitchen island, or even a dining table in an open-plan kitchen, you can't go wrong with a vase filled with beautiful seasonal flowers.

'I love bringing fresh flowers into the kitchen to really welcome the spring season. It's so simple, but it makes such an impact. Select a seasonal vase in a light pastel color, bright neutral, or shimmering blown glass or crystal to add seasonal visual interest,' says interior designer Kathy Kuo.

There are plenty of spring flowering plants to consider – tulips and ranunculus are firm favorites and most synonymous with the season, but less expected blooms can be just as impactful.

2. Bring in lighter, brighter textures

One of the biggest changes you can make to your kitchen from winter to spring is through your textiles. Heavy fabrics are ideal for the colder months, but as spring approaches, Lynn Berney of LTA Interiors suggests 'replacing heavy curtains with linens or sheers.'

This is one of the steps designers tend to favor, as it's an easy change to make. Ryann Swan Hackett of Ryann Swan Design agrees, adding 'when spring rolls around, we love swapping out the styling of heavier months for a lighter and brighter vibe.'

In this kitchen, heavy curtains have been swapped out for a lighter, sheer linen alternative. This allows more natural light to filter in and enables a light sway of the curtains in the breeze. Sounds perfect to us! This tip will also work wonderfully for your spring living room ideas and spring bedroom ideas.

3. Let the sunlight in

For many designers, it's less about changing the decor you have in your kitchen, but changing how you style and use your space. The best way to invite the spring season into your kitchen is to let it in visually.

'Let the sunshine in! Don’t close your window treatments in order to let in as much sunlight as possible. Spring is a beautiful time of year, so embrace it,' says Lynn Berney, Tracy Gould, and Alexa Evans of LTA Interiors.

Maximize the space around your kitchen windows, whether it's leaving the blinds open or removing oversized decor that might be blocking them. You'll be surprised at the difference it makes to your kitchen.

4. Add pops of spring colors through decor

Bringing in brighter spring color ideas is a great way to decorate a kitchen for spring. Repainting your kitchen walls may feel a little extreme and, well, impractical, so instead, look to your decor pieces for a seasonal, colorful refresh.

'When a kitchen has a neutral palette, I love introducing pops of color in accessories that evoke spring, like bright greens, reds, pinks, and yellows. This can be accomplished with items like dish towels, placemats, floral bouquets, fruit bowls, and even liquid hand soap,' says Jennifer Press, of Press Interiors.

Kitchen towels, rugs, seat cushions, and even things like oven gloves can be switched out through the seasons to instantly infuse a sense of spring.

5. Swap out dark wood for lighter wood designs

Perfect if your kitchen embraces a more minimalist, Scandinavian kitchen design, swapping out dark wood accents for designs that benefit from a lighter, pale wooden tone can help lift the space with a sense of brightness.

From chopping boards to utensils, storage containers, and more, the shift can be subtle but oh so effective. We love the calming feel of this white kitchen – remember, spring kitchen decor doesn't have to always be bright pastel shades and floral patterns.

6. Create spring-inspired vignettes

Beyond the functional elements of your kitchen, consider how you can create artful vignettes throughout the space that nod to the changing seasons. Whether that's a styled corner of your kitchen countertops or a kitchen shelving display, creating seasonally styled areas can elegantly elevate your space from feeling purely functional to stylish.

For spring, consider doing a declutter first and decide which items add design interest to your space. From decorating with art to displaying beautiful fresh or dried flowers, you can curate your displays however you please with your favorite seasonal objects. Just make sure to keep things pared-back and uncluttered for a clean and streamlined look.

7. Display seasonal branches

Much like flowers, decorating with branches and foliage is another option to embrace for your spring kitchen; perfect for a more rustic kitchen look – and they can last longer without needing too much upkeep.

'One of my favorite ways to decorate the kitchen in the spring is to bring in tall flowering branches,' explains interior designer Ines Kelly Mazzotta, principal designer at Kelly Hopter Interiors, who shares her favorite branches to style at this time of year.

'After a long winter, nothing feels more exciting than the sight of blossoms. I start with the forsythia in February and March and then move to cherry or apple blossoms as the season progresses. But in a pinch, I will also force non-flowering branches – the sight of small leaves coming in is just as delightful! For both, I use tall glass or ceramic vases with relatively small openings to make sure the branches are contained and don't spread out too much.'

Updating your spring kitchen decor has never been easier. Whether you bring the outdoors in with seasonal blooms and branches, reach for lighter kitchen curtain ideas, or simply swap out your kitchenware for some delightful new seasonal designs there are so many simple but effective ways to refresh your kitchen for spring.