Bringing the beauty and serenity of nature indoors is a lovely way to create a warm, inviting kitchen space.
Forest-themed kitchens incorporate natural wood tones, greenery, earthy accents and textures to achieve a cozy, woodland-inspired design.
Here are 13 unique ideas to give your kitchen a delightful woodland style.
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Woodland Wallpaper
One of the easiest ways to set a peaceful forest mood in the kitchen is with wallpaper.
Choose a print that features detailed woodland scenes, towering trees, winding vines, delicate ferns, scattered leaves or abstract woodgrain textures.
Stick to neutral, earthy color palettes with creamy whites, beiges, pale greens, and soft maple browns to cultivate a soothing vibe.
Cover a single focal wall behind the stove or sink to create a woodland view.
Or go for a full forest mural with birds, deer and other wildlife across all four walls for an immersive effect.
Mix different patterns and scales for an eclectic, organic look.
For example, do a full birch tree print on one wall and tiny detailed ferns crawling up another.
Wallpaper is also great for covering cabinets, the backsplash, ceiling or any other surfaces you want to infuse with nature.
Go bold with a scene of elk grazing in a meadow over the cooktop or range hood for an eye-catching detail.
Distressed Wood Cabinets
The cabinets set the overall style for a kitchen.
For a cozy forest kitchen, choose cabinets made of reclaimed wood with a distressed, unrefined finish.
Unvarnished, weathered-looking wood brings a rustic, timeworn feel reminiscent of a cabin nestled deep in the woods.
Opt for classic wide wood grain patterns like oak, pine or maple in muted, soft hues like foggy gray, warm tan or mossy green.
Mix in some visible knots, cracks, nail holes and other imperfections for added character.
Don’t be afraid to mix and match different wood finishes and stain colors for an collected look.
Paint or wallpaper the interior of glass cabinets to continue the misty forest scenes all the way through.
Matte black or bronze hardware pairs nicely for an earthy look.
Woven Wood Furnishings
Incorporate tactile forest textures into your kitchen with woven wood furnishings like shelves, pendant lights, blinds or cabinets.
The visible wide wood grain paired with organic handwoven patterns creates an inviting natural ambiance.
Use long woven wood plank shelves in place of upper cabinets for a breezy, free-flowing aesthetic.
Hang cone-shaped woven wood pendant lights over the kitchen island or reclaimed wood dining table for a subtle forest touch.
Natural bamboo Roman shades or woven rattan wood blinds filter the light beautifully while complementing the wood cabinetry.
For a unique touch, use handwoven banana leaf cabinets for an ultra tactile, vegetation-inspired look.
Choose to keep them natural or stain them in earthy olive green, chestnut brown or warm tan colors.
Moss and Fern Decor
What’s a peaceful, lush forest without vibrant greenery?
Incorporate living moss or delicate ferns throughout your kitchen to really bring the essence of the outdoors in.
Mount thick green forest moss on driftwood to create a living art installation on the wall.
Or cover a multi-tiered glass shelf with moss and use it to display miniature potted plants and tiny ceramic forest creatures.
Install a preserved reindeer moss wall garden as a literally breath of fresh, earthy air.
Use natural stone planters filled with soil and sprouting ferns placed on the floor or mounted on the wall for organic texture.
The soft, wispy leaves and curly tendrils of ferns pair beautifully with weathered wood finishes and look great in hanging terrariums near windows where they can get bright filtered light.
For lower maintenance, use realistic faux greens as permanent woodland-inspired accents.
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Textured Stone Surfaces
The rocky forest floor covered in moss and lichen is one of the most essential natural features to bring into a woodland-inspired kitchen.
Honed slate, tumbled travertine and textured stone surfaces add delightful contrast to all the weathered wood elements.
Incorporate stone into the backsplash with insets of quartzite, sandstone or marble.
Opt for naturally shaped flagstone countertops and islands full of whorls, waves and fossilized textures.
Do a full accent wall of stacked stone or a mosaic of river rock tiles behind the stove for organic charm.
Try mixing the stone with reclaimed barn wood.
Distressed wood shelves with stone in between conveys a cozy den feel.
For flooring, consider loose slate tiles laid in a staggered brick pattern to imitate a winding forest path.
Cobblestone counters resemble a babbling brook cascading through the peaceful woods.
Let yourself be inspired by the breathtaking diversity of natural stone.
Rustic Wood Flooring
Gorgeous hardwood floors provide the perfect root system for any enchanted forest kitchen.
Look for wide plank flooring in organic wood species like oak, acacia, hickory, birch or bamboo.
They have beautiful, varied grain patterns and knots for lots of natural texture.
Distressed raw wood floors in a driftwood gray whitewashed finish feel like a well-trodden trail leading deeper into the fairy tale woods.
For a cottage look, opt for extra wide, unevenly milled reclaimed boards filled with character.
To emulate the sturdy floor of a secluded log cabin, lay the planks in a classic chevron or herringbone design.
Use naturally shed tree branches as borders or thresholds to define separate spaces in an open concept kitchen.
Accent the floors with a few scattered pinecones, acorns and wood slices as simple area rugs.
The possibilities are endless for bringing wooded warmth and charm underfoot.
Tree Branch Fixtures
Unique fixtures crafted from raw gnarled tree branches and limbs add an irresistibly authentic touch of outdoor forest magic.
Rustic cast iron chandeliers with real branches for arms illuminate any kitchen with organic ambiance.
Use curved driftwood pieces in place of standard hardware as pulls for opening cabinet doors and drawers.
Tree branch towel hooks over the sink provide a spot to hang dishcloths or hand towels.
For shelves, mount whole raw logs or salvaged lumber boards with decorative crooks, burls and bark left on the edges for a hand-hewn look.
Nothing captures the essence of the forest quite like incorporating pieces crafted straight from trees into your functional fixtures.
Woodsy Textiles and Upholstery
Cozy textiles, plush upholstered furniture and softly draped window treatments made from natural fibers and earthy prints reinforce the charming woodland kitchen theme.
The essence of the woods comes through in homespun fabrics like linen, burlap, wool and cotton, often used for bedding and clothing while out camping.
Choose textiles decorated with detailed forest prints showing plants, animals, trees and landscapes.
Sofas, armchairs and stools upholstered in hues like mossy green, deep forest green or neutral linen and wool blends conjure images of thick emerald mosses, weathered bark and foliage.
Flowy linen or cotton curtains with embroidered leaves, flowers or climbing vines filter the light beautifully.
Handwoven wool throw blankets and velvet floor cushions invite snuggling up by the hearth.
Layering these comforting, organic textiles throughout makes the space feel like a safe, cozy tree house nest.
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Hanging Greenery and Dried Flora
Filling your kitchen with hanging greenery, air plants and dried flowers is an simple, lovely way to keep the soothing woodland spirit present.
Suspend delicate air plants, trailing ivy, spider plants or wispy ferns from the ceiling in glass terrariums at different heights.
Hang small wreaths made from twisted vines, dried magnolia leaves, cedar, eucalyptus or oak leaves on cabinet doors or above the sink.
Display a bouquet of dried hydrangea, pampas grass, wheat stems or baby’s breath in a vase on open shelves.
Use flexible twigs, seed pods, dried citrus slices or delicate vines as natural garlands over windows and doorways.
Keep it subtle with just a single preserved fern leaf above the range hood, or go for full immersion with the entire ceiling overhead draped in layers of preserved forest flora and fauna.
The essence of the magical woods comes alive with touches of suspended natural plant decor.
Antler, Feather and Butterfly Collections
Bring a whimsical taste of forest fauna into the mix by displaying decorative antlers, feathers and framed butterflies or insects.
Mount an impressive pair of large white-tailed deer antlers above the stove to make a striking organic statement.
Or cluster smaller antlers, horns, tusks and shells together in an eclectic arrangement over the open shelving.
Frame vivid blue and orange morpho butterflies or metallic beetles under glass for bright pops of color against all the neutral wood tones.
Place large feather plumes in ceramic vases as feminine, delicate accents across the kitchen.
Incorporate more symbols of forest creatures with animal print rugs, textiles and ceramics.
Let your creativity run wild capturing the playful spirit of woodland animals through these types of decorative touches.
Overhead Canopy Lighting
One of the most evocative ways to emulate the mystique of being under the dense forest canopy is by installing overhead pendant lighting.
Opt for bare bulb fixtures, cascading string lights or multi-height adjustable pendants to create your indoor “trees”.
Arrange them at staggered heights overhead to form a magical cluster of lights over the kitchen island, table or seating area.
Go for a minimalist look using single pendant bulbs suspended at various levels from the ceiling like glints of sunshine streaming through the treetops.
Or channel the night sky peeking through the cover of trees with several ornate, curling vine chandeliers dripping with crystal and beads.
For an enchanting glow, string warm white twinkle lights through a lattice of real branches over the whole ceiling.
The dots of light filtering through the leaves sets a dreamy, fairy tale mood.
Vintage Wood Furnishings
Aged, well-loved wood furniture pieces add tons of cozy cottage-style charm to a whimsical forest kitchen.
Search antique stores, flea markets and yard sales for unique character-filled vintage wood furnishings that seem to tell a story.
An old oak farm table with turned legs serves as a sturdy kitchen island full of history.
Repurposed wooden fruit crates, boxes and carts make charming open shelving units.
Turn an antique hutch, sideboard or apothecary cabinet into quaint dish storage.
Hand-carved cabinets with etched glass doors, scrubbed pine hutches and carved solid wood china cabinets with timeworn finishes fit beautifully into a vintage woodland aesthetic.
The nicks, scratches and imperfections of vintage wood add cozy personality with a nostalgic touch.
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Mixed Metal Accents
Weathered metals like copper, bronze and brass nicely complement the woodsy kitchen decor for an organic, collected look.
Incorporate hammered copper sinks, knobs and bowls to add warm metallic accents..
Metallic finishes reminiscent of the minerals and metals found in the forest floor and rock formations bring nature indoors.
Use woven metal light fixtures, shelves and tables for an artisanal accent against all the wood.
Display vintage brass sconces, utensil racks and bin pulls to shine like flecks of sunshine peeking through the trees.
Mix these patinated metals and wooden textures together for a narratives, earthy vibe that looks simultaneously rustic and refined.
Creating an indoor woodland oasis right in your kitchen offers so many possibilities for innovative design.
The key is thoughtfully layering natural materials like reclaimed wood, textured stone, lush greenery and cozy textiles to cultivate an immersive, organic vibe.
Infuse your own personal story by mixing in meaningful vintage finds and family heirlooms.
A serene kitchen nestled in the woods provides a rejuvenating retreat filled with charm and nostalgia.
