How to Decorate a Dough Bowl: Dough Bowl Fillers for the Entire Year

How to decorate a dough bowl: Let me show you how to decorate a dough bowl for every season and holiday this year!

Ahh the beloved dough bowl! It’s simple yet beautiful. I love that there is no two dough bowls alike and each one of them carries it’s own unique charm. Decorating a dough bowl is a great way to add a touch of elegance and natural elements to any space in your home. Whether you’re showcasing an antique dough bowl passed down through generations or a new dough bowl from Amazon, each piece brings its own unique charm. From vintage dough bowls that evoke the timeless beauty of colonial America to wooden bowls in various sizes perfect for your coffee table or console table, there are endless creative ideas to transform a simple dough bowl into a beautiful centerpiece. In this guide, you will learn simple ways to decorate your dough bowl for every season and holiday, using elements like pine cones, fresh flowers, and faux greenery to create stunning home decor that complements your living room, dining table, or kitchen countertop.

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Decorating a Dough Bowl

What is a Dough Bowl?

Before we get into decorating our bowls, what the heck are dough bowls and where did they come from? Dough bowls date back to colonial America (1607-1776) and were used to mix dough. They were sometimes called trenchers and were a treasured staple in the home, usually passed down from generation to generation. Can you imagine actually owning an antique dough bowl? Mine just came from Amazon, lol! These wooden bowls come in various sizes, from large bowls ideal for the kitchen countertop to round dough bowls perfect for the dining table.

Dough Bowls found on Amazon

What can you Put in a Dough Bowl?

Okay, so you have your dough bowl but it’s empty.. What can you put in a dough bowl? My short answer is anything small. Think about anything that you can hold in one hand (that’s pretty), gather several of them and then throw them in your bowl. That’s it! Not specific enough? Don’t worry, I have several examples for you below. From pine cones to fresh flowers, the possibilities are endless. Whether you prefer a simple rustic dough bowl or a beautiful dough bowl as a focal point on your coffee table, there are great options to suit every decor style.

How to Decorate Dough Bowls

I love being able to switch out my dough bowl fillers for the season, but if that’s not your cup of tea, I have ideas that will work for you all year-round too! From summer dough bowl centerpiece ideas to fall dough bowl decorations, these creative ideas make it easy to keep your dough bowl decor fresh and interesting.

How to Decorate a Dough Bowl for Winter

Use Pinecones for your filler!

Pinecones add the perfect wintery touch to your home. They’re a great way to fill a beautiful dough bowl for the winter season! They are the perfect dough bowl filler, especially if you enjoy incorporating natural elements into your decor. Depending on where you live, you might have the luxury of collecting a few pinecones during a nice walk outside… for free!

If you do snag your pinecones from the great outdoors, be sure to bake them in the oven at 200°F for about 30 minutes to get rid of any critters and help them open up a bit. However, learn from my mistake and use tinfoil on your baking sheets!! Pinecone sap is no joke and I think I may have ruined two of my baking sheets. For an easier cleanup, consider using plastic liners or parchment paper. Want more winter decor ideas?Check out my How to Decorate after Christmas Post here!

Decorate with Conversation Hearts for Valentine’s Day!

Wanting to show your dough bowl some love this Valentine’s Day (someone stop me with this cheesiness)? Add some conversation hearts! My bowl took 4 bags of hearts to reach this level of fullness, which seems excessive. If you decide to use this filler, I would recommend faking it by adding something like tissue paper to the bottom of your bowl so you don’t have to fill it up as much. You can also add some candles to take up more space, creating a beautiful centerpiece for your dining room table.

Want some more Valentine DIYs? Check out my DIY throw pillow here or my DIY reversed canvas sign here. Both of these DIYs can be made for less than $5!

How to Decorate a Dough Bowl for Spring

Fill your dough bowl with Easter Eggs for Easter

Easter eggs are the perfect size for your dough bowl which make them great spring fillers. I even have a fun DIY for you to make your own custom eggs too! Upgrade the look of your ordinary plastic eggs with this fun decoupage technique. This DIY cost me less than $5 to make! All you need is a few plastic Easter eggs, paper (virtually any kind), and some mod podge. Check out the full tutorial here.

Make an Easy Flower Arrangement for your Dough Bowl

After Easter, I usually fill my bowl with a flower arrangement like this one for the remainder of Spring… or until I want to change it up again! I did this by simply laying lamb’s ear down first (I used a 6′ garland, but individual stems would work too) and some faux white hydrangeas on top. I didn’t glue or tie anything down in case I wanted to do something else with these pieces in the future. For a more permanent setup, consider using floral foam to secure your flowers and add visual interest.

How to Decorate a Dough Bowl for Summer

Make it a Fruit Bowl

Want your dough bowl to have a purpose other than just decoration? Add some life to your bowl by adding fruit and making it a cool fruit bowl! Nothing screams summer more than fresh produce! Plus, this could help encourage your family to snack on the fruit and less likely to waste it. Don’t you just love decor that’s actually functional? Plus, fruit is pretty and colorful! Shoutout to my Mama for this pic by the way!

DIY Some rag balls for your Dough Bowl

My DIY rag balls! These rag balls are the perfect dough bowl filler and add a fun shabby chic farmhouse feel to your decor too! I like DIYs like this where you can just eyeball your measurements and not stress about perfection. You know I love to wing it! Check out the full tutorial here! This DIY filler would work for other seasons too, but I picture red, white, blue rag balls for the 4th of July! How cute?! Adding these to a long dough bowl or large bowl can serve as a great addition to your living room or dining table.

How to Decorate a Dough Bowl for Fall

Fill your Dough bowl with Pumpkins for the Fall Season

If you ask me, the only way to decorate your dough bowl for Fall is by filling it with pumpkins! Real or fake! It’s super easy and you can’t go wrong with pumpkins for fall! I usually fill mine with white pumpkins or faux pumpkins after Labor Day, and it takes me all the way to Thanksgiving! This fall dough bowl filler is not only seasonal but also adds a fresh look to your living room or dining table.

Want more fall decor tips? Check out my tutorial here!

How to Decorate a Dough Bowl for Christmas

Fill your Dough Bowl with Ornaments for Christmas

Ornaments come in all shapes and sizes, making them the perfect Christmas dough bowl filler! However, learn from me and choose shatterproof ornaments. I lose a few of these glass ornaments each year when my nieces and nephews come over, but I can’t blame them since they are quite mesmerizing to look at. Using an antique wooden dough bowl or a vintage dough bowl can add a touch of old-world charm to your holiday decor. I have more Christmas decorating tips here.

How to Decorate with a Dough Bowl

Okay so you now have a filled dough bowl, but where do you put the thing? They work great as a table centerpiece, perched on a window sill, or even on your entryway or coffee table. Choosing the right location can make your dough bowl a focal point and enhance the overall aesthetic of your room. Whether it’s on your console table or kitchen countertop, a well-decorated dough bowl adds visual interest and complements other decorative items in your space.

Share How you Decorate a Dough Bowl

Thank you for joining me on this journey to explore the beautiful ways to decorate a dough bowl for every season. Whether you choose to fill your large dough bowl with fresh greenery for spring, faux pumpkins for fall, or citrus fruits for summer, these simple rustic dough bowl ideas are sure to enhance your decor style and add visual interest to any flat surface. Don’t forget to experiment with different types of wood, floral arrangements, and decorative items to make each dough bowl uniquely yours. I’d love to see how you’ve personalized your dough bowl decor, so be sure to share your creations on social media and tag me using #meagannicholedotcom. For more creative ideas and seasonal decor tips, explore the other posts on MeaganNichole.com. Happy decorating!

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