23 Cute Ways to Use Lemons in Your Home Décor

A bedroom lined with lemon-printed wallpaper — Lisa Gilmore Design

When life gives you lemons, some suggest making lemonade. But we recommend decorating with them, instead.

It’s true, lemons may not be the first thing you envision when you think of interior design. But the unassuming fruit has become a go-to accent—inspiring printed wallpapers, drawing attention to pretty bowls, and putting the finishing touches on picture-perfect kitchens. A pop of yellow fruit can brighten your color scheme and add unexpected charm to a room. It can also put a smile on the face of anyone who sees it.

What’s nice? Decorating with lemons has become such a fun fad that there are loads of ways to do it. And since lemons are easy to come by, you shouldn't have any trouble recreating your favorite lemon décor ideas at home.

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Turn Your Lemons Into a Centerpiece

A banquette decorated with a bowl full of lemons — Katie Hodges Design

One easy way to decorate with lemons? Fill a bowl with them, and stick that bowl in the center of your dining room table. The centerpiece may be simple, but thanks to the vibrant lemons, it’s sure to draw the eye.

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Mix and Match Two Kinds of Fruit

A banquette topped with a bowl or lemons and oranges — Studio Peake

When filling a fruit bowl, you don’t have to stick to one kind of fruit. By filling half the bowl with lemons and the other half with a different colorful fruit—like oranges, limes, or apples—you can create a colorblocked centerpiece that’s unusual but sensible.

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Fill a Vase With Lemon Branches

A vase filled with lemon branches — Vintage and Vogue

Branch-filled vases make a classic addition to any shelf or surface. And if you trade your rustic, bare branches for branches lined with leaves and lemons, you can make the go-to accent feel lush and colorful.

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Line Your Walls With Lemon Wallpaper

With a little printed wallpaper, you can transform any room in your home. And lemon-printed wallpaper can make that transformation fun and surprising. Of course, there are lots of lemon-printed wallpaper options out there, so you can snag a pattern that’s as kitschy—or as classic—as you want it to be.

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Keep Your Bar Well-Stocked With Citrus

A home bar topped with liquor, glassware, and a tray of lemons — Mindy Gayer Design

No home bar is complete without a little citrus. Lemons, limes, and oranges are go-to garnishes in classic cocktails, so add function and form to your space by keeping some citrus on your bar.

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Add Color to a Neutral Room

A black and white kitchen decorated with a bowl of lemons — Katie Hodges Design

Lemons can do more than dress up a bowl, tray, or countertop. Since the fruit is so vibrant, it can add a pop of vivid color to a space that desperately needs it—like a kitchen filled with black and white tiles.

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Invest in a Pretty Still Life

A freestanding shelf lined with mugs, storage items, and a lemon painting — House of Chais

The still life is one of the most classic pieces of art you can buy. So snag a lemon-filled still life, and use it to spruce up your sleekest shelves. The classic touch should feel surprising and delightful—especially when paired with modern-day décor.

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Turn Your Lemon Stacks Into Art

A dining room table, decorated with a bowl full of carefully stacked lemons — Mary Patton Design

You don’t have to fill your fruit bowls haphazardly. By stacking your lemons into a pyramid or another tidy shape, you can create a sculptural centerpiece that’s twice as eye-catching as an ordinary fruit bowl.

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Line Your Shelves With Bowls and Bowls of Lemons

Kitchen shelves lined with bowls of lemons — Dine x Design

Your lemons don’t have to live in just one fruit bowl. If you need loads of lemons—for your favorite recipes, for your go-to cocktails, or for any other reason—stock up on as many as you need, and let them fill up several fruit bowls. Bowls of lemons are easy to decorate with, so you can put them in any room. Or you can maximize the accent’s impact by lining a single set of shelves with your plethora of citrus.

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Spruce Up a Serving Tray

A light blue serving tray topped with a straw bouquet and a bowl of lemons — House of Chais

Serving trays are great to have on-hand. And when they’re not helping you carry items around, you can use them to organize loose decor in your space. So put your serving tray to work: Top it with a bowl of lemons and any other must-haves in your kitchen. With this one simple step, you can decorate your serving tray—and tidy your kitchen countertops.

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Grow Your Own Lemon Tree

A laundry room decorated with lemon-printed towels and a small lemon tree — Simple Joy at Home

Treat yourself to a little fresh fruit by growing your own lemon tree. The tree may not work in every room—it’ll need lots of direct sunlight. But it offers an exciting way to spruce up a window-filled space.

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Put Lemons in Unexpected Places

A bathroom decorated with plants and lemons — House of Chais

Lemons are almost always an unexpected decorative touch. But they're more surprising in some spots than others. While lemons in your kitchen may feel obvious, lemons in your bathroom will feel startlingly unexpected. So put lemons in places where they’re sure to earn a smile—or demand a double-take.

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Leave Some Fruit Outside Your Fruit Bowls

A kitchen island topped with a small bowl of lemons and one loose lemon — Jessica Nelson Design

You don’t have to adhere to the confines of your fruit bowls. Fill the bowl with fruit, and let some lemons spill over. This pop of imperfection will make your centerpiece look more dynamic—and feel more natural.

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Adorn Your Candles With Lemon-Lined Wreaths

A pillar candle surrounded by a lemon-lined wreath, and placed near a lemon-filled basket — Lovely Chris

Wreaths aren’t just for hanging on your walls, windows, and doors. They look just as good lying down—especially when you tuck decor inside them. So dress up your favorite pillar candles by surrounding them with lemon-lined wreaths. (Just make sure to keep those candles inside vases to avoid potential fire hazards.)

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Add Lemon Art to Your Kitchen

A small kitchen decorated with plants and a framed lemon illustration — House of Chais

Very few of us think to put art in our kitchens. But the truth is, it looks great there. So keep an eye out for something kitchen-appropriate—like a pretty lemon illustration—and you’ll have a striking piece worth displaying next to your cookware.

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Cluster Different Fruit Bowls

A kitchen decorated with two shallow bowls of fruit: one filled with lemons and one filled with pears — Pure Salt Interiors

If lemons aren’t the only fruit you like to keep on hand, fill one fruit bowl with lemons. Then, snag another fruit bowl for your other favorite fruit. By clustering the bowls together, you can make your countertops look decorated—without cluttering them with unnecessary décor.

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Leave Your Dinner Ingredients on Display

A kitchen counter decorated with a cutting board, a bottle of wine, and a bowl of lemons — Katie Martinez Design

There’s no shame in letting your kitchen look lived-in. After all, it’s there to be used. So don’t be afraid to leave tonight’s dinner ingredients on your countertop. The choice will keep your kitchen from looking too picture-perfect. Plus, it’ll make your life easier when you’re cooking later.

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DIY a Lemon Lamp

A table lamp with a glass base filled with lemons — Pinned Ptera

Transform a clear table lamp by filling its base with lemons. The surprising touch will take the lamp from simple to statement-making. Just be sure to use faux fruit—otherwise, you may end up refilling your lamp base every few weeks.

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Tuck Your Lemons Inside a Cloche

A rustic kitchen decorated with a pile of lemons tucked inside a glass cloche — Mary Patton Design

If you’re short a fruit bowl and need a place to put your lemons, tuck a stack of them inside a glass cloche. A cloche is basically an upside-down jar, so it can keep your lemons as neat and tidy as any ordinary bowl. Plus, it’s elegant and unexpected—so it should look great on your kitchen counter.

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Leave Lemons Loose on Your Countertop

A kitchen countertop decorated with three loose lemons — Calimia Home

Your lemons don’t need to be stored in anything at all. If you’ve only bought a few lemons, leave them loose on your countertop. They can bookend your cookbooks, complement a punch-filled pitcher, or simply add a pop of color to your space.

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Complement Your Lemons With Decorative Leaves

A woven tray topped with lemons and leaves — Scandibutik

A lemon-filled basket is a lovely sight. But a handful of leaves can make it even prettier. Start by lining your basket with lush leaves, then toss a few lemons on top. These two steps are incredibly simple. But they’ll leave you with a casual storage solution that looks more like a carefully thought-out arrangement.

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Boil Lemons on Your Stovetop

A stovetop pot, filled with lemon slices, orange slices, and leaves — Dine x Design

Make your kitchen look better—and smell better—by boiling some lemon slices on your stovetop. Toss the slices in a pot of water, and add some herbs for good measure. And if you want to make the pot even prettier and more fragrant, you can toss in other fruit slices, too.

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Hang a Lemon Slice Garland

A lemon slice garland hung from a banister — Stocksy/Alina Hostikova

Dress up a wall by DIYing a lemon garland. Cut a lemon into thin slices, dehydrate those slices so they’re no longer wet and sticky, and string them up on a piece of twine.

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