A design expert has advised kitchen owners to treat Christmas decorations as design accessories in their own right.Rose Bennett Gilbert of Creators Syndicate wrote in the San Fernando Valley Sun that decorations make a design statement, not just visual clutter.Ms Gilbert advised grouping decorations by theme or colour before arranging them in prominent positions such as over windows in kitchen sink areas or on top of cabinets.She added that while evergreens and ornaments could add stylish touches to a room, it was important that a kitchen living space did not become overcrowded.You may be dealing with beloved family heirlooms, so plan to use displays that highlight the ornaments without strangling the rest of the room, she said.Cynthia Heikel, assistant manager at a Royal Doulton outlet store, recently told Delawareonline.com that natural touches were in this Christmas. She said that by gathering herbs, branches and pine cones, the eco-conscious look could be had for free.