Martha's Holiday Decorating Ideas

December 03, 2010

Step inside Martha's homes to see how she decorates for the holidays.

1 of 30

Carols at Martha's

For a caroling party at her home in Bedford, New York, Martha stands near a 12-foot Christmas tree from North Carolina. Many of its handmade ornaments have motifs that refer to music or nature; some of them, inspired by Martha's collection of Wedgwood drabware, were fashioned from Paperclay modeling material and springerle cookie molds.

2 of 30

Bright Lights

The summer house on Martha's Bedford, New York, property is where the farm's original owner spent the warm months. At dusk, the facade is illuminated with candles and lights.

3 of 30

Faux Silver Tree

This tabletop tree stands on Martha's kitchen counter at her home in Bedford, New York. It's placed in a large, ruffled galvanized-metal tray that's filled with artificial snow and finished with a still-life scene of deer figurines.

4 of 30

Rustic Holiday Touches

The mantel and tree at Martha's Seal Harbor, Maine, home are decorated with pinecone garlands and ornaments. The beautiful hand-blown glass balls on the table near the sofa are old fishing buoys, which Martha collects. The stockings are made from ingrain carpet remnants.

5 of 30

DIY Outdoor Holiday Ribbon

Inspired by ribbon candy, these giant ornaments will catch everyone's eye this year. Using strips of gold and silver-toned flashing, threaded rods, and wooden beads, these ornaments are the perfect and larger-than-life addition to your outdoor holiday decorations.

Get the Golden Outdoor Holiday Ribbon How To

6 of 30

Warm Welcome

At Skylands, Martha's Seal Harbor, Maine, retreat, the porch is trimmed with a garland and giant wreath, studded with gold and natural pinecones, and tied with a gold ribbon bow. Pink rose hips adorn the garland.

7 of 30

Woodland Tree

This modern tree, which has been placed in Martha's Bedford, New York living room in years past, has lots of full boughs, allowing for many ornaments. Standing in a faux-bois basin filled with deer moss and mushroom ornaments, it's trimmed with owls, polar bears, acorns, pinecones, silver and bronze balls, and more mushrooms.

8 of 30

Table Trimmings

For Christmas Eve dinner at Skylands, Martha's Seal Harbor, Maine, home, the table is set for six with Art Deco cranberry-glass stemware and American sterling flatware. Italian 17th-century chairs with silk velvet cushions are poised at either side of the table. The Venetian-print tablecloth has Victorian-style gold thread trim.

9 of 30

Polish Tree

In Poland, where the Christmas season is seen as a time of renewal, ornaments are fashioned from straw to symbolize thanksgiving for the harvest and hope for good things in the coming year. Eggs represent the promise of future prosperity.

In Martha's former home, Turkey Hill, a small spruce is placed on a table and decorated with green glass balls, eggshell ornaments in shimmering gold tones, and wheat decorations that have been given a burnished glow using metallic powders in a range of hues, from light copper to a deep verdigris. The choice of ornaments is intended as a tribute to Martha's Polish heritage; their colors were chosen to accentuate the room's decorative details, from the gold-trimmed drabware plates to the gilded Federal-style mirror.

10 of 30

Martha and Kristina

Credit: Christopher Baker

Martha and her niece Kristina wrap presents and trim the small spruce.

11 of 30

Silver Fruit Tree

Martha's fantastical tree, hung with gleaming teal and mint-green apples and pears, is the focal point for a holiday table at Martha's East Hampton, New York, house. The branch is embedded in a large, heavy floral frog, placed in an antique footed bowl, surrounded with green floral foam (oasis), and covered with moss. Polystyrene fruits are wrapped in mint- and teal-green metallic leaf, and they are tied to the branches with silver ribbon. Delicate silver leaves, which are glued to the branches, glimmer in the candlelight.

12 of 30

Evergreen Tree

This light green tree, shown in the green room of Martha's Bedford, New York, home, is not vintage but is several years old. It's decorated with silver and green ornaments and a tree topper made from tinsel stars. The base is covered with a coil of beaded garland.

13 of 30

Christmas Glow

Delicate beeswax candles are clipped on the the sturdier branches of Martha's Christmas tree in Seal Harbor, Maine. They are only lit when people are in the room.

14 of 30

Festive Light

A French candelabra from the 1930s presides over the mantel in Martha's East Hampton, New York, home during the holidays.

15 of 30

Under Wraps

Holiday gifts are trapped beneath Victorian smoke bells in Martha's East Hampton, New York, home.

16 of 30

Apple Tree Alight

On the grounds of her Bedford, New York home, giant kugel balls hang from the branches of the farm's old apple tree, which is strung with white lights; a mixed-greenery wreath adorns the corn crib.

17 of 30

Green Christmas Tree

In the corner of Martha's green room in her Bedford, New York home, a glittering tree welcomes guests.

Get the look with Martha Stewart Living Pre-Lit Snowy Pine Tree at the Home Depot.

Order a Martha Stewart Living Pre-Lit Snowy Pine Tree

18 of 30

Tiny Forest

In Martha's Bedford, New York, kitchen, she places little Christmas trees beneath a glass dome.

19 of 30

Silver Tree

In the hallway of Martha's Bedford, New York, home sits a gleaming silver tree.

20 of 30

Glimmering Wreath

Credit: Ditte Isager

On the front door of Martha's summer house in Bedford, New York, an elaborate bow adorns a wreath made from golden faux greenery.

21 of 30

Holiday Haven

Sharkey rests amid Martha's holiday decor in her Bedford, New York, home.

22 of 30

Golden Outdoor Wreath

Martha decorates one of her buildings on her Bedford, New York, farm with a golden wreath.

23 of 30

Center of Attention

A centerpiece of silver and glittered birds makes an elegant statement in Martha's Bedford, New York, home.

24 of 30

Reindeer Games

During a Christmas brunch at Martha's Bedford, New York, home, a fire burns in the brown room. A grouping of reindeer are placed on the mantel.

25 of 30

Holiday Punchbowl

A polar bear from Grandin Road greets guests at the eggnog table during a holiday brunch at Martha's Bedford, New York, home.

26 of 30

Tinsel Tree with Birds

A gorgeous tinsel tree sits in Martha's home in Bedford, New York.

27 of 30

Green and Silver

In the green room at Martha's Bedford, New York, home, feather trees are dripping with icicles.

28 of 30

Noah's Ark

The animals in Martha's Noah's Ark set are accented with glitter for Christmas in her Bedford, New York, home.

29 of 30

Lighting the Way

Ivory paper bags laser-printed with Martha's Bedford, New York, farm motif and weighted with sand become luminarias, lighting the way in the snowy dusk to a holiday gathering.

30 of 30

Cold Comfort

A polar bear -- available through Grandin Road -- makes a beautiful and unusual Christmas decoration at Martha's home in Bedford, New York.

Replay gallery

Account

More

Martha's Holiday Decorating Ideas

1 of 30

Carols at Martha's

1 of 30

2 of 30

Bright Lights

2 of 30

3 of 30

Faux Silver Tree

3 of 30

4 of 30

Rustic Holiday Touches

4 of 30

5 of 30

DIY Outdoor Holiday Ribbon

5 of 30

6 of 30

Warm Welcome

6 of 30

7 of 30

Woodland Tree

7 of 30

8 of 30

Table Trimmings

8 of 30

9 of 30

Polish Tree

9 of 30

10 of 30

Martha and Kristina

10 of 30

11 of 30

Silver Fruit Tree

11 of 30

12 of 30

Evergreen Tree

12 of 30

13 of 30

Christmas Glow

13 of 30

14 of 30

Festive Light

14 of 30

15 of 30

Under Wraps

15 of 30

16 of 30

Apple Tree Alight

16 of 30

17 of 30

Green Christmas Tree

17 of 30

18 of 30

Tiny Forest

18 of 30

19 of 30

Silver Tree

19 of 30

20 of 30

Glimmering Wreath

20 of 30

21 of 30

Holiday Haven

21 of 30

22 of 30

Golden Outdoor Wreath

22 of 30

23 of 30

Center of Attention

23 of 30

24 of 30

Reindeer Games

24 of 30

25 of 30

Holiday Punchbowl

25 of 30

26 of 30

Tinsel Tree with Birds