Leave it to Martha Stewart to transform her dining room into an enchanted winter forest at Christmas time. In 2015, the homemaker extraordinaire took to YouTube to share the decorations at her Bedford, New York home, and 10 years later, they're still just as stunning.
Though all of Martha's decorations are beautiful, the doyenne's Christmas table decor ideas are especially striking. According to Martha, a magical experience was the central concept in her design. She states: 'After a busy afternoon of baking cookies, it's relaxing to come and decorate the dining room. The table is an old convent table that I found in Maine, and this year the decorations are primarily for the grandchildren.'
Thus, multiple small, tactile vignettes were essential to Martha's Christmas decor. It is covered in artificial snow-covered boughs, glass vases filled with silver ornaments, and faux white animals. This sitting arctic fox sculpture from Wayfair is an adorable lookalike for recreating her look.
Martha explains: 'We're trying to make it kind of whimsical in here, thus all the little animals: the bears, the reindeer, the foxes, the moose, the polar bears, and the little Christmas trees and silver ornaments. It is whimsical and pretty, and the children can just walk around and look and touch, and nothing's very breakable.'
Recreate Martha's Look at Home
Lay these beautiful pine boughs across your table for a snowy, earthy look. They would be beautiful paired with more metallic pieces.
These silver ornaments combine sparkling and matte finishes, providing a contemporary touch of metallic shine to your holiday decor. The contrasting textures catch the light in unique ways, adding depth and a stylish, dynamic flair to your tree. Add them to glass vases for a look like Martha's table display.
This delightfully festive tree is available in multiple different sizes, or as a set of three – so you really can bring a white Christmas to every corner of your home. They could be lined up on a long table, or positioned to the side for a more varied look.
Martha covers her dining table in faux animals, and this polar bear family is especially sweet. The silver collar would be a perfect tie-in with silver ornaments and snowy branches.
Seasonal and festive, this spruce tree is perfect if you're looking to bring some winter charm into your home. With snowy branches and warm lights, it's the perfect choice for a timeless, heritage Christmas display.
This beautiful glass vase would be a gorgeous centerpiece for a table layered with smaller glass tube vases. The combination of several makes it easy to layer. Combine with seasonal greenery or baubles.
However, Martha doesn't stop at decorating the table. What makes her design feel especially striking is that she extends it to other parts of the dining room, creating cohesion between the tablescape and the rest of her decor. Martha states: 'On the rest of the room, we have a seating area here, and there is a little children's tree right here that's very whimsical, also with birds and ornaments and tinsel.' It shows that festive design is ultimately about the full picture, rather than one small part.
To recreate Martha's maximalist Christmas table decor, focus on choosing elements in a similar color palette with repeating motifs. This can help tie together disparate stories and creatures. Finally, don't forget to bring in a bit of sparkle. Whether this is through tinsel, ornaments, or branches, it goes a long way in inviting that Christmas feeling.
Ultimately, Christmas decor is about creating beautiful experiences of joy and togetherness. No matter the year, design that's full of magic will always be in style.
