The “Martha Stewart aesthetic” is experiencing a remarkable resurgence in 2025, with Pinterest reporting searches up nearly 3,000 percent. This iconic lifestyle approach blends rustic elegance with practical self-sufficiency and seasonal living, creating spaces that are both beautiful and functional.

At its core, the Martha Stewart aesthetic celebrates the connection between our homes and nature. It’s about creating a life where your backyard isn’t just for show—it’s a working part of your household that produces food, beauty, and a sense of accomplishment.

This garden-to-table trend isn’t just about following a celebrity homemaker—it represents a deeper desire to reconnect with simpler ways of living. As one Pinterest user commented, “Martha has always been that girl,” highlighting how Stewart’s approach to homemaking has remained relevant for decades.

In this guide, we’ll explore three key elements of the Martha Stewart aesthetic: creating a charming yet functional chicken coop, designing vegetable gardens with visual appeal, and preparing homegrown summer recipes that celebrate seasonal bounty.

Creating a Martha-Worthy Chicken Coop

Martha Stewart has long been an advocate for keeping backyard chickens, often sharing her experiences raising poultry on her Bedford farm. “I love keeping chickens for their fresh, delicious eggs,” she says. With egg prices remaining high, many homeowners are following her lead and installing coops in their backyards.

A chicken coop that balances functionality with Martha Stewart’s signature rustic elegance

Design Principles for a Martha-Inspired Coop

The Martha Stewart aesthetic isn’t just about function—it’s about creating structures that enhance your property’s beauty. When designing your chicken coop, consider these key principles:

• Choose weatherproof materials that will age gracefully, like cedar or painted pine
• Incorporate architectural details such as a pitched roof or decorative trim
• Add vintage hardware like wrought iron hinges or antique latches
• Ensure proper ventilation with stylish vents or windows
• Include practical elements like easy-clean nesting boxes and predator-proof design

Interior design elements that make chicken keeping both practical and beautiful

3 Beginner Tips for Backyard Chicken-Keeping

DIY Blueprint Example

Simple coop blueprint with nesting box placement and dimensions

Vegetable Gardens with Visual Appeal

Martha’s Bedford farm is renowned for its beautiful and productive gardens. As she explains, “My father taught me that you can do it all from scratch, starting from seeds or cuttings, and if you nurture them, they will produce.” This philosophy of combining beauty with productivity is central to the Martha Stewart aesthetic.

A vegetable garden that combines productivity with the Martha Stewart aesthetic

Layout Ideas That Blend Beauty and Function

Geometric Raised Beds

Create structure and visual interest with geometric raised beds arranged in a symmetrical pattern. Use cedar or other attractive woods for construction, and consider adding decorative corner posts or caps. This approach makes maintenance easier while providing a clean, organized look that’s quintessentially Martha.

Geometric raised beds create structure and visual interest

Cottage-Style Wildness

For a softer approach, embrace the controlled chaos of cottage-style gardening. Mix vegetables with flowering plants like nasturtiums, marigolds, and lavender. This not only creates a beautiful tapestry of colors and textures but also attracts beneficial insects that help control pests naturally.

Cottage-style gardens blend vegetables with flowering plants

5 Easy-to-Grow Summer Vegetables

Companion Planting Guide

Companion planting guide for optimal garden health and productivity

Homegrown Summer Recipes

The true joy of embracing the Martha Stewart aesthetic comes when you bring your garden harvest to the table. These garden-to-table recipes celebrate fresh summer ingredients while incorporating Martha’s signature presentation style.

A garden-to-table meal presented with Martha Stewart’s signature elegant simplicity

Zucchini Fritters with Herb Yogurt

Zucchini fritters showcase garden-fresh ingredients with elegant presentation

Ingredients:

• 4 medium zucchini, grated and drained
• 2 farm-fresh eggs
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs (mint, dill, parsley)
• 1 small garlic clove, minced

Serve these crispy fritters on vintage blue and white china plates with a dollop of herb-infused yogurt. Garnish with additional fresh herbs and edible flowers from your garden for a presentation that’s quintessentially Martha.

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Herb-Infused Summer Lemonade

Ingredients:

• 6 lemons, juiced (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup honey or sugar
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup fresh herbs (lavender, mint, or basil)
• Edible flowers for garnish (optional)

Serve in mason jars with striped paper straws and fresh herb sprigs. For entertaining, create a lemonade station with different herb-infused options in glass dispensers with handwritten labels on parchment paper.

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Herb-infused lemonade presented in Martha’s signature rustic-elegant style

Garden Tomato and Herb Galette

A rustic galette showcases heirloom tomatoes from your garden

Ingredients:

• 1 homemade or store-bought pie crust
• 3-4 medium heirloom tomatoes, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1/4 cup grated Gruyère cheese
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Serve this rustic galette on a wooden cutting board with additional fresh herbs scattered around. For a complete presentation, add a small bouquet of garden flowers and vintage linen napkins to complete the Martha Stewart aesthetic.

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Presentation Tips

Table setting that embodies the Martha Stewart aesthetic of rustic elegance

Embracing the Martha Stewart Lifestyle

The Martha Stewart aesthetic brings together practicality and beauty in everyday living

The resurgence of the Martha Stewart aesthetic represents more than just a trend—it’s a return to intentional living that balances beauty with practicality. As Pinterest searches for this lifestyle continue to climb by nearly 3,000 percent, it’s clear that people are seeking a more grounded, connected way of living.

Whether you start with a small herb garden, try your hand at keeping chickens, or simply bring more homemade elements to your table, embracing this aesthetic is about finding joy in the everyday details of home life. It’s about creating spaces and experiences that nourish both body and soul.

As Martha herself might say, creating your own version of this lifestyle is “a good thing.” Start small, focus on quality over quantity, and remember that the true heart of the Martha Stewart aesthetic lies in the blend of beauty and functionality that makes everyday living both practical and beautiful.