Seasonal decorating is always divisive, but nowhere more so than at Halloween. For every person who delights in inflatable ghosts and front-yard graveyards, there’s another who finds them garish, chaotic, or downright hideous. This tension between spooky maximalism and understated elegance turns the front porch – the ultimate stage for first impressions – into a seasonal battleground.
If the thought of plastic skeletons and flashing orange lights fills you with dread, take a cue from Martha Stewart. A purveyor of home style for decades, Stewart has long set the standard for seasonal sophistication. Her recent (and often polarizing) outdoor Halloween decorating idea is a masterclass in minimal, elevated holiday decor. She skipped the usual horror props in favor of a refined harvest tableau, relying solely on an abundance of homegrown pumpkins and gourds from her garden.
