Recreate Martha Stewart's Chic Fall Porch Decor Idea With These Tips

If it's nothing else, autumn is the season for decorating porches. Take a stroll through any neighborhood of porch-fronted homes and you'll see a plethora of pumpkins, dried corn stalks, mums, and Halloween decorations that range from cutesy to creepy and colossal. Perhaps there's even that home or three in your neighborhood filling every square inch with Halloween decor. If "anything goes" isn't your aesthetic for autumnal decor, take a cue from Martha Stewart. 

On Instagram, she shows off some outdoor stairs and a walkway decked out in pumpkins from her garden for a simple-yet-classic display that could last all season long. Her chic styling features a series of red kuri squash on the left and right side of each step, followed by other pumpkins and gourds on and near the edges of the walkway leading up to the steps. The shape of kuri squash is reminiscent of a pear crossed with a pumpkin, and from afar, it definitely looks like it belongs among pumpkins. 

While you probably don't have the pumpkin-growing space of Martha Stewart's garden, it's not difficult to emulate the look with purchased pumpkins. Visit your local garden center, farm stands, and even larger grocery stores to accumulate an assortment of display-worthy seasonal squash and pumpkins, including warty, unusual varieties. "Less is more" could be the theme with Martha's pumpkin styling. Love thy pumpkins, warts and all, and put them on display ... minimalistically. Adding individuality to your fall decor is a popular porch decorating trend, too. 

To capture the look of Martha Stewart's pumpkin-spiced stairs, purchase two small gourds per step, then push one to the left and one to the right on each step. She aligned hers so that the stems are not all facing the same way, nor do the pumpkins look identical. The more unusual the pumpkin, the better, as it'll stand out from the usual pie pumpkins and jack-o'-lanterns that dot other people's porches and stairs. Stewart's adorned stairs almost seem like they go to a side door or back door, as it appears the area leads to a patio or large paved slab. 

Chances are, there's some sort of walkway or patio that leads up to your stairs, too. Create a path of larger mismatched pumpkins on the perimeter of the area leading up to the stairs, as if rolling out the orange carpet for guests. Place a few other mismatched pumpkins and squashes on a patio table, the porch railing, or even around a deck perimeter. Large pumpkins do well for the bigger areas where they'll fit. The goal here is originality rather than homogenous, completely uniform pumpkins. Opt for white pumpkins, warty pumpkins, or multi-colored pumpkins for a creative, homegrown look. 

If you prefer to spend money on something that lasts longer than one season, go artificial. Numerous artificial pumpkins are available on Amazon, such as the FutureplusX assorted set that comes with eight faux pumpkins and fall leaves. For next year, try growing pumpkins on a balcony or porch, using container gardening techniques. Another fall idea? Make this DIY bird feeder that's a Martha Stewart obsession to feed the birds during cooler weather.