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11 Products for Channeling Martha Stewart, From Cake Stands to Candles

11 Products for Channeling Martha Stewart, From Cake Stands to Candles
11 Products for Channeling Martha Stewart, From Cake Stands to Candles


There’s more noise than ever on the homemaking side of social media, but there is still only one Martha Stewart. She is, in short, an icon of the arena — “mogul” seems too steely a word for her brand while “multi-hyphenate” undersells her areas of expertise, which range from corn jewelry-making to cod jigging. My own parasocial relationship with Stewart began in October of 2005, in the pages of a particularly memorable, dry ice-filled Martha Stewart Living Halloween issue. Stewart didn’t just set tables, she dressed them; she didn’t just buy seasonal wreaths, but bent the branches herself.

Stewart’s talents — as a cook, crafter, sewer, woodworker, cleaner, candlestick-maker, lover of Chow Chows, and more — solidified her place as the quintessential proto-lifestyle influencer, a role which she only continued to build upon, both pre- and post-Enron, with impressive cultural relevance. Lest we forget, Joan Didion penned a meaty New Yorker essay in 2000 that unpacked Stewart’s role as a pioneer of bundt cake-pilled ecommerce. “This is a billion-dollar company,” Didion writes, “the only real product of which, in other words, is Martha Stewart herself.”

Of course, there have been plenty of real Martha Stewart products, from copper saucepans to striped pajama sets. (A few years ago, I wouldn’t shut up about the complex flavor profile of her pumpkin spice CBD gummies to anyone who would listen.) And even when I’m not consuming or using a specifically Martha Stewart brand product, her aesthetic — think, your most Nancy Meyers-esque aunt from Connecticut with a touch of Lee Radziwill eccentricity — remains omnipresent in my hosting brain, reminding me to reach for beeswax candles over paraffin, or to establish a separate drink station at a dinner party.

As Eater reminisces on Stewart’s legacy during Martha Week, we have rounded up a list of products to help you channel your inner Martha, whether you have a cocktail party to host or a hankering for a new set of dishes to inspire you.

The art of hosting



Vintage French Oyster Dish

Prices taken at time of publishing.

It feels Very Martha™ to own at least one oyster dish, and this extra large, vintage French majolica platter is an excellent candidate for wow-ing your guests on the table or displayed on a shelf or in a hutch. Per Stewart’s recommendation, don’t forget a bit of lemon juice.




Beeswax Candles – 2 Pack

Prices taken at time of publishing.

When Stewart listed her favorite things for the Chicago Tribune, unscented beeswax candles clocked in at number four, just after Champagne and before Madagascar (Stewart’s favorite place to spend the holidays, because of course). Heed Stewart’s advice when it comes to dinner party candles, and keep some unscented beeswax tapers on hand. They’re far more pleasant to have burning than paraffin wax candles, which sometimes make me feel like I’m huffing a jar of Vaseline, and the buttercup color warms up any tablescape.



striped table cloth



Hawkins New York Essential Striped Cotton Tablecloth

Prices taken at time of publishing.

We like to think that Stewart would get behind Hawkins New York’s machine-washable, striped tablecloths. They come in six neutral colorways, but the sage option is our interseasonal favorite. Pro tip: pair it with this set of tiny, cherry-colored candle holders.




Martha Stewart Chauncey 4-Pack Hobnail Glass

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Make water, juice, and cocktails more interesting by adding Martha Stewart’s hobnail glassware into your rotation. We trawled through the Amazon reviews on these head-turners, and the user consensus is that they look and feel way more expensive than they are thanks to the hypnotic hobnail texture and slightly weighty feel.




Pewter Napkin Rings – Set of 4

Prices taken at time of publishing.

It wouldn’t be a Stewart-worthy table setting without some linen napkins and pewter napkin rings. Seriously, though, investing in a set of a dozen linen napkins from Amazon costs around $20 (they get softer with every wash, too), and after dressing them up with their own jewelry (napkin rings), I think you’ll find that you don’t need much else to make your spread look swanky. 


Lean into holiday decor

autumn wreath



Autumn Splendor Live Wreath

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Do you think Stewart would let a single holiday pass without bedecking her halls? Not a chance. And when I think of the cover of a Martha Stewart Living (MSL) magazine, I think of wreaths — which may be a Mandela Effect situation, but I’m here for it. Seasonal wreaths are a space-saving way to prove to your neighbors that you are, in fact, festive and fun and in-touch with fall flavors. Consider this autumnal wreath from Williams Sonoma, which is made out of air-dried and pesticide-free oak leaves, safflowers, wheat, oats, strawflowers, and other blooms by artisans at a farm in Washington State. The best part? If you store it in a well-sealed container, you can use it year after year. 




Estelle Colored Glass Champagne Coupe

Prices taken at time of publishing.

It’s hard to think of a hosting world without those legendary MSL Halloween issues, which continue to spoil us with bat garland crafts and dry ice ideas year after year. There’s an entire Eater guide to the best Halloween kitchen decor, but we’re apt to think Martha would appreciate a spooky cocktail from one of these sleek black Champagne coupes. 




Ceramic Tree & Village Tealight Candleholders

Prices taken at time of publishing.

A few years ago, Stewart went viral for selling near exact replicas of the nativity set that she made at Alderson Federal Prison Camp, down to her inmate number on the bottom. If your holiday aesthetic is less baby Jesus in a manger and more, “general, calm winter village,” we suggest this similarly minimal white ceramic tea light village.


Level up your dishware



Roulette Blue Band 20-Piece Dinnerware Set

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Stewart does not fool around when it comes to collecting dishware sets, as evidenced by her aforementioned love of jadeite dishes (specifically, Fire-King Restaurantware) and the sprawling “great wall of China” at her home in Maine. This 20-piece Roulette set feels like something you might be able to scoop from its shelves, because its preppy yet minimal design can be dressed up or down.




Heirloom Stoneware Tureen

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Another worthy focalpoint of your dinner spread or hutch is a classic stoneware soup terrine. This iteration from Pottery Barn can hold up to 3.5-quarts of your favorite fall stew, and it’s inspired by the kinds of gorgeous (albeit, often lead-filled) terrines you might find at a French flea market. Only, this one is phthalate-, lead-, BPA-free, and doesn’t need to be lugged through Charles de Gaulle airport to make it back to your kitchen.  


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