Martha Stewart Responds to ‘Harsh Judgment’ on Maine Summer Home Decor

Martha Stewart responds to critics who called her Maine town “bland.”

“I rarely read all the comments that come in after I post, but since I was so happy with the transformation of my Maine living room, I scrolled through many of the comments and was surprised at the harsh judgment displayed by so many!!!,” she wrote via Instagram on Wednesday.

The former “Martha Stewart Show” host initially shared several snaps of her home’s three main living rooms, telling fans that she and her team of assistants “spent three hours moving the old furniture and putting in the new (pieces).”

Stewart, 82, defended her design choices and said she was “happy” with the result, even though she did not hire a “professional” to help her decorate.

“It was an attempt at quick and effective change,” she explained further in her message.

“Transforming a house into a home or a room into a beautiful living space takes way more than three hours. Of course, there will be color, plants, mirrors, a new rug or two, and other art and objects. Stay tuned!!!”

In her original Instagram post showcasing the look of the new living rooms, Stewart also gushed over the Hamptons home on Lily Pond Lane that she once owned but sold in 2021.

“We replaced the upholstery in the living room from blue-gray fabrics to a creamy pale butter yellow (all the yellow is from Lily Pond Lane that I sold two years ago!),” she told her fans. “The library is much cozier now and the faux bois table is now the card table. I love the rustic yet elegant charm of this lovely 1925 home.”

The photos show different angles of a long living room with brown wooden walls and beige furniture. In the center of the large living room, a beige leather sofa faces two cream chairs and a black bench with a black coffee table in front of the two seating areas.

One side of the wall was painted cream with a brown wooden wreath and fireplace in the center. She decorated the wall with several bird drawings hung individually in black frames.

There were two other similar configurations in the long living room that featured several large windows to let in light and views from its vast green courtyard.

A second living room featured a similar furniture color palette with more light gray wood pieces and large plants.

The third room was similar to the first two with two cream sofas, matching chairs, a brown coffee table and a dark brown desk.

Stewart quickly received an influx of mixed reviews on his designs – some praising its old-school look and others comparing it to a “furniture showroom.”

“This doesn’t look warm and welcoming. It looks more like a furniture showroom than a home. It’s sad to see,” someone wrote.

“I hate to say it…but I will. It doesn’t look like a single comfortable chair…the colors are so bland. It doesn’t look like a house, it looks more like the lobby of a men’s club. I guess if you’re happy with it, that’s all that matters,” another person commented.

“Yuck. Looks like the living room of a 1987 Marriott suite,” one person wrote.

“This is not your best work. It feels empty, like no soul is,” someone commented.

“OMG @marthastewart48 I have missed your interior design segments so much. YES YES YES to all of this,” wrote one fan.

“What a beautiful house full of history. A gem,” another person added.

“Stunning! The butter yellow brings a bright and fresh look to the room. Martha looks very elegant. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it,” one fan commented.