The History of Linen, and How to Layer It Like a Designer

Why linen is the most important choice on your table, the story of flax and Libeco's Belgian heritage, and how to layer and care for a linen table beautifully.

Gather with Intention, Home and DecorMary Madore-HickeyJuly 13, 2026Belgian linen, linen tablecloth, how to layer a table, linen care, French table linens, vintage linens, tablescapingComment

Use the Good China: The Case for Setting a Beautiful Table

The formal dinner party is coming back, but not the stuffy kind. Here is how to set an elegant, vintage-layered table worth lingering over, and why the good china was always meant for tonight, not someday.

Gather with Intention, Home and DecorMary Madore-HickeyJuly 9, 2026use the good china, formal dining room, elegant dinner party table setting, vintage table setting, glamorous tablescape with antiques, luxury entertaining at home, intentional livingComment

A Berries-and-Cream Mille-Feuille for a Summer Gathering

A French berries-and-cream mille-feuille made from scratch for a summer gathering, homemade crème pâtissière, all-butter puff pastry, Connecticut strawberries, and violas from the garden. The slow way, and the better one.

Home and Decor, Gather with Intention, RecipesMary Madore-HickeyJune 30, 2026mille-feuille recipe, crème pâtissière, summer berry dessert, French pastry recipe, homemade pastry cream, vanilla buttercream, from scratch dessert, French inspired entertainingComment

My French-Inspired Kitchen

A French-inspired kitchen, handmade stoneware bowls, antique French confit pots, Belgian linens, and the everyday beauty of cooking as a way of caring. A reflection on intentional living and the handmade things that turn an ordinary table into an act of love.

Home and Decor, Gather with IntentionMary Madore-HickeyJune 8, 2026French inspired kitchen, intentional living, handmade stoneware, slow living, antique French earthenware, cooking with love, French inspired home, art of the table, Belgian linen, MERZE Journal, Farmhouse Pottery, kitchen design, Cooking as love., the art of the tableComment

A Room That Honors Her Past and Present: How I Updated My Daughter's Bedroom for Who She Has Become

A mother updates her daughter's childhood bedroom into a sanctuary that honors who she has been and welcomes who she has become. From the Merze Lifestyle Journal.

Home and DecorMary Madore-HickeyMay 21, 2026daughter's bedroom, intentional design, French inspired bedroom, mother daughter design, women and becomingComment

Garden Themed Table Design For Easter

A garden inspired Easter table designed for a relaxed spring brunch. Layered linens, seasonal flowers, and simple details come together to create a setting that feels natural, welcoming, and quietly beautiful.

Home and Decor, Gather with IntentionMary Madore-HickeyApril 2, 2026liechtenstein, journeys through europe, communicating, how to communicate to each other, love one another, travel blog, easter dessert, lemon mousse, lemon and rose mousse, easter lemon mousse, spring entertaining, floral styling, garden inspired, gather with intention, tablescape designComment

Easter Themed High Tea Party

There is something about Easter that invites a softer way of gathering. A table shaped by the season, small details that feel considered, and a moment to slow down and be together. This high tea is a reflection of that, simple, layered, and meant to be shared.

Discovering Creativity Later in Life: The Painting That Reminded Me to Begin

My mother made one painting in her whole life. I found it leaning against her wall, brought it home, and years later it is the reason I finally picked up a brush myself.

Home and DecorMary Madore-HickeyMarch 12, 2026intentional gathering, layered table design, creative entertainingComment

Styling a Place Setting Around a Single Antique Piece

An antique aqua and gold porcelain bowl anchors a layered place setting styled with linen, etched glass, and roses. A study in how antique and contemporary pieces can come together to create an elegant and thoughtful table.

Home and DecorMary Madore-HickeyMarch 6, 2026intentional gathering, layered table design, creative entertainingComment

A Formal Table for Fifteen in a Small Washington Condominium

When fifteen friends gather in a small space, intention becomes essential. From layered greenery and French bistro flatware to a carefully paired menu, this evening reveals how creativity shapes atmosphere and memory.

Home and DecorMary Madore-HickeyMarch 3, 2026intentional gathering, layered table design, creative entertainingComment

The Rise of Lived-In Beauty

Beauty feels different when it is lived with rather than preserved. In the return to antiques, natural linens, and hand-crafted materials, our homes are once again becoming places of warmth, memory, and belonging.

Women and Becoming, Home and DecorMary Madore-HickeyJanuary 26, 2026heritage decor, collected interiorsComment

Love in Bloom: Designing an Intimate Valentine’s Day Table

An intimate Valentine’s Day table layered with roses, candlelight, and French-inspired details, designed to feel warm, personal, and quietly romantic.

Home and Decor, Gather with IntentionMary Madore-HickeyJanuary 14, 2026interior design beyond trends, Generation Change: What Our Daughters Are Now Seeking in the Corporate World, empowerment, women in corporate america, what do women want in business, women in business, pride vs collaboration in interior design, competition in interior design, mastering the art of communication in interior design, the art of communication in interior design, the art of listening in interior design, stop the competition in interior design, so you want to be a consultant, consulting, Love in Bloom: Designing an Intimate Valentine’s Day Table with Merze Lifestyle, Love in Bloom, Expert ideas for designing a valentines table, gather with intention, intentional entertaining, meaningful dinner party, friendship and community, tablescape design, layered interiorsComment

A Christmas Table Designed to Linger

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Home and Decor, Gather with IntentionMary Madore-HickeyDecember 29, 2025Living with imagination, Living with grace, Everyday beauty, Storytelling through design, Women and balance, French inspired lifestyle, tartan, Ralph Lauren Christmas, Tartan holiday tablescape, Elegant Christmas table decor, Classic holiday design, Red and gold holiday table, Romantic pink and gold Christmas, Moody tartan tablescape, Holiday design ideas 2025, Heritage-inspired Christmas, Holiday entertaining inspiration, Reimagined traditional decor, Holiday centerpiece inspiration, Layered holiday table design, Connecticut Travel, Fall in New England, Litchfield Hills, Scenic Drive, scenic fall drive, Litchfield Hills Connecticut, Farmington River Trail, New Preston Falls, Connecticut travel, New England foliage, french lavender soap, organic soap from provence, natural french skincare, handmade soap provence, luxury organic soap, pure lavender cleansing bar, french country lifestyle, slow living inspiration, french artisan gifts, french holiday gifts, luxury holiday gifts, organic christmas gifts, spa inspired holiday gifts, holiday hostess gifts, elegant hostess gift ideas, handmade gifts from Provence, sustainable hostess gifts, French café Connecticut, Galette au sarrasin, Café au lait, French onion soup, Le Gamin Sharon CT, French heritage cuisine, Buckwheat crêpes ployes, Litchfield Hills dining, French inspired food travel, New England countryside café, Cozy café Connecticut, Heritage and food story, Simple French meals, quiet luxury tablescape, cream tablescape, traditional table setting, layered table design, sterling silver flatware, sterling silver flatware waterford crystal, modern classic table, heirloom table decor, neutral holiday tablescape, pantone color of the year 2026, subtle color tablescape, luxury table styling, textured table linens, floral centerpiece design, holiday table settings, traditional table settings, holiday entertaining, heirloom tableware, holiday tablescape ideas, classic holiday decor, elegant holiday entertaining, seasonal entertaining, refined entertaining, tablescape design, layered interiors, heritage decor, seasonal table settingComment

Quiet Grandeur Traditional Design

Home and Decor, Gather with IntentionMary Madore-HickeyDecember 8, 2025Living with imagination, Living with grace, Everyday beauty, Storytelling through design, Women and balance, French inspired lifestyle, tartan, Ralph Lauren Christmas, Tartan holiday tablescape, Elegant Christmas table decor, Classic holiday design, Red and gold holiday table, Romantic pink and gold Christmas, Moody tartan tablescape, Holiday design ideas 2025, Heritage-inspired Christmas, Holiday entertaining inspiration, Reimagined traditional decor, Holiday centerpiece inspiration, Layered holiday table design, Connecticut Travel, Fall in New England, Litchfield Hills, Scenic Drive, scenic fall drive, Litchfield Hills Connecticut, Farmington River Trail, New Preston Falls, Connecticut travel, New England foliage, french lavender soap, organic soap from provence, natural french skincare, handmade soap provence, luxury organic soap, pure lavender cleansing bar, french country lifestyle, slow living inspiration, french artisan gifts, french holiday gifts, luxury holiday gifts, organic christmas gifts, spa inspired holiday gifts, holiday hostess gifts, elegant hostess gift ideas, handmade gifts from Provence, sustainable hostess gifts, French café Connecticut, Galette au sarrasin, Café au lait, French onion soup, Le Gamin Sharon CT, French heritage cuisine, Buckwheat crêpes ployes, Litchfield Hills dining, French inspired food travel, New England countryside café, Cozy café Connecticut, Heritage and food story, Simple French meals, quiet luxury tablescape, cream tablescape, traditional table setting, layered table design, sterling silver flatware, sterling silver flatware waterford crystal, modern classic table, heirloom table decor, neutral holiday tablescape, pantone color of the year 2026, subtle color tablescape, luxury table styling, textured table linens, floral centerpiece design, gathering with intention, tablescape design, seasonal tablesettingComment

A Ralph Lauren–Inspired Christmas: Three Tartan Tablescapes of Heritage, Joy, and Romance

Three tartan Christmas tablescapes, inspired by Ralph Lauren, celebrate holiday tradition through candlelight, heritage patterns, and layered details that feel elegant, personal, and lived in.

Live beautifully. On purpose.