The New Coastal: A French-Inspired Tablescape in Jewel Tones

An elevated take on the new coastal: a French-inspired tablescape designed around the jewel tones of the sea, teal, sapphire, and sea glass green, layered with candlelight, natural texture, and French linen, no nautical motifs in sight.

Gather with IntentionMary Madore-HickeyJune 17, 2026french coastal tablescape, jewel tone table setting, teal tablescape, coastal table decor, French linen tablecloth, elevated coastal 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

The Whisper We Were Never Allowed to Follow

She was the smartest woman in every room, and the world never asked what else she might have been. This is the story of the whisper my mother was never allowed to follow, and how I followed it for us both.

Women and BecomingMary Madore-HickeyJune 2, 2026personal essay, women in business, corporate to entrepreneur, French heritage, intentional living, becomingComment

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

A Season for Becoming

Some of us are blooming. Some of us are still becoming. An essay on the quiet courage of stepping forward.

Women and BecomingMary Madore-HickeyMay 17, 2026women and becoming, intentional living, midlife women, mid life reinvention, slow living, on courageComment

What the Garden Remembers

The garden is not really mine. I am the current keeper. A meditation on flowers, mothers, daughters, Celtic heritage, and the four generations of women whose hands still tend these plants alongside my own.

The Design EyeMary Madore-HickeyMay 4, 2026mix old and new decor, heirloom decor, layered tablescape, French inspired table setting, timeless table design, how to style a tablescape, layered table design, home decor inspiration, intentional gathering, pacific ocean, coastal inspiration, coastal art, coastal landscape, creative process, founder led brand, creative discipline, intentional living, creative restoration for women, emotional leadership, women and authenticity, Provence, Botanical Skincare, Artisan Craft, Women Founded, Intentional Living, Craftsmanship, Skincare Ritual Routine, French roast chicken, Sunday roast, slow living recipe, bouquet garni, Le Creuset chicken, vermouth chicken, French Home Cooking, French country garden, hydrangeas, design with the heart, slow living, the design eyeComment

The Design Eye | Spring 2026 — Gathered from the Garden

The most beautiful arrangements are never the ones we plan. They are the ones the garden offers in its own time — and we are quiet enough to receive them. The first edition of The Design Eye explores what a morning after the rain taught about beauty, intention, and the design of a gathered life.

The Design EyeMary Madore-HickeyApril 20, 2026mix old and new decor, heirloom decor, layered tablescape, French inspired table setting, timeless table design, how to style a tablescape, layered table design, home decor inspiration, intentional gathering, pacific ocean, coastal inspiration, coastal art, coastal landscape, creative process, founder led brand, creative discipline, intentional living, creative restoration for women, emotional leadership, women and authenticity, Provence, Botanical Skincare, Artisan Craft, Women Founded, Intentional Living, Craftsmanship, Skincare Ritual Routine, French roast chicken, Sunday roast, slow living recipe, bouquet garni, Le Creuset chicken, vermouth chicken, French Home Cooking, French country garden, hydrangeas, design with the heart, slow living, the design eyeComment

French Roast Chicken with Vermouth and Fresh Herbs | A Sunday Slow Living Tradition

There is a particular quality to a Sunday afternoon when something good is roasting in the oven. This French inspired roast chicken — made in a blue Le Creuset with vermouth, fresh herbs, and root vegetables — is a recipe inherited from a mother's kitchen and refined through French cooking classes. Slow living at its most nourishing and beautiful.

Composing Rituals in Provence: Craft, Concentration, and the Art of Intentional Care

A story of Provence, memory, and recognition. This feature explores L’AUGUSTE, a French botanical skincare house shaped by art, ritual, and the women behind its creation.

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.

Returning to Art Later in Life: The Painting That Reminded Me to Begin

In a quiet corner of my studio hangs the only acrylic painting my mother ever created. Surrounded by objects that bring comfort and memory, it reminds me that creativity is enduring and deeply rooted within us. Even during seasons when life asks for our full attention elsewhere, the instinct to create remains quietly present, waiting for the moment we are ready to welcome it forward.

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 Warmth of Becoming: The Climb That Shaped Me

For many years, my life was defined by the climb. Strength was rewarded. Softness was rarely acknowledged. I learned to endure, to lead, and to hold everything together. What I did not realize was how much of myself I had carefully kept within the lines. It was not until I stood before the turning sea and its fearless spectrum of color that I understood balance was not about dividing my time, but about reclaiming space to see myself clearly again.

Live beautifully. On purpose.

Journal