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

Le Gamin Café, Sharon CT: A Parisian Pause in the Litchfield Hills

A French café in a Connecticut farm town, and one of the loveliest rooms in Litchfield County. What the place actually feels like, what to order, where to sit, and whether it's worth the drive.

Travel and PlaceMary Madore-HickeyNovember 5, 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, french craftesmanship, travel inspired livingComment

Lavender and the Art of Calm: A Journey Through Provence and the Ritual of Self-Care

Lavender has long been associated with calm, balance, and restoration. Rooted in Provence and crafted with natural ingredients, it becomes part of a daily ritual that invites slower living, thoughtful care, and a deeper sense of well-being.

Women and BecomingMary Madore-HickeyOctober 30, 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, daily ritual, organic lavender skincare, rituals and identity, intentional practiceComment

Litchfield Hills Fall Foliage Drive: A Season of Stillness and Color

Travel and PlaceMary Madore-HickeyOctober 25, 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, travel inspired living, sense of placeComment

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.

Moody Fall Tablescape Ideas for Elegant Autumn Gatherings

Home and Decor, Gather with IntentionMary Madore-HickeyOctober 8, 2025tartan holiday design, design edti, how to edit a design, old and new table design, Holiday Decor Trends for 2024, Holiday Decor Trends: Bows Nostalgia, Holiday Trends Bows., Holiday Decor using bows, Holiday Decor Trends nostalfgia, rethinking work life balance: finding harmony within, how to find harmony within, calming yourself, rethinking Life, How to build a tablescape, How to design a table, Spring Table Decor, Spring Table Design, Galentine's Table Decor, Coastal Fusion, French Coastal Style, Coastal French Decor, Blending Coastal and French Design, French Coastal Living, Coastal Chic, Coastal Elegance, Curated Coastal Design Relaxed Coastal Style, Sophisticated Coastal Living, Embroidered Linens, Coastal Floral Centerpiece, Coastal Inspiration, Interior Design, Home Decor, Coastal French Tablescape, dining table styling, seasonal table ideas, intentional living, curated living with soul, French-inspired design, heritage home style, meaningful gatherings, candlelit table, cozy dining inspiration, tablescape design, layered interiors, heritage decor, gathering with intention

The Story Behind MERZE Lifestyle

Merze Lifestyle began with a child’s imagination and grew through heritage, memory, and a deep sense of belonging. This is the story behind the name, the philosophy, and the heart that continues to shape everything Merze represents.

Women and BecomingMary Madore-HickeySeptember 11, 2025Living with imagination, Living with grace, Everyday beauty, Storytelling through design, Women and balance, French inspired lifestyle, women and becoming, creative restoration, identity and growth, ambition and balance, second act career

The Authentic Home: How Modern Design Found Its Soul

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Home and Decor, Women and BecomingMary Madore-HickeyAugust 6, 2025QuietLuxuryHome, Quiet Luxury Home, Intentional Interiors, Home as Sanctuary, Slow Living Style, Luxury Lifestyle Blog, layered interiors, antique styling, collected interiorsComment

Reverse Ageism Is Real: When Youth Is Mistaken for Inexperience

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Women and BecomingMary Madore-HickeyAugust 2, 2025entertaining, how to hang a chandelier, how to choose a chandelier, chandelier, which chandelier size do I need, how to hang a light fixture, how to pick out a light fixture, Kitchen remodeling, kitchen upgrade, how to host a sitdown dinner, how to set a table, how to set a dinner table, biscuits, homemade biscuit, biscuits for the holiday, savery biscuits, old fashion biscuit recipe, tabletop decor, Tablescape design, biophilic decor, Health and wellness in design, design tips, interior design 2025, sensory design, texture in design, color trends, home with story, meaningful interiors, modern antiques, home design trends, Provence style, soulful homes, natural materials, decorating with intention, reverse agism in Corporate america, reverse agism and how it is hurting corporate america, reverse agism, generational bias at work, overcoming reverse ageism, mentorship across generations, intergenerational collaboration, multigenerational mentorship, women and becoming, identity and growth, personal evolution, ambition and balanceComment

Designing for the Senses: A Home That Speaks Without Words

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Home and Decor, Women and BecomingMary Madore-HickeyJuly 28, 2025entertaining, how to hang a chandelier, how to choose a chandelier, chandelier, which chandelier size do I need, how to hang a light fixture, how to pick out a light fixture, Kitchen remodeling, kitchen upgrade, how to host a sitdown dinner, how to set a table, how to set a dinner table, biscuits, homemade biscuit, biscuits for the holiday, savery biscuits, old fashion biscuit recipe, tabletop decor, Tablescape design, biophilic decor, Health and wellness in design, design tips, interior design 2025, sensory design, texture in design, color trends, home with story, meaningful interiors, modern antiques, home design trends, Provence style, soulful homes, natural materials, decorating with intention, layered interiors, collected interiorsComment

Festive Gathering in the Foothills of Litchfield, Connecticut With Watermelon Martini’s and Caprese Crostini

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How to Host a 4th of July Celebration: A Complete Guide to Tablescapes Menus and Patriotic Decor

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Fourth of July Crepe Cake Recipe | French-Inspired Patriotic Dessert

Discover an authentic French crepe cake recipe from Brittany adapted for the Fourth of July with whipped cream and fresh red, white, and blue berries. Includes the complete recipe, step-by-step instructions, and tips for layering crepes that hold together beautifully, from the Merze Lifestyle Journal.

RecipesMary Madore-HickeyJune 19, 2025fourth of july crepe cake, crepe cake recipe, from scratch cooking, seasonal recipes, entertaining menueComment

Live beautifully. On purpose.

The Journal