MERGE HOME IS A FITTING MONIKER THAT PERFECTLY ENCAPSULATES what interior designer and entrepreneur Marty Mason has built in the West Midtown Design District. His tri-level, modern retail store is a blended showroom uniting all of Mason’s ventures from his 38-year design career under one roof on Howell Mill Road. The Merge Home building reflects his signature aesthetic—a collected look that artfully blends styles across eras and genres to create deeply personalized spaces for his clients.
Merge Home’s retail showroom, catering to homeowners and designers, incorporates the most esteemed elements of two of Mason’s previous companies, Savvy Snoot and Collected Home. The Merge Home brand also encompasses residential design services, which are available from one of seven designers on staff at the retail store. “Merge Home is the evolution of all of our brands and businesses rolled into one,” Mason explains.
The showroom also is headquarters to Marty Mason Design Group, the commercial division that designs and renovates multifamily housing, community clubhouses and hospitality properties, including restaurants and bars nationwide.
Construction on the Merge Home store was completed within two years and opened to the public in 2021. Inside, the retail store features the brand’s hallmark “collected” look that helps homeowners bring a feeling of comfort into their spaces. The on-site design team helps clients create rooms that appear as if they have been layered over time, expertly working in furnishings and accessories from different styles and time periods for an evolved look. “Mixing design styles in this way creates a custom look for each homeowner that expresses their personal taste,” says Mason.
While designers help shoppers curate this distinctive mix-and-match look, they also are adept at assisting those who want to stick to one style, such as mid-century modern or farmhouse, by handpicking furniture for them in that particular aesthetic. Merge Home stocks respected upscale product lines, such as Century Furniture and Four Hands, for purchase directly off the retail floor. For those who need a higher level of personalization, Merge Home custom-made furniture offers several benefits, such as the freedom to select the size, style and finish that meets individual requirements.
The Merge Home portfolio extends well beyond furniture. Its full-service design team assists homeowners in transforming a single room or an entire residence, offering expert guidance on everything from wallcoverings and custom window treatments to lighting. As an added benefit, all in-store residential design consultations are offered at no charge. For those who want more in-depth design assistance than a single shopping trip can provide, Merge Home offers the services of its designers on-site at clients’ homes to redesign a single space or create a comprehensive design plan for an entire home.
While the majority of Merge Home’s residential customers live in the Metro Atlanta area, Mason and his team find themselves shipping furniture throughout the United States from website sales. “We have out-of-town visitors and many clients who have second homes on the coast that need furnishings,” he says.
Over the years as his furniture companies grew, Mason received repeated requests for products that bore his Marty Mason Lifestyle logo. Almost a decade ago, Mason captured his personal brand in a stag head logo that has gone on to achieve a level of fame of its own. In response to clients’ requests, Mason answered the call by creating the eponymous Marty Mason Lifestyle apparel line. Casualwear, such as joggers, hoodies, shorts, loungewear and hats that bear the logo are for sale on the Merge Home retail floor and on the website. “People love that the design represents the rustic-modern aesthetic,” Mason says. “The clothing creates a wearable way to embrace the home style for which we are known.”
For those who might wonder why Mason delved into the apparel industry, it’s important to understand his background and the industry backdrop. There is natural synergy between fashionable apparel and fashion for the home; several major brands have successfully merged homeware and apparel product lines and created collaborations between the two industries. So it’s no surprise that customers were intrigued with the Marty Mason Lifestyle logo and wanted to see its expression on a line of clothing. Also, Mason had a deep background in the fashion industry prior to his design career; he was an executive vice president at a department store chain for many years. “We carried furniture, and I always liked working in that area and knew that one day I’d leave fashion for furniture,” he explains. “When I started putting furnishings together, people started asking for design services, and that’s how my design career began.”
As an entrepreneur dedicated to his craft, Mason is always researching the latest design trends and keeping tabs on what customers are requesting. He predicts 2026 will be the year of a warming trend, with earth tones and wood finishes of particular interest. “Browns, greens and beiges inspired by natural elements warm homes,” Mason explains. “The grays may still be around, but an earthy palette adds comfort and a connection to nature.”
While Merge Home has a signature style, Mason is adamant that he prefers to create personalized expressions for each of the design shop’s clients. “We want to create something that is a homeowner’s specific look,” he says. “Our team enjoys putting together elements to create different looks that match clients’ personalities. There is a never-ending number of looks that can be created. Merge Home, including our design services, weaves an ever-evolving tapestry uniquely crafted to reflect each client’s distinct vision.” *
Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and fine art.
