At Home With the MARvelous Mar Jennings

Interior Design by Mar Jennings @marjennings
Photography by Alan Barry Photography @alanbarryphotography

We were thrilled to meet Mar Jennings and tour Rosebrook Gardens in Westport, Connecticut, through the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program. Wowed by his energy and generosity of spirit, we sat down with Mar recently to share exclusive, never-before-seen, scenes from his spectacular home and find out what it’s like to live “Life on Mar’s”.

As America’s Top Lifestyle Expert, an Emmy® nominated, nationally syndicated television show host, entrepreneur, designer, author, realtor, philanthropist, and influencer he certainly knows how to live a beautiful life – and how to make life MARvelous for those around him!

Wow, how do you do it all?

There is no “I” in team and I’m fortunate to have an incredible support team that understands my passions and drive to be the best.  I do things that are important to me and my lifestyle brand and I gracefully accept projects where I know we can make a difference. I make conscious choices about where I spend my time and focus that time and energy on goals. This is why I find it so important to have both mini- and long-term goals. I also make it a point to love what I do and do what I love. Over the decades I have learned that life on Mar’s is a better place when you surround yourself with talent, dedication, and loyalty. My mission and goals are both aligned with one simple rule: leave what I touch better than how I found it.  Simple, powerful, and reinventing in all aspects of my life.

You are referred to as “America’s Top Lifestyle Expert”. How does that impact the people and families you work with, and those who follow you?

A title I take great pride in as it provides me with an authority that is coveted by many. I’m known for delivering the best home, garden, and lifestyle information to all who have a desire to improve their everyday home, garden, and life. I like to inform and inspire with simple, yet clever ideas from my signature smart tips to complete projects that make life easy. I like to showcase unique and emerging trends while reinforcing my casual luxury brand.

How did you find your home in Westport, and what was it like before you transformed it into Rosebrook Gardens?

Rosebrook Gardens was created by a subdivision in 1921 and left untouched until 1995. R. B. Benson and Co. purchased the land in 1996. I was the first and only owner to ever live here since I purchased it in June 1997. Although R.B. Benson & Company did some excellent work in building this house, I have spent a great deal of time upgrading and designing the home for style and comfort.

Springtime is the most rewarding for me in my garden. After a long winter, Spring brings great excitement as the verdant green of the many boxwoods combines with the colors of the alliums, peonies, lilacs, wisterias, iris, other vibrant perennials, and the ornamental flowing pear and crabapple tree—to name a few. The once active side driveway has become an outdoor dining space, with pergola and raised-bed parterre gardens filled with topiaries, herbs, and decorative perennials. All year long, visitors can experience color and fragrances throughout the property. I wanted to have something beautiful to look at no matter where you are or no matter what the season may be.

Editor’s note: Rosebrook Gardens is open to visitors through the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days program. Be sure to visit for garden design inspiration.

Your Garden Studio and Folly are true eye candy! How did those fabulous spaces come to be?

I redesigned what was originally a garage to renovate it to match the house in style and size. This building is now known as the Garden Studio with a wonderful second floor loft with a breathtaking view of the gardens. This is an exclusive, never seen before reveal of the newly redesigned Green Room!

My Folly was born from necessity as a place to store garden tools, house trash cans and recyclables. Both the Garden Studio and the Folly offer functional and practical spaces with elevated attention to detail. 

And you went on to transform your entire neighborhood on Season 2 of Life on Mars. Tell us about that…

The second season’s theme was “Small is the New Big”, and had a twist as it tracked the renovation and restoration of all the homes on my charming street — including my own. The episodes follow my design direction, humor, and signature method while highlighting local resources and my talented team. Homes featured run the design gamut from 1800’s farmhouse to mid-century bungalow to 1990’s stacked colonial. By season’s end, the neighborhood was transformed!
Watch Life on Mars – The Home Makeover Show on Amazon Prime

If you could give our readers one piece of advice on achieving your signature “Casual Luxury” in their homes, what would it be?

A great question, and truth be told, the answer is simple and always the same.  

• Represent Mother Nature
• Embrace Light & Reflection
• Natural Materials and Colors
• Repurpose
• Repeat Shapes and Patterns
• Consider Size & Scale

This is the blueprint for any well-balanced and designed space.

And advice on selling their homes? (The properties you represent seem to sell like hotcakes!)

Always hire a professional with disciplines in sales and marketing. As a former Senior Vice President for several global financial centers, I combine my corporate and creative passions, and extensive client relationships in each of my ventures by being available, both personally and professionally. Selling a home is not a part-time job or a hobby. My hands-on approach and self-motivation skills result in relevant, unique marketing initiatives that get fast results.  

We hear you have more exciting projects in the works. Do tell!

2024-2025 is huge! A new entertaining live one-man show currently in production, several new candle fragrances, and of course Life On Mar’s: The Home Makeover Show, my fun, fast-paced series that highlights the top-to-bottom, inside-and-out, multi-home renovations and restorations of varied homes across Connecticut.

Season 5 is now in full production and it’s bigger than ever—literally! The theme is ‘Go Big and Go Home’ because bigger can be better especially when it’s done the casual luxury way.  Episodes reveal the amazing progress on larger-scale homes: from renovations to ground-up creations, there’s design needed from top to bottom. And of course, with a few smaller-scale room makeovers thrown in for added inspiration.

You’re a philanthropist and actively involved in your community and beyond. What are some of the causes you support, and how can our readers get involved and learn more?

On October 5^th, 2024 Filling in the Blanks hosts The Fifth Annual Plates with Purpose Gala; Master of Ceremonies will be yours truly! Filling in the Blanks is a 501c3 nonprofit that fights childhood hunger by providing children in need with meals on the weekends. Founded in 2013 and based in Norwalk, CT, FITB provides food weekly to 8,660 children across 200 sites throughout Fairfield and Westchester Counties. As a volunteer-based organization, FITB provides the community, adults & children alike, with a hands-on approach to philanthropy.   

On October 9, 2024, I will be special guest host for the 9^th annual Global Lyme Alliance Gala. Global Lyme Alliance (GLA) has awarded over $19 million towards their Lyme and tick-borne disease research program to date. GLA-funded projects have led to unprecedented advances in such areas as prevention, diagnosis and the treatment of tick-borne illnesses.

Tell us something we may not know about Mar Jennings.

I’m a former regional, sectional, and world-class figure skating champion gold medalist.  In my free time, when I’m not riding a horse, I’m on the ice reliving my once competitive years. I can still pull off some doubles.

And we’d be remiss not to introduce Daisy and Clover, the chicest mascots ever!

Thank you, Mar for giving us a glimpse into Life on Mar’s!

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Be sure to follow us on Instagram @homegardenctny for more inspiring designer spotlights.

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Mar’s Fabulous Resources

Serena & Lily
Redi-cut Carpets, Westport, CT 
Chloe Winston Lighting, Norwalk, CT 
Marsillio’s  Appliance, Fairfield, CT 
Sterling Custom Cabinetry, Bridgeport, CT 
Kitchens By Dean, Stamford, CT 
La Cornue 
Visual Comfort & Co. 
Terrain, Westport CT 
Outdoor Design & Living, Fairfield, CT 
Millie Rae’s, Westport, CT
Mattress Firm, Norwalk, CT 
Benjamin Moore Paints 
Fairfield County Antique & Design Center 
Oliver Nursery, Fairfield, CT 
Artistic Upholstery, Norwalk, CT 
DH Home Plus Carpentry 
Bill Schiebe Painting 
Tile America, Fairfield, CT 
Karen Berkemeyer Home, Westport, CT 
Susan Powell Fine Art, Madison, CT 
GreenDay Co. Construction
Simon Pearce 
Juliska
Hermes