I don’t generally do too much on the design magazines. There are a lot of bloggers who do the subject justice a hundred times better than I.
In fact, I don’t always delve into the magazines that lie around The Manse. Somehow, I’m always running out of time. Reading online is also difficult for me. I need more than the laptop for that. That said, a few covers have recently caught my eye. Elegance seems to be alive and well in the design world, although I don’t agree with a lot of the very cutting edge stuff. Too jangly in my opinion. And that’s from a guy who lives amidst a riot of colour.
I subscribe to “Traditional Home” and generally enjoy it very much. Mrs. E. and I live in a Victorian house and have decorated it in an loose art deco/1930’s style. TD does a good job of showing that traditions aren’t as fusty as you think.
This issue of HB leapt out at me. Maybe it was the think pink theme that got me. After winter, that bright burst of colour really hit home. The recipe for the porchetta is beautiful, too. I’m glad I subscribe as it is always an interesting read.
AD, I picked up at the bookstore! Wow! When did this happen? A new layout, a new editor, it wasn’t just Porsche that reinvented an icon. Daphne Guinness. Art Deco. “The Age of Elegance.” How could I resist? I hope they keep it up.
What do you think? Which mags, if any, have been standouts this early in the year? Are we entering a new age of understated elegance in interior design?
When I moved into these digs a few years ago, I really didn’t know where to start to make the place my own. As a bachelor, I was on my own and wondered around asking advice from lady friends, family, etc. I wasn’t getting what I wanted, except I determined that I am a traditionalist, not surprising, and wanted a mix of old and new that would help to define what I wanted. A modern version of southern style was the end game. I also did, what I do best, research any subject that I am interested. I looked at the magazines such as AD, HB and Traditional Home. In addition, I spent hours looking in booksellers, looking at books on home design. I determined that southern also equated to English and found a wonderful mag – English Home. While country homes of the titled were fun to peek at, it was the designs of the smaller homes and flats that fit the bill. While not done, I think I have a home that is warm, comfortable, and,at the same time, elegant and traditional. At least that what my guests tell me.
I agree totally, but I also watch 400 design blogs and have started cutting way back on magazine subscriptions but the new editor and the breath of fresh air at AD is just wonderful.
I agree about the AD comments. I just hope they don’t go overboard with the celebrity layouts. I don’t really care what Rob Lowe’s house looks like. I would prefer though to see more Golden Age of Hollywood design.