Home Magazine is one of the most practical, yet stylish, decorating magazines available. Like most magazines, Home shows glossy spreads of beautifully decorated homes. Of course, like most magazines, the homes have zero clutter and sometimes fashion wins out over practicality. But isn't that what living vicariously is all about.
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE
If you are looking for inspiration when redecorating part of your home, especially a kitchen or bath, this is a great resource. Unlike more snooty magazines where most of the decor has been in the family for years or is custom made, Home magazine offers ideas that can be readily copied. Most of the products featured are readily available for purchase. If you see something you like in a picture, you can probably have it for yourself within 8 weeks. There is even a resource section in the back that provides the manufacturers' contact information.
A lot of what they show is reasonably affordable. There are $30 shower curtains and lower price Kraftmaid cabinets. There are also a lot of Crate & Barrel accessories. The paints are available in Home Depot, the fabrics are in your local store. There is very little high-end, designer-only stuff. It seems the homeowners/decorators shop in the mall, just like us. Of course, there are expensive things too, but it is nice to dream and sometimes those expensive ideas can be translated into something else that is affordable. It is partly about inspiration after all.
WHAT I DON'T LIKE ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE
My first issue is that Home is an unabashed ode to consumerism. This magazine is clearly enslaved by its advertisers. A lot of the products you see in the spreads are also in the advertisements. This constant product placement converts the entire magazine into one elaborate advertisement. There is a resource section in the back that tells you where everything can be purchased. There are always at least 12 pages full of small items and accessories in the latest trendy colors that they recommend purchasing. The main message seems to be: a new $40,000 kitchen can be yours if you just open your checkbook and start writing checks. They don't really promote ideas like timeless style or integrating items you already own.
My second issue with this magazine is that they are pushing items currently on the market and a lot of them are very trendy. If you decide to purchase a $40,000 kitchen and use a lot of the ideas presented in Home Magazine, your kitchen is going to look dated in about 5 years.
ARTICLES
Home is a relatively short magazine. There is not much in the way of articles or essays. The few articles they have are focused in practical matters such as how to choose a paint color. There is a one-page essay on the last page that is usually cute but not particularly though-provoking.
WHAT YOU GET IN EACH ISSUE
A typical issues includes:
At Home: the editorial page with a few self-serving paragraphs written by the editor that introduce the features in the magazine.
Home Front: A few pages of blurbs that highlight interesting web sites, items to purchase, new books, random facts and other little bits of information.
Shop Talk: A few pages that recommend accessories and small furniture to buy. Items range from very inexpensive to ridiculously overpriced.
Simple Solutions: Hightlights some easy and less expensive ways to update your home. One issue recommends painting the walls a different color (duh).
Home tech: Here are more small items to buy. There are radios, kitchen appliances and computers all in the latest trendy colors.
Writing Home: Letters from readers with pithy responses from the editor.
There are usually several small articles that focus on practical matters as they intersect with new market trends. One recent article was on the wallpaper revival. Another was about choosing a palette for your house.
Home essentials: More items to buy. This section focuses on home goods such as laundry baskets, can openers and other implements of destruction and storage boxes, all in the latest trendy colors.
The heart of the magazine is the home spreads. Approximately three homes are shown in detail. Unlike some other magazines, the spreads show most of the rooms in the house as well as exterior shots. Each spread has an accompanying article that explains the decor and / or renovation.
There are usually another couple of minor photo spreads that show quick hits, just a few bathrooms or a few kitchens with some decorating pointers or themes to tie them together.
Hands on: This is a somewhat new section that gives a home improvement project that can be done in a weekend (if you already have considerable talent and experience). One issue explained how to build a deck. Another issue explained how to put in a picket fence. These projects are beyond my skill level, but it is interesting to see how Home can break down a complicated project into easy steps.
Resources: A very comprehensive section that lists the sources for most of the items shown in the magazine spreads. As I discussed above, this is a positive and a negative. It is great if you see something in the magazine because you can find the source and easily acquire it for yourself. The downside is that a lot of the things in the magazine are new and a lot is very trendy.
Home Stretch: This is a one-page essay on the last page.
STATS
Home Magazine is cheaper than most other offerings. A one year subscription (10 issues) is about $12. However, it is shorter than most decorating magazines - about 115-150 pages per issue. Of course, most of the pages are ads, but isn't that true for most other magazines as well?
FINAL RECOMMENDATION
I am recommending Home magazine because it is a great resource for finding new products and seeing them installed in homes. The homes are very nice and clutter-free but they are also homes that are obtainable for the middle class. The styles tend to be more practical and less snobby than other magazines.
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