On this last trip to Chapter’s, I picked up 4 magazines. House Beautiful (Apr 2009), Canadian House and Home (Apr 2009), Ideal Home UK (March 2009), and Elle Décor (April 2009). Overall, and I hate to say it, but I’m soooo disappointed. I used to come home with the latest issue of Domino and literally spend HOURS reading it from cover to cover. When I returned home, I spent a total of 1 hour TOTAL leafing through all 4 of them. Pretty pathetic.
The one magazine I was dying to get my hands on however, either isn’t available in my local store yet, or was sold out, the April/May edition of Ready Made. I think I’m going to have to subscribe to the ReadyMade as it’s the only publication that I’ve been excited about over the past few months since the announcement of Domino’s closure.
What do these magazines (the ones that I wasn’t very happy about) have in common? It’s like I picked up the same magazine, the same issue, 4 times. Nothing stands out, nothing is remotely unique about any of them. They are just simply blah. Maybe it’s just a coincidence that everyone’s issue sucks this month, but I must say it’s very disappointing. Most notably, House Beautiful.
House Beautiful has been touted as being the next best thing to Domino by various other design bloggers, well, I have NO idea where that comes from to be honest. The cover of the April ’09 issue is even boring.
After taking the 12 minutes in total it took to go through the entire magazine, I was unimpressed. There was nothing unique, nothing original, it was simply 147 pages of advertisements and editorial coverage that only embellished on their advertisements. Eesh. Give me something new people! Something that I haven’t seen before, or heard of. Every page was just fuddy-duddy traditional. Every single house tour in the issue was professionally decorated, and there was nothing REAL about them whatsoever. Over styled. Stuffy. Snobbish. EEsh. Like, do people actually live here? Or is this a model home I’m looking at. Yes, I understand that ever home is styled for a photo shoot, but NOT every home, and NOT everyone hires a designer to do so. Some of the best homes I’ve seen were designed by the homeowner over time, those are the best homes out there, and the ones that I want to see.
Do you feel the same about the existing shelter magazines available out there today? Would you like to see more REAL homes? Do you already have a source of where to find REAL homes for decorating inspiration? (please enter your suggestions, and opinions in the comments section below)
10 comments:
I'm sad about domino too! I do like elle decor a bit... I guess it would be the closest thing in my opinion but you're right that it doesn't compare. I got a subscription to Canadian House and Home for Christmas and I like it, but find it lacks the fun/artistic elements at times.
Ugh - House Beautiful is very bland, isn't it? Nobody did it like Domino.....
J&J
Oh, I just subscribed to House Beautiful(and also Country Living) a few weeks ago and since then have been excitedly checking my mailbox every day to see if it arrives. I heard that it's a good decor magazine and they don't sell it around here so that's why I decided to subscribe. Is it that bad? Now I am worried.
PS. The fabric I used for making a slipcover is cotton I think, which is actually old and given by my mom-in-law. She had used it as a dust cover on her old furniture for years until she heard that I was going to make a slipcover so she decided to give it to me. It's soft, it's white, so why not? I thought. And at the end I am quite happy with it. :-)
Jinnie
I cancelled my subscription to House and Home/Style at home because I saw the same things reappearing over and over again.. the mirrored dresser, the acrylic chair.. that knoll white table...
I still receive Veranda Magazine.. sometimes repetetive on the Gustavian front.. but I still find it one of the more interesting reads. I also still get House beautiful.. but the last few issues were also really blah..
I am on the hunt for some new inspiring reads myself. I find i am going to back issues a lot lately. I am thinking of turning to some of the Italian print.
PS..really enjoy this blog
Vitania
I loved Domino and am still sad that it is no longer available. However after looking all over the web for some advice, here is what I have come up with: I have checked out Wish from time to time that's been alright. There is Living Etc (british I think) that reminds me of Domino mag as well as Real Living from Australia. H
apartment therapy is the closest thing to domino I have found. and it has real people's house tours. it rocks.
I am also currently in love with www.thisyounghouse.com sweet bloggers, create design aesthetic.
:-)
Maggie
I'm in the UK and most of our home magazines are rubbish. The only one I really like is Living Etc - if you can get hold of it I recommend you pick it up and see what you think.
i can't imagine anyone selling their domino back issues. if they are, i want all of them.
I miss domino too. I have been slowly slowly slowly (so as to not run out too soon) reading the domino book (if you are interested, the publisher sent me a couple copies to give away on my blog...you can contact and see if they will do the same for you). I have no replacement...I am perpetually in search of Grand Designs - a brit pub that isn't so much like domino (as it is kind of OTT - but it tracks real people making their dream homes...but still so interesting -- hard to find though)- My local bookstore was carrying it on my request...but stopped when I think I was the only one buying. Oh well. I also occasionally pick up This Old House...actually lots of practical stuff (though not always the most trend inspired design)...worth checking out at least once.
Need to mention...I am also in the decor8 class...loving it and slowly working my way though the blog list. I love your site - come by for a visit when you have a minute and email me if you want the publisher details for the domino book.
I too own the Domino Book. It sit's very prominately on my colour coded bookcase for all to see. I'm thinking of buying another copy as a "working" copy, and keeping the other in as pristine condition as I can! It's such an awesome book.
Did you know copies of Domino are being sold on Ebay for LOTS of money? It's quite shocking actually. Not sure if I'd pay a hundred dollars or more for an issue, but it's just THAT popular.
Anyone tried ReadyMade yet? I LOVE That magazine, having difficulty finding the most recent issue up here in Canada though, as I think it's become that popular since the demise of Domino. I may just have to suck it up and subscribe!
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