Thursday 14 February 2013

Home decor mag editorial choices

I am a bit of a home decor magazine fiend.

I love most of them and those from different countries.

Elle Decor especially the U.S. edition is one of my favourites.  


Cover of Elle Decor March 2013
(I buy online now as fewer London newsagents stock the US Elle Decor.)
 
It is one of my monthly staple magazines that I buy without needing to flip through or judging the cover.  

It covers houses from all over the world which is personally important.  Houses in the tropics are beautiful but there is no real inspiration or incorporation I can use in my central London abode. 

Actually, this makes it look like all Londoners 
have a garden so scratch this.

 Split house conversions - much more typical London.

Elle Decor always delivers polish, impeccable taste, and great design principles.


A great example of the understated, balanced, and  clean designs with a perfect dosage of color that Elle Decor features so well.


A simply edited and elegantly decorated living room that is achievable in most homes and yet most probably aren't - 
the home decor version of the "girl next door".


So I was left a little "cheated" out of my usual dose of their expected style when I saw this spread in their latest issue.

The house is in southwestern France and owned by a 
vintage textile dealer, Mathilde Labrouche.


The two pictures above are the left and right side of the living room.


The exterior of the farmhouse.
Can you imagine the directions to this house?
"Yeah, turn right at the bakery and then
it's the house with a ram's head."


Kitchen - tres rustique.


Reclining area with a charming sofa albeit one that needs 
re-upholstering and  re-cushioning against a wall 
that needs plastering and painting.

( They could have come to my house for that...)



Other "rooms" in the charming farmhouse.
I do love sofas outside - 
in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee however, 
I doubt perhaps that it would be considered as charming. 

I do find that the geographical location of the decor is crucial and 
there is a fine line between "Ooh la la, c'est tres charmante" 
and a scene from a Walker Evans photo.


Now, don't get me wrong - this is lovely.  
It has its own unique flavor and organic feel.
But I don't come to Elle Decor for this sort of style.


This is more The World of Interiors. 

But I already have a subscription to them...


This could have also been a farmhouse needing renovation for sale in one of those French property magazines.


I go to certain magazines for specific things. 

For instance, if I want to see classical and yet fashion forward images of beautiful women like this...



 I don't buy a magazine like the one below - 
no matter how beautiful the women are in that magazine...


Oh well, like I said, I will continue to buy Elle Decor anyway but I do hope the editors stay on point for those who are not
 as fiendish about magazines like I am.

Guess what was also featured in this month's issue?

I wrote about the Transat chair in this post. 
  
 The chair below is one of the original editions Eileen Gray made. 

It is part of a retrospective in Paris from February 20 to May 20. 


So if you are in Paris - do drop by the Centre Pompidou.

Click here for more information.

I might just pop along myself to see what Mr Collins is on about.

12 comments:

  1. Funny - I was just thinking that place in Elle was looking very World of Interiors, and kept scrolling to find your thoughts were the same! I like the Aussie mags the best, they're all very good at the moment, but my favourite international are Veranda and English House and Garden. Perhaps a bit Trad for you? Architectural Digest is pretty much ridiculously unattainable design. And a lot of it is fairly awful (more money than taste)... The liking of that chair looks like the designer is trying to be obscure - a Mies Van De Rohe "Barcelona" chair isn't cutting it anymore. xx

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  2. I actually went to HS in America... but did grow up in Korea until I was 11, so feel quite at home here. I'll have to try watching those shows you suggested! Thank you for the suggestions! Also.... i love these photos! I can't wait to have my own place so i can decorate it!!

    -liv
    http://chocolivlovelaugh.blogspot.kr

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  3. Great post...as you might have seen in my recent post re: mail delivery I adore interior design mags too! Nice job on the chair write up. On to bloggin' business, THANK YOU for the bloglovin tip. I got a button & am following you through it. So do head back to my blog & click it to follow if you would be so kind & let's see if I did it right. Have a lovely...day er.... evening
    :) Kelly
    www.mysoulfulhome.com

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  4. Thanks for the overview of these magazines. I loved the old farmhouse, but I thought that the ram's head was a bad idea--way too whimsical. Livign in Taiwan, I don't see these magazines too often.
    --Road to Parnassus

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  5. You see now I used to pick up all the interior design magazines when I was in the process of moving house, but once I moved and decorated, I just stopped buying them and switched back to my fashion glossy!

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  6. I like the fresh take on glamour room!

    www.trendinginfashion.blogspot.com

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  7. Hi Heidi, I am so glad you agree - sometimes I wonder if I am being too harsh! I love House and Garden - am a subscriber. I tend to borrow Verandas - but I love Belle - even though it is one of those sliding door onto the pool leading onto the barrier reef types - one has to dream !

    @liv - i think dressing up houses is more fun than dressing myself - especially as I get older!

    @mysoulfulhome - I will learn and share more as I get the info - cant wait for you to share more vignettes.

    @Parnassus - I think your snake collection is way more impressive than the ram...

    @Colleen - keep those mags cuz you might redecorate ok?? ;)

    @Tallia - I think so too.

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  8. I'm also a terrible home decor mag addict..My favorites are Elle Decor and House Beautiful, and Southern Living too.. I have to say though, I didn't see this spread and you are so right on! C'mon I get rustic , but we need a little aspiration here..This could be our garage or my teenage son's room! Hmm, maybe I need to call them up...;P

    xx
    Kim

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  9. Thank you so much for following my blog! I'm following you on GFC, and I also followed on BLoglovin too:))!

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  10. Enjoyed this! Art et decoracion is one of my faves. I agree w u re the old rustic spread! Things are so new here we are amazed w old rustic European things. ;) Robyn (SIS)

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  11. So much gorgeousness. I love looking through home decor magazines too! I'm excited to follow your blog :)

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  12. @kim it's hard to get southern living her, might check out on iTunes, actually letter to the editor is in order...:)

    @coast, thank you!

    @Robyn, thanks so much for dropping by! Ps I love your pinterest board...

    @brhea, thanks so much!

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