This week, Megan, Joni and Linda discussed the current state of our favorite shelter magazines, the musical chairs of top management and what changes may come to the magazines, and what we would like to see (or not!).
We spent a lot of time discussing the problems with Architectural Digest and why no one seems to like the publication. We specifically discussed the two photographs below. We all agreed that in many cases, the rooms themselves are fine, it's all in the presentation and photography.
So, join us and please let us know what you think. What changes would you like to see as the editor's-in-chief all take control of their new publications, and what changes would you NOT like to see!
Also, WE HAVE A WINNER in our Bobby McAlpine book giveaway! Christina at Greige, come on down and claim your copy of "The Home Within Us"! Congrats! And a big thanks to Bobby for providing the giveaway!
From AD, February 2007. Designer Penny Drue Baird.
From AD, November 2006. Designer John Barman
So, join us and please let us know what you think. What changes would you like to see as the editor's-in-chief all take control of their new publications, and what changes would you NOT like to see!
Also, WE HAVE A WINNER in our Bobby McAlpine book giveaway! Christina at Greige, come on down and claim your copy of "The Home Within Us"! Congrats! And a big thanks to Bobby for providing the giveaway!
Comments
Teresa (Splendid Sass)
I agree about AD's photography... I also think that all of their photos use a lot of professional lighting vs using more of the natural lighting for the atmosphere. Their photos have that frozen/ still look whereas HB and ED feel so real. I know when we had our BHG shoot the photographer was really concerned that we try not to use any professional lighting because it lacked that natural quality that sunlight has.
AD just has that removed quality that Margaret will fix. hoping for good things!!! (and also was shocked- who will be elle decor?!!)
xoxo,
lauren
Jan at Rosemary Cottage -- an old-style real-pages-in-my-hand decor magazine and book addict
Deborah Needleman would have been cool for Elle Decor, but the WSJ snagged her.
xo xo
Nothing compares to natural light to reflect reality--and warmness.
Most often with artificial light we get an enhanced picture of the coldness and artificiality of many of these spaces.
I don't personally like browsing through actual online magazines. I do, however, enjoy looking at all the photos on blogs. These mag editors would do well to work more closely with those who have a prominent online presence and offer "suprise giveaways" of an art print or some such thing, that requires the actual purchase of their magazine. A sort of "golden ticket" you might say.
While my reply may not contribute to the direction these magazines should go artistically, I do think it could help them sell magazines, which is what they're in business to do :)
Our magazines over at Meredith Corp. are reinventing themselves, but I promise, at the end of the day, the ones that will survive will offer unique and wonderful articles that you can't find online. Stick with it mag lovers!
Other than that, it's a wonderful magazine. :)
-- H.A.
Also: AD is published by Conde-Nast, not Hearst.
If you don't, feel free to get in touch.
If you don't, feel free to get in touch.
Also, it was officially announced today that Elle Decor executive editor Michael Boodro has been promoted to Editor-in-Chief, effective August 25th. Michael has been executive editor since 2009 and had previously worked in that role from 2004-2006. He then went to Martha Stewart Living as Editor-in-Chief. Anita Sarsidi has been promoted to Design Director and Florentino Pamintuan has moved up to Creative Director. Vicky Lowry will become Executive Editor. More musical chairs in the industry!
My daughter just gave me an itouch so i am listening to all the old skirted roundtables as i work, as i knit, as i sit.... lots of interesting talk. thanks.
Thanks ladies for entertaining and educating us.
I guess I'm one of the few that likes that magazine. My other favorites are House beautiful and Veranda.
Dee
Their style has really changed. Not appealing anymore.
Thank you for your lovely visit to my blog. I am now following your lovely blog.
xo
I agree with everything Joni says in her posts but this time I just can't go there. And when I am able to post again I will still be looking at those back issues of TH with love.
xo,
nancy
There's an unwritten rule among the shelter magazines that there's no or very little crossover of designers between the magazines. It has nothing to do with ASID membership. The editors each have a stable of favorite designers they featured so what's interesting to me is to see if they'll migrate their favorite designers to their new publications.
Architectural Digest was never intended to be a "how to" design magazine geared toward the masses. It's always been a "how the other ones live" magazine, unless you were one of the other ones.
The most interesting thing to me about the change at AD is that it will be the first time the stewardship of this magazine has changed in nearly 40 years; Paige Rense virtually created AD out of a small trade publication and turned it into a very successful, very upscale niche publication. Its success - and, in the opinions of many, its failures - are all the direct result of Ms. Rense's taste and editorial decisions. It will be up to Ms. Russell to find a way to maintain this publication's niche while making it interesting to the readers who are interested in buying the products advertised within its covers.
Margaret Russell and Stephen Drucker are celebrities in limited circles only - Bravo TV and Food TV viewers - and also in your minds. Paige Rense Noland has plenty of public presence as well, just among a different crowd. Also, you mentioned that a public persona of the editor is critical to the survival of the magazines, and that's easily disproven. There are countless magazines out there that predate Elle Decor (for example: Good Housekeeping, Better Homes & Gardens) whose editors aren't public figures. If Elle Decor thrives or fails under its new stewardship it won't be because of the editor's fame or lack thereof; it will be on the basis of his talent and editing acumen. Yes, the publishers and owners may be urging their editors to have more of a public persona in these desperate times, but that won't be the reason a publication lives or dies (what it means for the editor's job is a different question).
In fact, I'd wager that Margaret Russell at the helm of Arch Digest may spell the doom of that magazine because she may turn it into something it's not, and then she'll be out of a job and she won't be a "celebrity" anymore.
Traditional Home appeals to the tremendous audience of people who prefer their homes to be, well, traditional, and that's a big chunk of the population. Sure, it's more interesting to see edgy design and what's new and all that, but I think TH does a remarkable job of showcasing updated takes on traditional design and they're always featuring new talent as well as the established designers.
By the way, the editor of Traditional Home, Ann Omvig Maine (or, in your parlance, "Ann Who?"), has a long career as an editor at shelter magazines; they may not be the ones you read but they include Renovation Style & Country Home.
Town & Country shouldn't even be in a shelter magazine conversation; it happens that an experienced magazine editor who used to edit a shelter magazine is now at the helm and the discussion ends there.
I don't know anything about Veranda so I can't comment on it.
First off...my hope for AD is that Margaret can take it more in the direction that House and Garden had, which was geared much more toward international celebrity. And not just "movie stars". The celebrity came from creative influence, like Bulgari, Swarovski, and so on. AD has always been international in scope, but somehow the main editorials were there because of the fame of the person, not their creative influence. The people in HG had wealth, but were interesting, multifacted AND approachable. HG had vibrant photos with much clarity and color. No yellow filters here. The photos had a layering which spoke to the soul of the person living there. Can you tell I miss HG with a passion?! Elle Decor has the same strength, and I think Margaret could bring this vitality back to AD.....I hope so!
Regarding your comments about TH...the main thing that bothers me about the magazine is that the lead editorials are scattered throughout the magazine. There is no clear cut layout to it. I don't want to flip through all of the smaller articles to get to the big ones. But once I do find them, they are much better than they used to be. TH seems to have gotten away from the traditional repro (everything just looked so "new") look they used to have and many of the homes are more interesting than they used to be. I guess I am talking about the "Brooklyn Confidential" pages in the front of the September issue....some of these homes were much more soulful than the lead editorials.
I guess I will always be a magazine junky....I get them all....and I will never get rid of my HG collection (or Domino for that matter!)
Great discussion!
Being a designer sometimes means creating rooms that are not my style, but my client's style. It is at those times I am glad to have magazines like AD to study and brush up on those styles.
I can't say there is one magazine out there that can be all things to all people. Isn't it nice we still have a choice of magazines and they haven't all disappeared?
But two points on balance: first, for all who have read the Edith Wharton original "Decoration of Houses" (sidebar to thank Alexandra Stoddard for her updated version), remember Wharton & Ogden's point that the rich can do a great service to all by championing the best in design. I may have the means or desire to afford the same thing, but I can use the model. Of course, we can also be inspired by the tightwad element (looking directly in the mirror now) but AD has the clout to give us the best and most breathtaking. The question's become--does it have the editorial know-how to take our breath? Not recently.
Second point: a personal one (and true for many, I'm sure)--it was AD that first opened my eyes to the joy & fun of designing a room that is thrilling to see and comforting to use. For me, it occurred at Donner Lake in a beautifully furnished private home rented for a wedding party. Although the home I grew up in was well-run, understated and appropriate, and even included elements of elegance that hardworking American parents would permit into the budget, our home interior was not the result of a design plan. My mother used to say that one the happiest day of her life was when she learned the word "eclectic". So when I stayed at this lake house out West, with its intentional interiors, abundant custom upholstery (!!!) and copies of AD, I connected the dots that AD = the model for wonderful & achievable design, and I was smitten. (And so was my mother.)
I hope Margaret will bring AD back--and take it forward. AD should be breathtaking and should use its power to open the eyes and hearts of today's newcomers to design.
I love H.B.!!! I only know Newell Turner from his house project featured in H.B. I'm sure he has some great ideas but for the most part I would leave it alone.