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kelleyga

What are your favorite decorating magazines?

19 years ago

I'd like to start subscribing to a couple of decorating magazines but am not sure which ones are worth it. My style is more traditional - definitely not contemporary. Thanks!Kelley

Comments (29)

  • 19 years ago

    Oops! I meant to post this on the forum. Sorry!

  • 19 years ago

    This still is a good place to keep it ; my faves are House and Gardens (american edition), Canadian House and Home ( I think americans should subscribe, the homes pictured in there are universally attractive), Metropolitan Home ( for my urban side),
    I used to love Veranda but I find it has gotten stale and dowdy ( I still buy it for the gardens but honestly, who approves those covers)

  • 19 years ago

    I've subscribed to many different Decorating mags over the years. One thing that has been frustrating, seems to be that once I send off the check for the subscription, the magazine seems to become less interesting, more 'stale and dowdy' as Mitchdes comments. My current favorites are Southern Living and Country Home. The SL is pretty dependable for me, but I do like all aspects of the magazine, the recipes, etc. There are not a ton of decor pictures. I also love Window and Wall most of the time.

  • 19 years ago

    HOME Magazine - they often showcase many of Candice Olson's (Divine Design) designs, a good mix of traditional and comtemporary designs and lots of good resource information.

  • 19 years ago

    Traditional Home.There are always good ideas to create affordable decorating.The Holiday issue is awesome.

  • 19 years ago

    blondiel, I agree with you; traditional home is super, issue after issue, specially the last few years; I think they must have changed editors at one point.

    I always promise myself to cut back on decor magazines but when the fresh issues hit the stands, I'm lusting for an armful of them.

  • 19 years ago

    American Bungalow is the only one I buy, and it's depressing that it's only a quarterly. :-) I borrow HOME, This Old House, Old House Journal, Old House Interiors, and the Better Homes & Gardens special interest issues (regular BHG has way too much garden, cooking, and parenting stuff for me), from the library, and if I see anything I want to do in those I'll photocopy the page(s).

    My mother is absolutely mad for Cottage Living, but she's totally gone off Country Living and Country Home.

    Almost all of the magazines I currently get expire in another month and I'm going to just let them lapse. They're entertaining to read when they arrive but I read them very quickly, I rarely find anything I want to do in them, and they accumulate like crazy. I have two big boxes to take to the library for their magazine swap table. If I find I miss them, I can get them from the library. I'm finding Martha Stewart Living especially blah lately, it's now _much_ more ads than articles; 5 years ago it was more "how to fake upscale stuff by diy-ing" while now it's more just plain upscale consumption. However, I _have_ really enjoyed Cooking Light's FitHouse series - I just don't make enough of the recipes to justify subscribing.

  • 19 years ago

    In my opinion, the two decorating magazines you should subscribe to are Traditional Home and Architectural Digest. Traditional Home (published by Better Homes and Gardens) features a beautifully updated traditional style. Architectural Digest shows the very best work by the country's top designers.

    I sometimes buy Better Homes and Garden's special interest magazines on Kitchens, Bedrooms and Baths. I've stolen more than a few ideas from these little quarterlies.

  • 19 years ago

    Hello, first time poster.

    The World of Interiors (UK mag, it's the best)!
    Elle Decor
    Coastal Living
    House Beautiful

  • 19 years ago

    Since we are avid gardners and love to decorate outside as well as inside, my favorite magazine is
    Better Homes and Gardens, Special Interest Publications:
    Garden, Deck & Landscape.
    Joann

  • 19 years ago

    I like contemporary to modern style. My absolute favorite is Home magazine. I also like Metropolitan Home, Better Homes and Gardens (regular and special interest editions), and House Beautiful. And I love a little magazine called Budget Living (it's really about post-modern, retro shopping and decorating).

  • 19 years ago

    Dwell!

  • 19 years ago

    I love Southern Accents - I can get a ton of ideas!

  • 19 years ago

    Canadian House & Home is my bible !!
    Next to that, Elle Decor, Western Interiors, Met Home are fabulous for more contemporary style.
    If you are into more traditional style, then Traditional Homes is wonderful for inspiration.

    A tip: I get subscriptions from Ebay . It's a lot cheaper so you can get more !

  • 19 years ago

    My favorite is Renovation Style -- I save every one.

  • 19 years ago

    Southern Living, my all time favorite; Cottage Living, Coastal Living, Architectural Digest (much better than it use to be), Traditional Home. There are so many good magazines.

  • 18 years ago

    for me its all about ROMANTIC HOMES MAGAZINE

  • 18 years ago

    Shabby Chic freak, I'm with you all the way on romantic homes magazine. Its the best. I love this style of decorating. I'm also going to subscribe to Victorian homes magazine.

  • 18 years ago

    Southern Living is by far my favorite, and the only one that missed when I let my subscriptions lapse for a year while finishing college.

    I currently get BHG and martha Stewart Living as well, but I could care less if I continue them and plan on letting them lapse. I like Midwest Living, because their gardening and recipes are more in tune with what I can find up here in ND. I'm planning on starting a subscription to Traditional Home, once the other two expire.

  • 18 years ago

    Another vote for:

    Traditional Home
    Renovation Style
    American Bungalow
    Cottage Living (may let this one go -- doesn't suit new house)

  • 18 years ago

    As a decor magazine and book junkie I feel well-qualified to answer this question!!! LOL!!!

    Veranda
    Southern Accents
    Traditional Home
    Country Living
    Country Home
    Better Homes & Gardens
    Real Simple

    Plus Brit editions and Canadian mags that I read while sipping tea or coffee at Barnes & Noble or Borders.

    I give magazine subscriptions to friends -- too funny -- they always say "wow I could NEVER read all those magazines" when they visit MY house -- BUT are simply delighted when they get their subscriptions!!! Next thing I know -- they are telling me about the articles and photos -- and how much they read them!!! LOL!!

  • 18 years ago

    I love so many but if I had to narrow it down to two:

    Traditional Home
    Better Homes & Gardens Special Issues - Kitchen & Baths and Home Planning Ideas

  • 18 years ago

    I love:

    Traditional Home
    Southern Accents (similar to Veranda, but better IMO)
    Coastal Living
    Southern Living

    I also love regional magazines, such as Chicago Living (or Midwest Living?...most of the homes are in Chicago), MidSouth magazine and SouthernBreeze.

  • 18 years ago

    I love BHG Renovation Style, Beautiful Home and all their special interest quarterlies that I can't think of right now.

    I like Traditional Home too.

    I also think I will like Inspired House (or Home) that comes from Taunton Press. All their mags are to die for.
    I even like the ones I will never ever understand! Like Fine Woodworking.

  • 18 years ago

    Canadian House & Home and Home Beautiful. I'll always flip through Oprah's Home magazine but I never buy it; not to my taste.

  • 18 years ago

    I love "Sunset" magazine, "the magazine of Western living."
    It is great if you live in California. My mom always got it when I was a kid so it seems like a family tradition. Their gardening tips are always spot-on, and although they don't have as much decorating as most of the ones listed, I feel more in accord with their style.
    I live near their headquarters so I am able to go see their model homes and gardens - fantastic!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Sunset magazine

  • 18 years ago

    I subscribe to
    Cottage Living
    Country Living
    Southern Living
    Mary Engelbreits Home Companion-(but I am pissed at them right now and gonna write a letter- I always felt part of a subscription was that you recieved your mags before they came out on the news stands well we were at B+N last night and there it was the new issue- do I have one in my mailbox yet??? NOOO!!! grr.) Ok thanks for letting me rant and rave lol- just a pet peeve of mine.

    I occasionally buy different cottage style mags that are special publications but have to look at them first.

    I also buy Romantic homes once in a while I have a friend whose home was featured in there recently- kinda neat.

    And I just had a snippet published in Country Marketplace- about the perfect day- I spoke about an experience we had in Hawaii in the 90's.
    RaNae

  • 18 years ago

    Wow. Have you seen the most recent edition of Traditional Home. *droooool* It's an international addition and every home is lovlier than the last.

  • 17 years ago

    Hi - I have used this site and it is has been reliable. They have excellent prices on some magazine (Elle Decor is only $4.50 for one year.) I'm not on the payroll - just thought I'd pass it along!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Mags For Less