A few weeks ago we heard that shelter magazine Metropolitan Home was going under - just the latest in a long list of titles that have become casualties of the economic downturn. But with all the doom and gloom that goes with so many good reads closing (Domino, Blueprint, and House & Garden, to name a few), it may come as a surprise that subscriptions and interest in magazines continues to hold steady; it's mainly the decline in ad sales that is causing these publications to bleed both pages and cash. So where do all the loyal glossy fans go to get their design fix (other than coming to 7x7 and Domain, of course)? Here are our picks for sating you shelter magazine addiction:
- Look abroad Don't limit your reading to stateside issues; there is plenty of inspiration to cull from home design magazines from around the world, many of which are readily available locally. Canadian House & Home and Australia's Real Living are two that we're particularly fond of, but peruse the selection at any well-stocked bookstore and you're bound to find a few other satisfying reads. The downside here is that they can cost almost double what you'd pay for a US magazine, and sourcing anything you love from their pages can be pretty tough. If you're just in the mood for inspiring images and interesting articles though, they hit the spot.
- ...or zoom in locally National mags get a lot of buzz, but there are plenty of niche titles out there that deserve attention. These tend to have a stronger personality and more information on the area or style of design in which you might be interested. If you're mainly looking for West Coast trends in home decor and architecture, for example, it's hard to beat California Home + Design. We love that there's a lot of information pertinent to SF, but you also get a mix of LA, Palm Springs and Santa Barbara style to mix it up.
- Scour the internet Blogs have long been offering good design finds to the web masses, but online coverage from magazines can be hit-or-miss. The recent launch of Lonny, an online-only title created by former Domino editor Michelle Adams, is attempting to bridge that gap. While we're not crazy about the format (pages can be slow to load), we love the familiar, Domino-esque style and quality content.
- Check out new titles While it's true that an alarming number of magazines are closing, there are quality titles that continue to be launched all the time. loftlife Magazine hit the stands last year, and we've been salivating over their pages of stunning renovations and industrial-chic homes ever since.
No doubt there are plenty of other great sources for design reads out there. Do you have a favorite? Let us know after the jump.
