I thought about writing about this subject a few weeks ago but decided that it was a little too opinionated and bossy. But now, because of the news about Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, I decided to go ahead and be bossy anyway (you know, just in case a new publisher is trolling the internet for evidence of support for the magazine...does that stuff really happen?).
My sister (who is an architectural designer) had a garage sale last month and, like any good sister, I helped her get rid of stuff at the end of sale...by my kids bringing stuff back to our house. I schlepped a bunch of magazines that feature St. Louis homes. Now, I understand the main purpose of those type of magazines is to feature "professionally" decorated homes and, in turn, support their advertisers (interior design firms, etc.). But still...
As I looked through the pages, I became bored. Sure, the homes and rooms were beautiful... beautifully decorated, perfectly accessorized, with matching artwork (don't even get me started on that one). The only thing they were all missing was any kind of personality. By personality, I don't mean a room that's a quirky mess...I mean a room that speaks of the person, family, kids, and pets that live there. All I could think was...How can two publications from St. Louis see our houses so differently? The difference is that Home Companion features real people, real homes, and, best of all, real artists that truly inspire the magazine's readers.
Home Companion is the kind of magazine that I can pick up and instantly find something inspiring. Today, I randomly pulled a copy out of my stack and found a perfect illustration of what I'm trying to say... your house is "all about you...tell your own story".
Wow, it feels kind of good to be bossy...maybe next I'll address some other things that bother me...like over-the-top weddings and tear-downs of pretty homes for ginormous beige houses.
