Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Updating For Survival

Eddie Ross wrote about Country Living magazine the other day.
As one magazine folds after the other, we revisit some old favorites again, maybe ones that we had "shelved" for awhile in lieu of maybe more exciting magazines.
As the last ones standing magazines like Country Living and Better Homes and Gardens are kind of stepping up and updating their editorial content. They're getting hipper, and more sophisticated. After all there's the Domino demographic out there. Elle Decor, House Beautiful, and Architectural Digest need to stay on their toes, and not rely on a comfortable formula.


Anyhoo, in my craving to hold a magazine, I picked on BHG offering. They do alot of these quarterly offerings, and some of them are starting to look pretty good. The BHG web site is another thing, and could stand a re-vamp (hint hint).

One thing I hate to do is scan photos. I'm spoiled by point and click sites, and Google Images. But there was no way to navigate the BHG site and find these photos for you. I also struggle with photo quality. On my Mac everything looks great. On my crap PC at work, the images look bad (all of your images look bad on that PC). Uneven image quality is something bloggers deal with, unless of course you spend alot of time getting and using high quality photos, or keep them postage stamp size. Frankly as fast as a blog post gets old, I don't have the inclination to do much more. I try my best, but sometimes that best is crappy.

I chose this editorial from this BHG because it has so many elements we all enjoy. It's the home of Sarah and Peter Anderson, an 1820's New Hampshire clapboard. It's the house Sarah grew up in, which she has made her own by creating a modern home using hand-me-downs, smart buys, and elbow grease.

I'm still a sucker for peeling paint and tat. And for sea grass and sisal. And for vintage and antique.
The one major thing that caught my eye, is that the house has no curtains! Privacy may not be an issue, but what about hot sun in the summer time, and cold air in the New Hampshire winter coming in. Also night time makes un-curtained windows read like black holes.

All the objects we love are here: A Mora clock, a column, a bust, apothecary jars, sweet paintings, white slipcovers, chandeliers, old mirrors, pretty fabrics...

The kitchen looks great too. I like this hutch shelf thingee sitting on top of the counter. And the beams throughout the house are intriguing. Are they original?


Of course the outdoor spaces are staged perfectly too for the short summer season.
You notice the numbers on the pages - that's because this magazine has 100 ideas. I've shown you 67 - 76. Pick this issue up if you want to see more.

PS Please share your EASY tech tips for better photos and scanning.

12 comments:

h. m. settoon said...

have you tried the snaggit program? it makes it a lot easier to grab and modify images from online sources, including resizing.

desiree said...

Love # 74. Might have to pic one of these mags up...And I agree BHG NEEDS a new website design.

Anonymous said...

I love that gorgeous home. My neighbor has a hard copy subscription to BHG, and she passes the mags on to me when she's done. I remember the article about this house: I tore out all the photos of it and put them in my files.

alice said...

This house is really pretty...

I hope BHG and the other mags not only survive, but get even better!
Some have more improvement room than others, but at this point, I'm not going to complain,I'm just going to hope my remaining subscriptions keep coming!

Unknown said...

Your post, as always is the best! I love the three large bowls on the table. Thank you so much for sharing.

Charla

Velvet and Linen said...

I'm sure you could have guessed that I love this home.
Scanning is the bane of my existence. I did buy this little scansnap that is the easiest scanner I have found, and the images are fairly decent.
I hope the BHG site gets the hint and gets a little re-vamping! It could definitely use your touch.

xo
Brooke

Renae Moore said...

Hey Miz V!
I hate scanning...it takes me FOREVER to get it to the right place. I like it to be quick and easy. Hopefully BHG will get on the program with their website. I am with you....point and click...the only way to go! :>)
Blessings...
xx

pavlova said...

You made me smile, because I also live in NH and I also have NO curtains!! Not usually a problem, but I do have to take care when someone is working in the yard -- I don't want to scare them!! I adore your blog and so enjoyed your posts on Grey Gardens.....fascinating on many levels.

jerseygirl211 said...

Good Morning,
I saved every issue of BHG from 1962 until we moved in 1999, at which time I had to give them up. I wouldn't even allow my children to cut something out of the magazines for school projects. But as other magazines started to get my attention, I no longer renewed my subscription. Traditionl Homes, Veranda, Martha Stewart, are now among those that have replaced BHG. My daughter had given me a gift subscription one year and I thought the magazine had shown some improvement, but again I lost interest, I think it needs a new direction.

Hugs
'D'

Dumbwit Tellher said...

Sad isn't it how much we all miss our now extinct magazines. I agree that many are now stepping it up to keep their heads above water. Let's hope that someone creates one for us Domino admirer's. Great photos!

I hate scanning too...

Kwana said...

There is so much to love with these images. And the light without the curtains is beautiful but brrr... I just love holding magazines. Call me old fashioned.

Fifi Flowers said...

You are sooooo RIGHT... the BHG site is hard to navigate... and to find what you want is difficult too... and things always pop up... drives me CRAZEEEE!!!
You picked lovely photos to scan for us... they have a romantic quality!