Summing up a magazine’s vibe, look and style all in one post has proven to be a bit daunting for me so far and I’m not certain that it’s all that interesting in the end. I looked at my post about Interior Design magazine from last week and was appalled by how terribly DRY “Overview” sounded. I had an entirely unpleasant flashback to my corporate days where I toiled over pointless (pun intended!) Powerpoint decks. So for my sake, and yours, I’m going to focus on features I dig from magazines rather than trying to tackle the whole enchilada.
Today’s victim: Metropolitan Home’s High | Low feature.
I wrote about the July/August issue of MetHome over on Personism a few weeks ago because it featured the lakeside cottage that my pals Dufner Heighes recently completed in Michigan (The cover no less! I am so very proud.) The whole issue has a outdoor living Summery theme and the High | Low feature is no exception.
The spread features a lot of melamine, lacquer and resin items that would be fine choices for outdoor entertaining. Their choice of chair for the spread is mystifying unto me: Paola Navone’s polyurethane armchair (pictured above) is $557 for the “Low” version and $1277 for the “High” version, which a) lights up (buh?) and b) includes a linen slipcover. Ok, then!
Veronica & Keith's Handmade Chic 
Before & After: A Bathroom Goes From Pinky Peach to Sleek and Chic
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hunslet Dinner Plate
A Beginner's Guide to Superb Stir-Fry: Quick, Healthy Meals from a Wok
Easy Pitcher Cocktail Recipe: Strawberry Basil Margaritas
Comments (9)
Great post--I like the less structured format.
I had the opportunity to meet some Met Home staffers at a charity function, post 9-11, and they (perhaps the charming Doretta Sperduto?) shared an interesting High/Low tidbit... seems they sometimes have some trouble getting vendors to commit product to the segment, since some vendors see being placed in *either* category not necessarily a good thing. They don't want to be seen as "High" but also (and to me the more interesting thing) they also didn't want to be categorized as "the Low."
I do think that the Met Home segments, regardless of high or low, get the "vibe" right from one bracket to the other, whereas the television "adaptation" of the concept "Sensible Chic", not always so much.
I like the concept of High/Low, but very rarely connect with the any of the featured rooms... I prefer the "Steal This Look!" sidebar that follows many of the featured editorials in UK Elle Decoration. Rather than recreating an entire space, they pull key design elements and source out less expensive options inspired by them. I find it to be a little more user-friendly than Met Home's feature--because honestly, I don't always want to recreate that seating area from a weekend home in Nantucket. Met Home's High/Low vignettes almost never speak to me about my life.
I think the intent of High/Low and "steal this Look!" is the same, though... "borrow any aspect of this you like."
I never really saw H/L as a prescription for one entire space.
My only real problem with the show "Sensible Chic" is that almost every single room on their could just about be filmed in sepia-toned black-and-white!
That's just the overall impression I get from it. I also agree that the Low captures the High in Met Home much more than on that show. But I think that it IS kind of good that they show people how they can do certain little projects themselves to turn things into what they want them to be, whereas the High/Low thing really is all about just buying stuff that looks similar.
Curtis--
I agree. Also, "Sensible Chic" makes me angry that I can't find things at the prices they seem to. Are things just less expensive in California? Or am I just horribly ignorant about where to find affordable furniture? (I've been searching for a large-ish armoire that can be fixed up as a computer station for a while; no luck.)
"Sensible Chic" helps me envision how I might do something, albeit, not as cheaply as they would for certain items, i.e., the fabrics.
The few times I've seen Sensible Chic (yes, I live without cable), all I can think is "Someone paid $50K for that nightmarish room? And why are we trying to recreate it?"
And I'm excited to say that the place where I work, Alpha Workshops, is going to be featured in High/Low in the fall! We'll be doing both the high and the low.
I also like the "Steal this look" feature in Elle Decoration. At least, unlike many US shelter mags, it takes away the "look don't touch" feel from the features on houses. Yes, you, poor shlub with no money, can have that look too. It's a nice thought anyway.
Shop Etc also does this same feature as well, in some ways better than Metropolitan Home because its every month. I also highly recommend the home section of that magazine.
Not all that "Steal this Look" business is about budget tips... sometimes it just points you to a non-To-the-Trade source... sometimes still rather pricey. But don't all shelter mags have a sources section in the back? Doesn't that sometimes serve the same purpose?
My pet peeve on Sensible Chic? When they "recreate art." Argh.
Ruth--
Awesome news about Alpha Workshops and Hi/Lo!!
The stuff you all showed at ICFF was really gorgeous, not to mention that you all had one of the nicer displays there... (ALSO not to mention what an amazing cause Alpha Workshops supports!)