We seem to constantly forget that ReadyMade is a bimonthly publication...every time there's an "off" month, we're wondering where our mag is. But when it arrives, we're oh so excited.
As the first official "Blogging ReadyMade" post, we want to start off with discussing first impressions. While we already know we love this magazine and that we'll undoubtedly gain some inspiration or a DIY idea every time, there's one thing that throws us off: The cover.
They typically feature a young (really young) hetero couple staged to perfection. What we'd love to see on a cover: An image of a work-in-progress, a variety of model types, a scenario that depicts the excitement and joy over living with something you've created (without being over-the-top or obviously primped).
After all, we think that is what ReadyMade is all about, and we are constantly just a little surprised and confused by the all-important choice of a cover shot.
That said, this Green Design issue, Feb/Mar 2007, is a great one, with 62 "Simple Green Designs"...
p. 10: ReadyMade announces that they will be going digital with more info this year. They've got "all kinds of technical awesomeness headed your way, starting with [a] redesigned website."
p. 22-23: Greenhouse Goods introduces some great green items that look as good as the impact they will have on the environment. Including Millennium microfiber towels from beech wood cellulose and nontoxic dyes (photo above).
p. 40-43: Super Natural features recycled wood creations like a twig lamp, stump stool, and branch coffee table (featured on the cover photo).
p. 58-63: O Eco Pioneers! A look at six individuals committed to "bringing their green philosophy into the places where it is needed the most: city centers." These folks are "leading the charge to bring about global change on the local level."
Lots more where this came from...we'll continue to dig through the issue and reveal more of The Green Issue this month.
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
For only being a bi-monthly mag, it really ought to be 5x as thick, 10x less ads, and well, have SOME substance. It really only takes about 15 min to flip through the mag until it's religated to kindling...
I have not yet seen this issue, but I am a sucker for a Green Issue of any magazine these days, so I'm sure I'll be buying it.
Re: The cover! Thank you...I hadn't noticed this with ReadyMade, but Domino magazine! Since its beginning, I think every month has featured on the cover a young, skinny white chick. Every. Month. Sometimes its the homeowner, sometimes not. I wrote to them to tell them how boring and bizarre I thought it was, even though I myself am a (relatively) young, skinny white chick. Still. I'm gonna throw myself a party when the cover features an older and/or bigger/less white/nonchick. Or a nice chair.
Julain, I agree. I've been a subscriber since Readymade came out. Over the years, the actual content has rapidly diminished while the advertising has increased. I probably won't be renewing my subscription this year.
I agree with Julian - I never buy or subscribe b/c there is so little content and when there is an interesting project, most of the times it involves way more in the way of tools or space than more city-dwellers dare to dream having. I understand that's limiting but, still, it doesn't make it appeal to me any more. In theory it's a good idea for a magazine but I just can't really use much in it. (Especially for the price it is.)
question...
where can this mag be purchased?
i agree, i flipped through this magazine and nothing was at all interesting enough for me to stop and read.
In agreement with everyone. It's got a nice layout, good photography, but a little lacking on the ideas side. It seemed like they were running the same issue over and over again.
I wanted to believe in it, I just couldn't bring myself to it.
Less home based, way more geek based, Make Magazine has a wealth of ideas in it. Also, its sister pub Craft just came out. Perhaps they could overtake ReadyMade?