Shelter Magazine Review

Domino Magazine Relaunch

Color me blue and disappointed. In the relaunch issue, there was some great design. However, the old heart seemed to be missing. I am not sure if I can look objectively at the magazine now knowing that they are primarily a shopping site, because I could feel a catalog vibe and an emphasis on how you could replicate the look by buying this or that. What happened to championing individuality and one-of-a-kind looks?

The issue was similar to one of the original issues, it contained the same amount of content as before (page-wise), but it is now 3x the cost despite only publishing 4 times a year versus monthly. Mathematically, that means each issue should provide us with the content of three issues, right? No. However, they still make the same amount money in an ideal year on the newsstand.

There is one great and totally worth it thing gained from the web site; it seems that they will make some portions of the Domino article archives available again. I hope in time they will organize the access to them more efficiently. However, the magazine no longer seems as special to me. What a shame...

Fresh Style Magazine

Despite the lack of "shelter" magazines that appeal to me, I have found Fresh Style, out of Alabama. It is published 6 times a year, with a $6 retail price. It is a cool mix of the eclectic style that I love: a little country, old world, thrift, and vintage, with a dash of bright (but not basic) colors. But most of all it has an overall kitschy charm. The magazine consists of a variety of quick projects and great visual inspiration. In fact, its subtitle is 'simple ideas for creative living.'

I tend to read magazine mastheads* and did not recognize any of the editors or contributors from my former fave magazines such as ReadyMade, Blueprint, Budget Living or the like. Regardless, there is talent there.

*Likewise, movie and TV show credits. Test me!

Book Review: Homeward Bound by Emily Matchar

A few months ago, I was contacted by Simon and Schuster to review their new book, Homeward Bound: Why Women Are Embracing the New Domesticity by Emily Matchar. It has taken me a long while to put this together (months!)  because well, I just could not finish the book. Have you ever continued to read a book even after it had started to feel like a chore and it was not a required school assignment? NO, right? You would just return it to the library or pass it on to a friend? Well, since I had said I would review the book, doing that did not feel like an option. I kept trying to reengage my interest in it. I brought it to work every day so I could read some at lunch. However, I just could not do it. The book is not badly written, I just did not agree with some of the premise and the conclusions inside.

The book chronicles the wave of young domestic DIY-ers and those returning to the love of land and family by stepping back from the corporate and somewhat impersonal digital world by becoming involved in growing their own food, raising livestock, baking bread, sewing their family's clothing, educating the children at home, and attachment parenting. I had a problem with the book talking about the benefits of the above, such as the growth of home schooling, without acknowledging that the practice is a privilege and not available to everyone. It is especially not available to families dependent on both parents working. This movement, Ms. Matchar describes is not inclusive, instead its members are limited in age, education, and financial background. It is quite ironic that this return to the "simple" life is more accessible to those who have the money to test out the lifestyle and then choose to take or leave it.

Ms. Matchar interviews highly educated men and women who had quit prestigious jobs to stay home with their children. Of course, every person has a right to do this if they choose; however, the author states repeatedly that their reason for why they did is that corporate culture was not appreciative or helpful to working parents. A lot of that corporate thinking stems from the belief that women will not be as productive or dedicated to their jobs when they have children at home, or that many will quit once they become pregnant. Opting out should not be the best solution. On page 178, I found a few pages on the media fairytale of opting out versus fighting the problems of the working woman but this was more than halfway through the book and only three pages long. I felt it was too little and too late to provide a balanced view of this important issue.

A problem with the growth of this movement (the way that Ms. Matchar describes it) is that women have not yet met all the goals toward parity with men. We should be posing that as the solution to the corporate problem. Feminism and workplace reform are where the emphasis needs to continue because that movement is not over. Women are still only making 75% of what a man makes for a similar job, have inadequate maternity leave, no job security when out on the leave they do receive, and there is still a bias towards working mothers. How will we improve these conditions if women in the professional arena do not champion for these changes before they personally need them. We should try to fix the problem instead of giving up on it. The goal should be for a future society where either path is an equal option with comparable benefits.

Of course, this is just my personal take on the book. Obviously, it affected me strongly. When initially contacted I expected to enjoy this book, I felt it might describe the things I am involved with and express how I thought about the return of the old arts and skills. Unfortunately, I did not feel this book represented me at all. Perhaps, it was because of my age, being a decade older than the people who were interviewed. Or maybe because during my childhood I had a mom who was gifted and involved in sewing, crafting, gardening, and cooking. She and I were always trying some new skill, appliqué, crewelwork, quilting, doll making, even once making fortune cookies. At the same time, my father was into woodworking, paper mache, macramé, and landscaping. Therefore, I have a hard time seeing this as "the new thing", as a fad to be marketed. I feel that cheapens it and believe that the most basic of these skills should be a given in the average person’s skills.

However, I suggest you read the book for yourself and form your own decision. Here is a link to her blog New Domesticity. Feel free to come back and let me know your thoughts.

Modern Decorative Arts

The Studio Magazine began publishing in England in 1893. It was a fine arts and decorative arts magazine illustrating the Art Nouveau and Arts & Crafts movements in home furnishings. The one I checked out of the library was the 1954 issue but they also had the 1909 edition which can be viewed in its entirety (168 pages) through Google Books here. After 1906, they started to publish an annual compilation called The Studio Year-Book of Decorative Art. This was dedicated to the latest trends in interior design, furniture, lighting, glassware, textiles, and ceramics. In the 1960s, it was renamed Decorative Art in Modern Interiors. These annuals ceased publishing in 1980. I would love to get my hands on the volumes from the mid 1950s to the mid 1960s.

 

I just found the original magazines online here at the Internet Archives. How come no one told me about the Internet Archive. What an incredible source of free publications!

Giveaway!

Still missing Domino magazine like I am?

Well, two lucky readers of my blog will receive a brand new copy of Domino's The Book of Decorating: A Room-by-Room Guide to Creating a Home That Makes You Happy.

Just let me know in the comments if there was a particular Domino story that influenced a specific design purchase or project in your own home?

I'll be picking the winners on Friday, probably using random.org.

Book Review: Entertaining Simple by Matthew Mead

I always wanted to give dinner parties. That was how I saw my grown-up life: wearing hostess gowns over Capri pants, canapés served next to a fully-stocked bar ready for vodka gimlets, old-fashioned, martinis, even though I don't drink.

But in college and beyond, lack of money, time, motivation or the fact that Mary Richards and I have a lot in common when it comes to lousy dinner parties, all crushed that dream. Perhaps if I could just let go of those "Martha" and "Bree Van de Kamp" fantasies I could actually succeeded in throwing a fun, casual, yet elegant gathering. Well, I think I'm starting to feel a bit more positive because of this new book I've been reading, Matthew Mead's Entertaining Simple.

I was already aware of Matthew's work when this book arrived. His styling is all over a magazine I bring into my home already, Country Home, and his website, is a great source of decorating projects and tips, sorted according to the four seasons. I've already emailed different ideas from his site to friends and plugged one of his ideas on my other blog here.



Matt doesn't try to impress you with his visual styling skills, he truly wants to pass on his knowledge. This is clear from what he includes in his book. The recipes sound delicious, they are arranged with planned menus, and the instructions seem simple enough to put together. In fact, Matthew also tries to provide each recipe with a tip for making it even simpler, if possible.



But the best thing about this book is his idea of a entertaining stash cabinet for all of your dishes and entertaining tools. He suggests using white and clear glass and it's a genius idea. This way, everything matches, looks elegant, and allows for creativity on a cheaper scale. You can then change up the color scheme easily by using inexpensive elements such as the napkins, chargers, tablecloths, flower arrangements, and other small embellishments. However, your more expensive items, such as your sets of dinner plates, glasses, bowls, and platters are all in plain (or not so plain) white.

He also suggests including in your stash some unique shapes so that these items can be more versatile and have more uses; some practical and some purely visual. I love how he uses items in unexpected ways:

• glass cake stand used as a holder for gifts,
• a frozen serving platter where pre-made ice cream cones are displayed,
• milk bottle-like containers used as individual serving containers for juice,
• drinking glasses used to hold cookies or breadsticks,
• or a mixing bowl set arranged to serve seafood on ice.

Oh, Matthew, how I wish to throw a party, maybe your book is exactly what I need?

Book Review: The Barn House by Ed Zotti

A month ago, I received a copy of The Barn House: Confessions of an Urban Rehabber (2008, New American Library) by Ed Zotti. Zotti is editor of the popular syndicated column, The Straight Dope. If you're familiar with that column then you won't be surprised that Mr. Zotti has created a book full of humor*, wisdom, research, and sharp social commentary.

Being a fan of architectural history; especially when it comes to residential buildings, this book is right up my alley. With this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. What I ended up with was a personal account of a house renovation, but also a history of the urbanization and eventual gentrification of a neighborhood in Chicago. I was introduced to new concepts given name by Zotti, such as the City Guy Network and the Brotherhood of the Right Way (actually a particular gender didn't seem to be a requirement for membership in either group, it was just a naming thing).

The Brotherhood of the Right Way is a group that, according to Zotti, shares a simple belief that "there is a right way to do everything, and one's task in life was merely to determine what the right way was, and to do it." Therefore, a quick half-assed solution is not considered sufficient. I can definitely agree with that group's philosophy.I really enjoyed this book; however, my only drawback is its lack of photos. Zotti describes in detail his decrepit but hidden gem of a house, noting its quality wood, craftsmanship, and quirky original design decisions. He has a gift of making the original materials used in the house sound wonderful in their opulence and yet, no pictures. These are things you want to see. I personally would have loved to see the faulty and curious renovations past owners with inadequate budgets and huge rehab dreams made and he had to fix. His descriptions are excellent for someone familiar with plan drawings and house construction; however, for the beginner rehabber or a first-time home owner (whom I assume are his audience) the descriptions may not be enough.

As a good companion piece to Barn House, I suggest a favorite book of mine, Erik Larson's 2003 novel, The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, Madness, and the Fair that Changed America. It's not necessarily in the same vein (One book is about a personal home rehab and the growth of a city, the other is about the growth of a city and a serial killer) but if want two books that give you a feeling that Chicago has and always will be a city to watch, then these tomes won't steer you wrong. What they have in common is a mix of fiction, fact, and history, both architectural and city of Chicago.

In the end, Barn House seemed almost as much a study of the growth and changes in Chicago as it was a home owner's diary of a hard-won rehab project. In fact, this book makes living in Chicago seem so appealing I almost forgot about the double-digit snowfalls and how much I HATE the cold. Good work, Mr. Zotti!

Important Note*This is one book where you don't want to skip the footnotes!

Illustration: Charlie Friedlander