Of the many shelter magazines I subscribe to, this has to be in the top three. This magazine is a huge improvement over what it was even a few years ago. A good mix of freshened up traditional, fun, and not-too-concretey modern interiors. Not as funky as Domino, often more current and fun than Veranda and Southern Accents. More traditional (and liveable) than Dwell, and way less beige than uninspirational Architectural Digest. Less old-world than World of Interiors. House Beautiful features interiors you'd actually want to live in. House Beautiful (1-year auto-renewal)
I just received my first two issues yesterday. This magazine is page after page of advertisements. The thing that really bugs me about that is - companys run the same advertisements in the same magazines again and again so two issues are virtually the magazine since there are very few articles.
For some reason even the articles in this magazine get lost because they have the same look as their ads. One article was suppose to be tips from over 125 top designers - what it really was - 125 designers listed with addresses and phone #s and a couple of tips on each page of that section.
I'm really disappointed. For a GREAT magazine, try Southern Living. For a REALLY GOOD magazine, try Better Homes and Gardens.
This magazine is a good source of inspiration ... however, unless you are a professional interior designer, there is a strong likelihood that you will find this magazine intimidating, as I do ... still, the photos are wonderful.
This magazine comes with lots of advertisements - 70% or more. Plus, articles (less than 15 articles in every issue) in the magazines are not very useful. I subscribed the magazine because it is inexpensive and it is rated high by other subscribers. Now I realize I made a mistake.
I love House Beautiful! It gives so many wonderful ideas. This is a collection of ecclectic styles, patterns, and methods that will suit anyone's taste. And these ideas aren't hard to follow. With the smallest effort, anyone can follow the look they have in the magazine.
House Beautiful has as much quality to offer the reader as many magazines that are at a higher price range; thick glossy pages, superb photography, and for those who need some inspiration for home and garden improvements, a plethora of useful design ideas.I just received my September 2003 issue, and some of the contents are: The interior: A nice "How to" page, with solutions that will fit your pocketbook, and make your home interesting; "Designer Challenge", a new series where experts tackle "problem areas"; a long article on "The Next Wave", profiling twentyfive up-and-coming designers who are "rising stars from coast to coast"; an in-depth look at 4 gorgeous homes: A sparse but elegant Edwardian house in Dallas, a plantation-style house in Georgia, a classic home in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C., and my favorite, a minimalist, lavishly comfortable duplex in Miami, Florida. The exterior: "Art Imitating Nature", a Phoenix Arizona garden that uses native plants in a way that blends into the architecture. Food: "Fruit Under Fire", a luscious collection of recipes for grilled fruit, with close-up illustrations that are enough to stir up the appetite.Every issue will spark some ideas on how to enhance your surroundings, how to buy on a budget, how to experiment by mixing styles, and much more. I enjoy every issue, and think House Beautiful is one of the best magazine values on the market.
As a potential interior designer, I find that this magazine is both realistic and elegant in the articles it provides for the professional and for the hobbiest. I have a subscription and I find that studying the designers, the styles and the themes I have learned so much about the work of a designer. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys color, fabrics or just pictures of beautifully designed rooms and interiors.
While I love the publication, please watch out for Hearst Magazine scams. I received a renewal invoice/letter regarding another Hearst publication, Popular Mechanics which I have never read, ordered, or received. [...]
When I emailed Hearst (there is no phone number for customer service) to let them know that I did not order this publication, they sent the following reply: "We have received your renewal order. When payment of [...] is received, service will continue through 12 issues."
I'm not sure what part of "I did not order this magazine and do not want this magazine" they did not understand. Terrible company and it is unfortunate that they take advantage of their customers in this way.
Hearst is the worst.
I have subcribed to House Beautiful for over 20 years, and find they consistantly showcase the most beautiful rooms year after year. They have a good mix of styles and decorators. I have seen a great improvement since Stephen Drucker has taken the helm as Editor in Chief. I love their new features: Color, Instant Room, You Do The Match, Weekend Shopper, and Ask the Barefoot Contessa. I am going to have to find more storage for the back issues I keep for reference. I only wish I could award this magazine more stars!
I got this magazine and "Dwell" after buying a new-to-me house and needing ideas. What a contrast! This magazine has lots of useful ideas: most of the furniture is not outrageously expensive, and for many of the paint jobs they give you the details on the paint so you could walk into the paint store and buy exactly the same paint they used. I actually prefer the aesthetics of "Dwell" (mid-century modern is my heroin) but their ideas are completely unachievable, expensive, and vague. HB is a refreshing contrast. I've already applied some of their ideas to my own home. - Interior Design - Decorating Ideas'
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