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Used to Be Good, But...
Real Simple used to be a good, uplifting magazine that helped women streamline their lives.Now, it resembles every other women's magazine out there, full of fashion and beauty "advice" which inevitably urges us to spend more money than we have, more ads for high-end beauty and fashion products than we could possibly need, and so much emphaisis on "organization" that it's basically now a how-to manual for anyone who wants to become a neurotic, insecure, obsessive-compulsive woman in debt up to her eyeballs.No, thank you.

Right on target for the target audience!
Okay, so maybe this magazine isn't for the vegetarians and dedicated coupon clippers of the world, but Real Simple hits on issues that make it's target audience's lives a little easier. I'm an upper middle class, thirty-something woman, married with children, and every month I find relevant articles that genuinely help me with SOMETHING, be it finding a long lasting self tanner or managing my 401K. Real Simple helped me organize my mud room & home office, so that I can actually FIND things now. Why is it so hideous that I HAVE a mud room & home office? My "McMansion" (which is what any suburban home larger than a 700 sq ft studio apt seems to be dubbed these days) needs to be organized and cleaned, too, just like your farmhouse or urban apartment.

Don't women like me deserve relevant content, too?

Yes, to the more budget conscious in our society, it might seem a bit frivolous, but frankly, for those who lead the kind of lifestyle that I do, I have the money, and not the time, to deal with things. If Real Simple can tell me how to spend my money most effectively, find the best products and services for my money & my life, what's wrong with that? Why is a magazine being demonized for helping me spend money more effectively that I'm going to spend anyway? There is a lot of advertising content, but they are not indiscriminate advertisers (the advertisements are also very well targeted to my demographic) and I'm happy to see products that may be better than the ones I'm already using.

It's about time someone decided to dedicate a magazine to women like myself. I'm not interested in Cosmo's Kama Sutra or Family Circle's recipes for 25 cents a serving. I'm interested inmanaging my time effectively, keeping my home organized & clean, and my husband & children fed and happy, and looking good with a minimum of time and effort. That is what Real Simple delivers.

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THINK what you see, not BUY what you see
Dwell's mission is to introduce modern architecture and living style to the mass population. The Editor-in-Chief, Allison Arieff, believes in this vision. She is a fervor proponent of modern prefabricated houses. The goal of prefab houses is to provide low-cost modern architectural design to more ordinary people. In order to disseminate this promising future to more people, she published a book "Prefab", and also delivered several speaches on this subject. Dwell is Allison's another channel to tout the prefab idea. Up to now, the magazine has published two special issues on prefab houses and has held two modern home design competitions.

Based on the mission, Dwell wants to tell people that modern, cool, and sleek home is not so far away from us, and you don't have to be a millionnaire to realize this dream. The tone of the magazine is also very down-to-earth, approachable, and really friendly to ordinary people with limited budget.

Quite a few reviewers said that you need to have money to appreciate this magazine. I totally disagree with this notion. Those readers treat Dwell (maybe other design magazines) as a shopping catalogue. To really appreciate Dwell (and other similar magazines), you need to THINK what you see, not BUY what you see. What Dwell provides you is a life style. You can create your own version of this life style based on whatever budget you have (IKEA, Design within Reach, or Linge Roset; prefab or commissioning an architect). What's matter is your HEART, not your WALLET.

Of course, Dwell is not for everyone. Not all people embrace modernism. That's totally fine. But if you want to try something new, Dwell is a really good start for you. The editors are thinking about publishing a special issue about mixing traditional exterior with modern interior. So there are possibilities to create harmony between traditionalism and modernism. Don't treat them as two bipolar extremes.

Dwell triggered my interest of modern architecture and design. It not only presents the results of the projects, but unfolds the process (i.e., What are the difficulties they faced during the construction process? How did they handle those tough problems?). Enlightened by Dwell, I started reading some books on more advanced and bolder modern and minimalist architecture (see my other book reviews). Though the houses featured in Dwell are not always cutting edge, but the core modern ideologies are always there. By the way, Dwell just won the award of General Excellence 2005 (National Magazine Award).

Dwell is more than a magazine, a good mentor.

Nice magazine for ideas- but high budget
I bought this magazine at the airport and found myself enjoying it throughout my flight to Chicago.I love new home ideas and this magazine has ideas that anyone can incorporate in his/her home...if you have an unlimited budget.There are beautiful layouts, but some of the ideas were too costly for me to even consider.

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A travesty !
That the editors would have the audacity to entitle this rag, "Budget Living," doesn't pass the straight faced test.

Genuine budget living is finding and buying a lovely Camel Hair Polo coat from the 40's in a thrift shop for $5.00, or uncovering an oak gothic throne chair at St. Vincent De Paul for $35.00, or locating an out of this world lipstick at "Family Dollar" that has everyone asking whether it's by Max Factor or Revlon.

Moreover, genuine budget living does not include purchases from "IKEA" or "Pottery Barn". Not only are such emporiums un-economical, they represent the worst in mass market copy cat merchandising.

Nonetheless that's the approach you'll find here, as the editors purport to guide their readers to stylish living on a meager budget. How?--by featuring unkempt models cavorting in cheap looking outfits, (you know the type--those hideous 70's retreads--loud colors, synthetic fabrics, poorly stitched hems etc.) You won't find classic "Pendleton" or "Talbot's" styles here rest assured! Clearly the editors don't understand the meaning of an understated well made garment.

Nor do they understand correct entertaining, inasmuch as their party scenes look like the jejune hootenany's they must assuredly be.

Worse, home decor economy, as presented here, consists in recommending new furniture for $500.00 instead of $2000.00! That's savings? When I have a Victorian sideboard purchased for $40.00? What planet are these editors living on? When a friend found a Knole Sofa at Salvation Army for $75.00?

Indeed, this magazine overflows with a profusion of useless and unattractive decor, the prevailing motif recalling a college dorm room rather than the home of a person of breeding.

True, this publication is aimed at youngsters, and one realizes that most are not "fully baked" at that age, but how much better off would they not be if led gently into an appropriately decorous lifesytle, rather than deluded into thinking life is a beach party.

Make no mistake--this magazine is in obeisance to its advertisors and as such only exists to recommend various retail outfits. These retailers allegedly provide the budgetary savings the title suggests. Thus, actual monetary savings are not only a ruse, but besides the point.

Finally, the text and letters make frequent use of offensive language and sexual references. This I suppose the editors consider "hip". Needless to say, such a publication deserves no place on the family hearth.

Instead of subscribing, save your money for your town's thrift and dollar stores. Better yet visit a museum. You'll get far more culture there than in any issue of "Budget Living."

Keep "Budget" out of your budget
Some other reviewers have nailed it on the head. Frankly, it amuses me that a magazine promoting (ostensibly) wise spending encourages its readers to blow money on things that will be garage sale material in a short period of time.

In addition, it accepts tobacco advertising -- an irresponsible editorial decision and the ultimate waste of money for the consumer, and for the taxpayers who foot the medical bills down the road.

If I want to make a Mona Lisa fabric 'painting' with a bleach pen, I know where to turn. Two stars because I think the layout is good, but I won't be renewing my subscription.

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I love this magazine but...
most of the beautiful gardens I see are in Washington or Oregon or back east somewhere.Having lived in Washington, I do enjoy seeing some of the plants that I am missing here in Colorado, but it would be nice to see a more varied selction of gardens becasue we all can't live in the Pacific Northwest.I have a subscription to Sunset so I guess that will have to suffice, but I do wish BH&G would take that into consideration.

Otherwise, I LOVE this magazine.I used to get several magazines, but this was always my favorite.It is chock full of ideas that we can really use.And I love the photography.What sets BH&G apart is that you can see a hint of life in these beautiful houses.Slippers on the floor, newspaper on the table and often the owners of the home are in the pictures too.They are sometimes blurred from movement which is actually nicer than a posed shot.It helps set the feeling that this home is lived in and is attainable.

I would say get this magazine right away.I would have given it 5 stars except for the whole garden thing.

AKA...Better Homes and Advertising
I ordered this magazine recently only to cancel my subscription.There is way too much advertising in the magazine and none of the crafts or projects really enticed me to get creative.It's too bad.Go with Martha Stewart Living or Sunset magazines instead, both high quality.

Hello...
For those of you that complain about advertisments in magazines, what are you whining about? How do you think
magazines get a nice chunk of their funding? They have companies pay to have their products advertised in the mag.
so shut up.

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Great
I love this magazine.Itprovides great ideas that look good.Country is a lifestyle.This magazine exemplifies that.It shows all different styles of country.You don't have to fit into one look.I prefer this to Country Home, which generally is dated in their decorating.

Too Many Ads
I used to like this magazine. However,it is so difficult now to find the text due to the ad-heavy format.I would pay more for a subscription and have a cleaner, less cluttered format.

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Develop a comfortable & environmentally-friendly home
When I picked up a recent issue of Natural Home, I was pleasantly surprised.I enjoyed the magazine so very much! If you get a chance to flip through it, and want validation for your salvage instincts AND your love of great design ....you may find it just as inspirational.

From the article about adding pretty (and smart) shutters to the interior of a home for cold winter nights (they go under the window treatment and help increase the R-ratings for insulating any window against the cold--this technique has been used in other countries for centuries); the use of ventilation and healthy air is already an obsession of mine; and getting rid of clutter by thinking about things we own and the spaces we put them in a new way was refreshing. "Try this project" appeals to the "use it, don't just throw it away!" girl in me.

Finally, designing the structure of a house around its usability is something that I really like. There is so much wasted space in today's new construction...I really don't understand it.Natural Home challenges you to create something new out of what you already have...a breathe of fresh air.

Wonderful magazine!
I was really pleased when I recieved my first issue. I wasn't sure what to expect from this magazine, but it was wonderful. The design and layout are so much more interesting than other magazines, that alone makes it a joy to look at. The articles are so great, and really offer insight into living a more "natural" lifestyle in the home. I am really happy that someone has put together this resource, because it can be diffucult to find good information on natural products and alternative housing. I was very inspired by the stories about building straw bale homes and can't wait to see more. I wished the magazine was longer so they could show more photos and insights. This is really a great resource for the eco-minded.

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Sunset: A Well Rounded Magazine
I've been a Sunset subscriber off and on for years. They are the most well-regarded magazine out here in California, for gardeners, cooks and do it your-selfers.

Each issue offers a regional spotlight, offering travel, lodging and special interest activities. It's a great resource for anyone looking for perhaps a different area to visit.

The cooks section is always great and usually I can find at least 4 recipes to use in my kitchen each issue. Sunset also offers their recipe annuals, which have become treasured favorites in my kitchen. These hardbound books are a compilation of all Sunsets recipes. For those that love bread baking, Sunset offers some simply awesome bread recipes. All recipes are tested first in Sunsets' kitchens, before publication.

Sunsets garden section contains monthly tips and reminders for doing seasonal chores. The planting guides are a novice gardeners best friend. Every issue devotes itself to between two and three garden projects-offered step by step, and again-only after being tested in Sunsets own gardens.

Add to that the many great home design feature and projects, you get a magazine worth 3 times the amount they charge. If you've never tried Sunset magazine, I can honestly say you're in for a treat.

Bring back the good memories of living in Northen California
I moved to midwest a couple of years ago due to a job change. I am bored by the midwest life style. I dreamed of flying back to California all the time and every time I see California on TV, my eyes get wet in a second. Sunset brings the sunshine, color, food, garden and fragrance of California to my life. Everything in the magazine just looks so familiar.
I do hope the magazine report more exciting things I like about San Francisco and Napa Valley, like the county fair, small town July 4th celebration and fireworks, good Chinese restaurants, and organic farms. Oh, the peach at San Rafael's farmer's market is just wonderful. I fly there every year in September to catch the flavor king and flavor queen peaches, the sweet and fragrant grapes, the tender and crunchy cucumber, the lovely peapod, the new crop cashew nuts, and handsome harp player and the nice farmers.....I would call that a good life.

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I can dream can't I?
This magazine is so packed full of goodies that you may need something with wheels to carry it out. The paper alone is worth the price.

There are a lot of good books on decorating. And more on picture of foreign places. This one however is of items that you will want and maybe even afford one or two, if you have not spent all your discretionary money on books and book cases. Every library should have a fire place and this magazine often shows some of the best surrounds.The furniture and art work is well within the norm but just beyond the ordinary.

Even if you do not take advantage of the ads and articles to spruce up your abode, you can sit back and dream of being there.

lavish living
For a look at luxurious items, sumptuous homes, beautiful gardens, and food that could pass for art, this magazine has it all. Published 6 times a year, it has exquisite photography, and brilliantly colored, thick glossy pages. The layout is coordinated so well with the ads (which are thankfully unscented), that I sometimes confuse them with the articles, and the topics range from art, antiques, and travel, but the bulk of the publicatation is devoted to elegant homes and gardens.

Among the many articles in The July-August 2003 issue for instance, there is "Masterworks: The Late Seascapes of Turner", with some little known works by this great English artist; "Coral, Beyond the Reef", fabulous jewelry from the coastal region of Naples, Italy, and floral designs from Bella Flora in Dallas, where celebrities buy their gorgeous bouquets. There are no prices listed for any items in this magazine, because I imagine that if one has to ask, one can't afford it.
Five homes are featured, all different, all in their own way marvelous, from an old Atlanta mansion filled with curious antiques, to a bright and modern, sparsely furnished London home with pistachio walls and lots of light.
As Editor-in Chief Lisa Newson says in "The View from Veranda", "Color is magic", and this magazine serves up a lot of it...a feast for the eyes, and a glimpse of lavish living.

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Perfect resource for traditional homes
This has been the perfect resource to meld my husbands and my tastes.I am a modernist and he love 18th century English.The difference in how we wanted to live almost broke us apart.Traditional Home offered enough modern living features to please me and enough classic old-world ones to satisfy my husband.It saved our marriage and has our new home looking right!

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More useful than the "high-brow" regulars. . .
Okay, it's not one of the fancy, traditional mags but I found loads of things that generated ideas. The sections showing design elements carried through the house were my favorites.It may be on the advertising end of the spectrum in some regards, but I liked seeing similar (but different) approaches to the same design goal by various manufacturers.Having all the web addresses made it easy for me to follow-up on designs I liked, and I didn't have to worry that the editors were trying to curry favor with their advertisers by pontificating on the merits of one item over another.

I'm a visual learner and this fit the bill. Unlike another reviewer who would suggest that this is due to my gender, I think that people respond differently to the same presentation of material.Don't write this off because it's not a marquee magazine--try it first.You might just like it.And by the way, I do read and like magazines and books that have no pictures, too!

Almost like an AD for Home Stores
This magazine does have tips and ideas along with a Q&A sections but the overall feel of this publication is "ad-like".There are pages and pages of ads and information on where to get 'stuff' like lighting fixtures and wood for projects...maybe a man would like this magazine.
If you are looking for a really great magazine on decorating you would be better off with one of the countless others on the market such as House & Garden,Southern Living or Country Home.

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Visual Feast
I expected the magazine to be full of old world cottages and castles, and although these do feature, it is also packed full of the most stunning photography showing ideas for all styles of homes. Light, airy interiors - both historical and contemporary, international shopping ideas and English travel. It's surprisingly relevant to anyone wanting inspirational ideas for their home whereever you live. It's probably the most beautiful interiors magazine I've ever seen.

Gorgeous Magazine
-A beautiful magazine.
-Includes U.S. sources for British designers and home furnishings.
-Sponsors fabulous house and garden tours in England.
-I leave past issues around the house, and guests ooo and ahhh over the magazine.

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They sold themselves out
I had, repeat had been reading this magazine for ten years or so. Over that time they have really changed. I guess it started when they got a new editor four or five years ago. After that the adds changed from building suppliers to lexus ads. I don't like seeing automotive and home stereo ads in my how-to magazine. The information is more akin to Martha Stewart than it is Norm Abrams. Who by the way is hardly in there anymore if at all. Not to mention the new guy, A stray they picked up from ask this old house, what an opie taylor he is. What makes him eligible to write something for TOH magazine. I really miss Steve Thomas. The how-to's though somewhat informative really lack the intricate details. All I can say is thank god Tom Silva still puts in some minutia of his wealth of information. If you'd like a "Better Homes and Gardens plus magazine" then this magazines for you if you want to learn something try Fine Homebuilding or at the least Family Handyman.

Just an ad for the TV show
This Old House magazine is great for keeping up to date on other peoples remodels and what the TV show is doing.It is not however good at teaching you how to do much of anything.There is too much time spent reminding readers that all the "experts" quoted in the magazine can also be seen on the various TV shows.

Compared to the other magazine I get, Family Handyman, This Old House has very little in the way of useful tips and detailed instructions for projects.When projects are explained in detail, they are too high a level for most home handymen.

Good for ideas on what to do: Somewhat
Good for how to implent those ideas: Not

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surprisingly un-sugary
I've sampled about every home-decor mag out there, and Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion is now on my short list of staples (Elle Decor, Met Home, House & Garden being the others). My taste runs to Hollywood Retro--a little bit sexy, citified and uncluttered, with a dash of humor--and makes use of a lot of thrift-store finds I've customized to the space. Like an earlier reviewer, I'm an unlikely candidate for ME paraphenelia, but her magazine is loaded with clever inspiration, and you won't suffer an overdose of sweetness. I especially like her concentration on the homes and work of independent artists ... and attention to animal causes, which are close to my heart.

The BEST Magazine EVER!!
I truly do my happy dance when I go to the mailbox and find Mary's Home Companion Magazine.Then I spend at least two hours thoroughly delighted as I read it from cover to cover, and I can't wait till the next one.I, too have every issue since 1996 and I often go back and look at some of the great ideas presented over the years.

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Gardening as a Lifestyle
I have subscribed to Garden Design for some time, and have given it as Christmas presents.As someone else noted, the cover is seductive, and I think that is how I got hooked years ago.The little quotes on the bottom of every page make me read the magazine through multiple times.I keep my back copies to reference whenever I need an idea for my garden (especially useful in the rainy winter months).

Be aware that this is not a magazine that is heavy on gardening, but it is heavy on design.You will learn very little about horticulture, but a lot about what is trendy and stylish, and I guess like many fashion magazines the fun here is in being a voyeur.

Would I ever paint the wall around my back yard hot magenta as one designer did?Probably not -- but I thought about painting it terra cotta.Would I ever buy the $2000 umbrella and stand to dine under -- definitely not, but I would love to dine under one.

So Garden Design is fun and frivilous, inspiring and thought provoking.Just don't look for information about what is wrong with your tomatoes.

Pros and Cons
Pros: It is beautiful to look at.The feel of it is nice and the photography is top notch.It showcases innovative design & people in the industry.

Cons: Not very practical in terms of instruction.It's good for getting ideas but there isn't much instruction on how the garden shown got to that point.It has a lot of product reviews that are, for the most part, for very expensive products.

I don't look forward to reading it as much as say "Fine Gardening" which I read cover to cover.

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A home magazine that actually informs
This is the most informative home magazine I have ever read.We are getting ready to remodel our house and in the search for ideas I have looked at MANY -- as many as 12-15 different ones per month.The premier issue included a 12-page article on countertop choices that included in-depth information on durability, upkeep & maintenance, rough cost ranges, and resources.The second issue was just as helpful.Other magazines may have had 1/2 to 1 page attempting to summarize all this information.I have let all my other subscriptions die; this is the one I need.

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I Can dig it!
I love, Love, LOVE this magazine.It is the perfect combination of technique, design, and inspiration every issue.If you are a beginning gardener, you cannot do much better than study this magazine.If you are an experienced gardener, you will learn something new every issue.

This is one of the few gardening magazines that covers the US West -- it is different out here, and they know it.It is rare that you will read in any of their articles, "If it has not rained this week..."which is always a sign to Californians that the article does not apply to us.

One of my favorite features is the semi-regular tool essays.It must be a guy thing, but I really enjoy their tool expert explain the proper way to use a tool.Since I started paying attention to his advice, my back has stopped aching so much at the end of a garden day, I know how to keep my shovels sharp (you would not believe what a difference this makes), and I gave away the leaf blower -- there is a real peacefulness to raking leaves that you will never achieve with the Devil's hair dryer.

However, I think the best feature is the tips from other readers. I have learned so many clever things from other gardeners volunteering their suggestions -- one person suggested putting vegetable scraps in a blender jar (it's airtight, so it won't smell) and when it is full, just whizz the stuff and pour onto the compost hear.That tip alone has paid off in my compost pile being active year round.I turn to this section first every time.

It is a great magazine, you won't regret subscribing.

Fine Gardening is more than fine for all levels of gardeners
Whatever skill level you have -- avid gardener to willing accomplice -- Fine Gardening is a good reference and source of inspiration. From the attractive photography and appealing design to informative content, Fine Gardening packs a lot of useful information in a manner that both beginners and experts can enjoy.

Love it!
I really have nothing bad to say about this magazine except perhaps that I wish it was cheaper.That being said, I still purchase it regardless of the price.The 3 year subscription price is quite good.