Home Sweet Home

I have been trying to turn a sows ear (my split
level house)into a silk purse for years now and
Romantic Homes is my favorite guide. I tried
to find my personal 'style' but I like so many
things it was difficult. Victorian was a little
too fussy, Country was a little too informal,
Country Victorian was almost right, Antiques were
out of our price range, but hmmm - Country
Cottage at the Beach is that a style? If so it is
mine - I find it comfortable, and I feel completely
at home here. A guest recently commented that I had
redone my living room and she liked it - she felt
like she was on vacation at the beach. You can't
imagine how thrilled I was to hear that in land
locked Kentucky.

Romantic Homes - even the name evokes an illusion.
The thoughts it evokes for me include warm, cozy,
intimate, casual, with a touch of femininity and
yet lived in. Each issue seems to be marketed for
me personally. The colors always speak to me. The
July 2001 issue centers around the concept of Chic
but not Shabby . There is also a short article on
the Red Hat Society. I hate to admit but I'm old
enough to join. There are some wonderful bandboxes
in an article on them and how did they know that
I had 3 and have been looking for more?

Each month has an article on a different collectable.
Again, I love to collect things. This month is an
article on Vintage Vanities, I have recently
started my collection with 3. Each month includes a
'how to' project. (this month was an all white garden)
with a wealth of ideas for other projects. I keep all
the back issues for their inspiration and ideas. I'm
painting our back room at the moment and you can bet
I've had all my old issues out looking at ideas
and color combinations. It's one thing to bring home
a small paint chip and quite another to see it in an
entire room.

Starting at the beginning of the July issue - Page
one as a matter of fact - The table of contents. How
nice that I don't have to thumb through pages of ads
to find it. There are 5 Feature articles, 3 Special
features and 11 regular articles, regular in that they're
in every issue. The 5 Feature articles include a spread
on gardening with white florals, the article on
vintage vanities, the interior decorating article on
Chic not Shabby, and 2 more interior decorating articles - one on an all white interior, and another interior
with color. The special features include ideas for a
baby shower, a Victorian kitchen, and a Nursery. A
Nursery any Mother or Grandmother would adore. This
particular issue has 96 pages, and it's another keeper.
I love to pour through them when I get the urge to redecorate. Some of the ideas that have come from
the pages have added warmth and charm to our 'sows ear'.
I also feel they have saved me money in the long run
by allowing me to make use of many of the things I
already have. By rearranging, or painting rather than buying more. But, if you do see something you want
from their magazine they have a 2 page shopping guide
in the back that lists many of the items featured throughout their articles, the address of the supplier,
and quite often a web site. Now I have a source for
more bandboxes in lovely vintage papers - I may be in trouble!

I am a faithful reader of this magazine because I
never seem to be done decorating and feathering my
nest. I decorating is your passion I suggest you take
a look at an issue, it may just be that you feel as comfortable as I do in their pages.

$3.99 Newstand Price ($24.95/year for a subscription)