Posted by
Mia Rodak, Website Manager
Tuesday, November 3, 2009 4:55 PM EDT
The Stats
Title: Architectural Digest, November issue
Cover Price: $6.99 CAN
Availability: Magazine stands, Book stores, Design stores
Frequency: 12 times a year
The Review
I'll admit it right off the top, I chose Architectural Digest to review this month because the cover screams, "Inside Michael Jackson's Private Kingdom" and features one of my favourite photographs ever taken of the fallen pop icon. If you can pass that by on the newsstands then you are a much stronger-willed property-voyeur than I. Now, that's not to say that I've never picked up AD before. I have. When Brad Pitt was on the cover. OH, okay you win! I'm a shameless star-gazer. And property snooper. And I'm proud of it. Who's with me?
Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let me just say that if you are going to be drawn to a design mag because of the flashy celeb on the cover, it might as well be this one. This uber-glossy, highbrow publication always gets the most incredible shots of the estates that they feature and for the most part they leave out the cheesy pictures of the owners' dogs (not that I have anything against dogs, I just prefer to fantasize that the breath-taking rooms and grounds featured here do not have stray pet dander or doo-doo to content with). This issue; however, does feature many photos of Michael Jackson hanging out at Neverland Ranch, tinkering at the piano and laughing a Bubbles the Chimp. But it's fitting that way, because really? What's Neverland without Michael? You could say that's the point of the entire article.
Other reasons to pick up a copy?
- My personal favourite feature each month is "Estates for Sale: Editors select properites from around the world." This month features a gorgeous, modern, glass-walled stunner for sale outside of Sydney Australia and a massive Tudor-style manse in Illinois. Drool.
- "Discoveries by Designers"; is not only a section title I wish I'd thought of myself, but is also a feast for eyes and a window-shoppers dream. A selection of beautiful designy things that most of us will never be able to afford, but all of us love to gawk at. This month features, among many others, a $2500 (US) modern tea set and a $25,500 (US) Hermes watch.
- The Architecture! Of course! This month, besides the spectacle that is Neverland Ranch, visit a 7,000 square foot Manhattan penthouse, a 160-foot yacht, and an open, airy, Neoclassical town-house in Brooklyn that literally brought a tear to my eye. And that's just a selection, there's more.
Final Analysis
You'll like this magazine if:
- You can't get enough of shamelessly staring at and gasping over the lives of the super-rich, whether they are celebrities or not
- You happen to own a 7,000 square foot Manhattan penthouse and need some really great design ideas to help you decorate
- You are in the market for a $4.695 million dollar home in Illinois
You may not like it if:
- Looking at estates and interior design the likes of which you'll likely never even see in real life, let alone afford, is distressing for you in any way
- You could care less about Neoclassical design, Spanish Colonial Revival, or the Glamour of 1930s Florida
Magazine Reviews appear monthly on Style Sheet.