House & Garden
The new issue of Are Media’s Australian House & Garden went on sale this week. Looked after by busy editor-in-chief Tanya Buchanan, who also runs Belle, it seems only yesterday publisher Are Media released their Top 50 Rooms Awards edition.
Byron Bay might be on the nose for some, but House & Garden has found a stunning home in the Byron hinterland to feature on the cover. The new edition boasts 102 pages of Australia’s finest homes plus pages featuring gifts of art and design for Mother’s Day, upcycling ideas and glamorous gardens.
Speaking to Mediaweek’s Tess Connery last month, Buchanan said people working in the homes space had a very productive year – and the numbers prove it.
“We all spent a lot of time looking at the interiors of our homes last year, and a lot of people have excess travel budgets to spend. So it’s been pretty great, not that anybody wants to say that they’re profiting from what we had last year, but it’s been an amazingly productive time for the homes’ clients and for magazines.
“The most exciting outing that you could have last year for a lot of people was to the supermarket, and fortunately all of the Are Media titles are there. Brilliantly, House & Garden continues to dominate the homes category. Our February issue was up 17% year-on-year, January was an incredible 28% up year on year, and the last six issues have been up year on year, so I’m really happy with that.”
Read more: House & Garden’s Tanya Buchanan on choosing Australia’s Top 50 rooms
Inside Out
Another title in the thriving lifestyle space is Inside Out. It is one of the titles originally launched by News Corp Australia two decades ago, but now published by Are Media.
Editor Eliza O’Hare this month features a house from Barwon Heads in Victoria on the cover. Also in the latest edition is the announcement of the Inside Out Home of the Year Awards presented in association with Brickworks. Entries will be accepted until June 9 and the overall winner will get $10,000.
A trademark of the magazine over the years were breakout boxes which included a guide to the cost of a build or a renovation. They are still around, but not for every property.
Other titles that appeal to homemakers and dreamers include:
Australian Home Beautiful (Are Media) – May edition was branded “The dream homes issue” with 80+ pages of homes. Looking after the magazine that Foxtel’s Wendy Moore edited for many years is acting editor Katrina O’Brien.
Houses is subtitled “Australian residential architecture and design”. An indie title from Architecture Media in Melbourne, the bi-monthly is edited by Gemma Savio.
Sanctuary – modern green homes is another indie out of Melbourne, this time from the not-for-profit organisation Renew. An attractive ingrediant here is the detail on each home and the almost forensic specs sheet which includes a costing.
marie claire makes a splash
Magazines are still a medium much loved by many. As marie claire Australia editor Nicky Briger proved last week with Grace Tame, the right sort of cover can generate a lot of media interest. Briger said: “Anyone who’s heard Grace speak is instantly moved by the power of her compassion and convictions. But beyond just words, she’s a true change-maker who’s shining a light on child sex abuse and the urgent need for action and legislative change. As a brand that’s continually striving to educate, empower and inspire Australian women, Grace represents our core values better than anyone. I’m absolutely thrilled she agreed to ‘grace’ our cover and, in the process, make marie claire history.”
Read more: Grace Tame becomes first non-celebrity to feature on marie claire cover