• by Michael Shields , June 13, 2004

Cottage Living, Time Inc.'s latest entry into the increasingly cluttered shelter category, is markedly different from its competitors in one key aspect: "We show pictures of kids jumping on the bed," says Eleanor Griffin, the startup's vice president and editor. "Nobody else does that."

Kids-jumping-on-the-bed encapsulates Cottage Living's decidedly laid-back approach to home décor--although the magazine is not necessarily just a home book. "We are really a lifestyle book," Griffin insists.

The new title--out of Time Inc.'s Birmingham-based Southern Progress Corporation, which publishes Southern Living and Cooking Light--will launch in September with a planned initial circulation of 500,000, to be published 10 times a year.

Like the magazine, the term "cottage" refers to a lifestyle rather than an architectural style--one of "relaxed informality," says Griffin. The cottage trend is not limited to geographic region or age, but to communities across the country--as more people begin to view their homes as a retreat, according to Griffin, who has spent 20 years at Southern Progress, including nine as executive editor at Southern Living.

Unlike some of the shelter titles on the newsstand, Cottage Living will be more about allowing consumers to try their hand at interior design, not necessarily elaborate home reconstruction. "This is not about carpentry. It's not about ripping the walls down," Griffin says (referring to the many do-it-yourself home makeover shows propagating cable TV). "We think those shows are fun to watch. But they are hard for people to reproduce."

While shelter will definitely serve as the editorial's base, Griffin plans to use that subject to feature stories about cottage communities, small business, and individuals.

The magazine's cover will carry the title: "Comfort, Simplicity, Style." The theme of comfort--and the general easygoing attitude of the editorial--would appear to represent a backlash to the picture-perfect lifestyle preached by Martha Stewart and others, while aiming to tap into the post 9/11 desire for comfort rather than stress (done very successfully by Time Inc.'s Real Simple).

That doesn't mean that these people are staying in and hiding--another post 9/11 trend that Griffin says is over. "I am so tired of hearing about cocooning," said Griffin. "I really think people are reaching out these days."

Part of that reaching out includes moving away from formal entertaining toward something more casual. "You don't need to polish your silver and start de-veining shrimp (when having people over)," said Griffin.

In addition to Time's red-hot Real Simple, there are a ton of home books on the newsstand, including the recently launched O at Home, plus Martha Stewart Living, Metropolitan Living, This Old House, and standbys like Better Homes and Gardens and House Beautiful. Griffin says that Cottage Living will make its own space.

"We want to be a stand-alone," Griffin said. "We are not a me-too title."

Time says it has conducted serious research over the past two years to sharpen the Cottage Living concept, including a successful direct mail test in 2001. Griffin spent the past year working on perfecting the prototype.

Cottage Living is one of several fall launches planned by Time Inc., including Suede, said to resemble a younger version of Essense; Nuts, an American version of a British men's title; and All You, which will publish in conjunction with Wal-mart.