• by Phyllis Fine , Staff Writer, April 3, 2007

If, like Mag Racker Larry Dobrow in last week' s review of Home, you find it hard to tell all those shelter pubs apart, then get set for more confusion with this week's look at Country Home and Country Living -- both dedicated to the proposition that there can't be too much chintz in the world.

Their demos are twins, too -- not necessarily the hee-haw bunch, more the middle-class gang, very whitebread, who might even have a second home in the country.

There are differences between the two mags, subtle but real enough that, when I decided to (gulp!) actually pay for a subscription after getting comped for both, I chose CL. It was a gut decision -- but now I'm up for analyzing it.

Decorating case histories: CH: B-; CL: A. I'd judge this category -- the core content of most home design pubs -- on whether or not features have a definite theme and inspiring examples of good design; extra points for useful tips and interesting anecdotes.

Alas, no really scintillating details in recent editions of either mag -- except for the amazingly low price tag ($30,000) on a house in New York's Catskills region profiled in CL. Still, CH scored in April with two homes illustrating the issue's eco-conscious theme (one used found wood to make furniture). I'd detract points for too many country-cliched looks and the 11,456th story on decorating using objects found at garage sales.

CL's case histories were better looking to my eye, each organized around a central idea, like the one about decorating with couture-quality slipcovers.

Look of the book:CH: B-; CL: A+. Visual quality is key at shelter pubs, so this is another major category. CH has some attractive pages, and I like its unusual use of colored borders, both on the page and (looking like a swatch of country-themed fabric) wrapped around the mag's outside spine. But there's too much white space, oddly balanced by type jammed up against the left margin. Plus, too many photos play with an out-of-focus aesthetic.

CL juxtaposes a variety of typefaces against first-rate photos. An exquisite shot of two Adirondacks chairs is set against a backdrop of countryside as paradise; close-ups (pottery bowls, eggs) approach still-life quality. I also love CL's regular back-page feature, Simple Country Pleasures, which pairs an artistic photo of the country life with a relevant quote or poem excerpt. (April's selection shows rubber boots and a Langston Hughes poem on rain.)

Quality of the writing:CH: C CL: B. OK, the pix matter most at these pubs; still, the right snappy caption can support the visuals nicely. CL does a better job, though it has its share of boring clichés ("Make yourself at home.") But CH falters even more with some weird metaphors: "For most of us, stitching a slipcover is akin to bungee jumping. You know it probably won't kill you, but why bother?"

Useful ideas I might use someday: CH: B; CL: B+. CL offers easy tips on using ribbons to tart up my shoes. Likewise, a section on upholstery actually provides a relevant (to me, who's redoing her kitchen chairs) price quote for reupholstering chair cushions.

Less realistically doable stuff in CH, though it did feature the most interesting recipe of the two mags: Cuban Bread With Chocolate And Garlic Spread. The decorating-with-Easter-eggs story, though, shows how far into the realm of ridiculous arts and craftiness CH can go: an egg that's a dead ringer for Humpty Dumpty in a hula skirt?

Reusing other people's crap: CH: C-; CL: B. Recycling is great, and I can see the lure of the old apothecary chest pictured in the March CH. Still, take it too far and soon you're using an old diaphragm to make a shower cap for your cat. As a clutterbug who's trying to clean up her act, I was horrified by CH's story about spending $500 (!) for stuff like old camp chairs and a Bing Crosby album to hang on the wall. CL often views the "junking" bug through the filter of collecting for profit besides decoration. It regularly traces the genealogy of a particular style of collectibles, like Victorian Bristol glass.

Extras the other lacks: CH: B-;CL: A.CL has a useful "Antiques Roadshow"-type section, where experts tell readers how much their grandmother's old music box is worth.

CH's long-running personal essay column, "Slow Lane," is well-written, not exactly cringe-worthy, but not compelling, either. The topics in March and April (cars and parakeets) didn't grab me, but essays are 90% execution, so I felt that a different approach could have.

Bottom line: I think I've justified my subscription to CL. It's also interesting when you consider each mag's corporate parent. At least in my eyes, CL's Hearst bests CH's Meredith, the Iowa-based print factory for category leader Better Homes and Gardens and its many spin-offs. Could those Iowa folks be focusing too much on their big-shot main course and neglecting their side dish?

MAG STATS

Country Home

Published by: Meredith Corporation

Frequency: Monthly

Web site

Country Living

Published by: Hearst Communications, Inc.

Frequency: Monthly

Web site