September 2009

EDITOR’S LETTER

In her contributor's
note, Pam Abrahams says that the story she produced didn't require much styling—the homeowner had a knack for neatness and led the sort of meticulous life that enabled him to host friends on a whim without ever apologizing for the mess. Paul Rogers is the exception to the rule.

In the dozens of homes I scouted for publication this summer, maybe a handful were photo-ready. The rest showed the debris of living—newspaper towers, heaps of toys, coffee rings on the counter and verboten areas like junk rooms. (You're not alone.)

True, the homes featured in HC&G are blessed with elegant bones and interiors scrutinized by professional designers. But it doesn't save them from the scuffs of daily life. That's what stylists mend.

Unlike fashion mags that manipulate images to make a model's pupils bigger and hair glossier, we don't futz with our photos. Creating dreamy images is in the hands of the photographer and stylist. Photoshop doesn't eradicate clutter—people do.

Before you hunker down for the winter ahead, consider an autumn upgrade—stylist style. Photographer Michael Moran removes window screens to avoid blurring a view with a grayish tinge, but cleaning your windows will do the trick. Stylist and author Elizabeth Mayhew refers to it as "giving my rooms an extra little lift—like taking a sip of cold water on a hot day." Make a statement using ordinary things in multiples: seven bottles of Pellegrino lined up on a kitchen counter; a dozen limes overflowing a bowl; fresh flowers—three times as many as you think you need. Remove everything from a room; return only the most compelling, eye-catching items. Shop your house. On set, we constantly rifle through cabinets and closets (your secrets are safe with us!). A pail from the garage makes a great living room vase. A dessert plate can suffice for a bedside jewelry catch.

On shoots, there's no time to borrow or buy the perfect item. We improvise with what we've got. This fall, as you redo, remove and renovate, we recommend you start by doing the same. There's very little that imagination and some heavy lifting can't improve.

SOPHIE DONELSON
Editor in Chief