35 Top Interior Decorating Magazines You Need Right Now for 2022
Are you looking for the best interior decorating magazines to inspire you to decorate your own home?
There are many interior decorating magazines that can help you choose the perfect color palette, furniture layout, and more. These magazines will inspire you to create a beautiful space in your home.
You’ll be able to find all of this information from these amazing publications!
Are interior decorating magazines dead? I know magazine subscriptions have dwindled. Some are filled with too many ads, editors have been fired and reorganized, and the content that gets published is subjective.
So, I can see how readership may have decreased. Especially when issues are $5-10 a piece and you can find so much free inspiration online.
BUT, I am not giving up on decorating magazines as a great way to get ideas for your own home decor.
This post will provide you with a list of my go-to magazines, as well as a ton of free resources (store catalogs) that I also subscribe to every month!
6 Reasons I love Print Decorating Magazines
While we’re at it, I’ll make a case for reading the top interior decorating print magazines.
1) I order the subscription on Amazon, so it’s around $5 for the year (I know, not helping with the printing costs). I’ll leave links for as many of these as I can so you can get that pricing as well.
2) Holding the magazine and looking at the details for as long as you want, up close is a great way to catch small things you wouldn’t have thought to include in your own decorating.
3) It supports designers; they work hard on projects and getting published is a dream. Buying the issues allows designers the opportunity to continue to have bragging rights. If magazines fail, there’s only the internet.
4) Don’t you love getting mail that isn’t a bill?
5) Product ideas come from interior decorating magazines. Often they show 6-10 of similar items from different vendors and price points.
6) There is a wide range of styles in the magazines that while may not be your personal decorating style strike the wellspring of your creativity. You never know what feature from a design you will fall in love with. Is it furniture placement, artwork, cabinet pulls, marble backsplash, floor tiles, paint colors, fireplace molding? You get the point here. That regardless of what you like, there is inspiration to be found in other styles and ways to apply them to your own home.
17 PRINT Interior Decorating Magazines
Now that I’ve given you my top reasons for continuing to order print interior design and decorating magazines, let’s get to the list. I’ve rounded up my list of 17 of my favorite magazines that I subscribe to or read in store.
Here we go:
1 | ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST
Arch Digest is the Crown Mother of all design magazines. It is the pinnacle of being published. It has a longstanding history of being the most prestigious decor magazine. And while everyone would love to be published in it, it’s also a great read.
You’ll find a variety of styles and architecture. Plus, you’ll get an extra issue annually, the AD 100, which features 235 pages of year’s top designers and discoveries. And I have to say that I even love the ads in the AD 100.
Get it: https://amzn.to/2JOfOTZ
2 | HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
You may have heard the term “shelter magazines”. Shelter magazines are print publications that focus on interior decorating, design, architecture, home furnishings and gardening. It is typically used to describe magazines in the US.
House Beautiful, like AD, is a shelter magazine. While decorating magazine leans traditional, there is plenty of inspiration to be found. In particular, the colorful homes and furnishings, wallpaper, and stunning backsplashes are my favorites to look for. You’ll also find round ups of 6-10 products in a category, i.e. bed frames, wallpaper pairings, paint colors to achieve a look, dishes or serving ware. This decorating magazine comes in at $10 for the year on Amazon, which is well worth the cost.
Get it: https://amzn.to/2USQrqq
3 | ELLE DECOR
In the land of home interior magazines, Elle Decor is at the top of my list. While I don’t think I can choose just one favorite, this one is definitely tied for the top choice. It’s fun, colorful, and up to date on designer fabrics, wallpaper and trending art.
You’ll get excited every time one of the 10 annual issues arrives in your mailbox. Elle Decor also comes in at $10 for the year.
Get it: https://amzn.to/3e7wAvc
4 | BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
BH&G goes on the list of attainable Home Decor magazines. If you have a great sense of style, you can get published in this magazine. So for home decorating lovers, this is a good choice to gain inspiration. It has doable DIY projects, outdoor and porch spaces to die for, and great product features available to the general public at affordable prices.
Not to mention BH&G has their own line of decor and outdoor furniture that is stellar. Grab it for $5/year.
Get it: https://amzn.to/2yFkd9g
5 | SOUTHERN LIVING
Next up is Southern Living. While it has interiors, it also has recipes and gardens. DIY projects are showcased and it’s a great place to draw inspiration for your own home.
Get it: https://amzn.to/2UVWRF8
6 | VERANDA
Ah Veranda! The name in and of itself makes me think of the Don’t Cry for Me Argentina. Stepping out on the balcony and sining to your own backer world. If you love southern tradition and classic outdoor entertaining, Veranda is a top shelter magazine that will provide inspiration.
Get it: https://amzn.to/2UWrQAM
7 | COASTAL LIVING
Next is a lesson in decorating with a beachy style that isn’t too cheesy. If you love the beachy feel of a seaside escape, but don’t know how to decorate it without a starfish shower curtain and nautical memorabilia, look to Coastal Living. It will lay the groundwork for a water loving home, without the DIY look.
Get it: https://amzn.to/39Uf9em
8 | TRADITIONAL HOME
Traditional Home ranks as one of my top favorite interior decorating magazines. It showcases beautiful homes of all colors and styles, that lean colonial and timeless. Take notes on the elements that make these feature homes unique, but timeless. You’ll find yourself not having to redecorate every 10 years, if you stick to a classic take not the trends.
Get it: https://www.magazine.store/traditional-home-spring-2020/
9 | COUNTRY LIVING
While Country Living has a mix of home, garden, recipes and crafts you’ll find useful tips on decorating if country living is your style. It focuses on farmhouse, rustic, and country kitsch styles.
Get it: https://amzn.to/2RlEPtB
10 | HGTV MAGAZINE
Next up is the iconic HGTV Magazine and you can expect to see exactly the same style as the HGTV channel showcases. While the content is different and new, there are great tips for the DIY’er and it is less geared towards a professional decorator. But that’s great news, because if you are reading this, you are probably decorating your own home!
Get it: https://amzn.to/3c2zDTy
11 | DIY MAGAZINE
Get it: https://amzn.to/3e2mpYR
12 | REAL SIMPLE
Also filled with cleaning and organizing tips, recipes and life hacks, Real Simple is a great way to get your house under control. It gets you set up with the first steps to having a home you love- getting it organized and decluttered. I find this magazine useful in terms of household management.
Get it: https://amzn.to/2wpVxAU
13 | THIS OLD HOUSE
Do you remember the show This Old House? I used to watch it every week with my dad. It brings back warm, happy memories. If you love power tools, this magazine will give you head start on doing your own projects that add function and architectural interest to your home.
Get it: https://amzn.to/2RofvmN
14 | MAGNOLIA JOURNAL
I’ve included Magnolia Journal in my roundup, despite my resistance to the farmhouse trend. If you’ve been a long time reader, you know I think farmhouse decor is best suited for a working farm, doesn’t look at all like the pictures, and isn’t an architectural style you should apply to your house. It believe it will date your home quickly and cost you money to redecorate in a few years.
That’s not to say that I don’t like elements it brings, I do. But I want to money and work you put into your home to last, and trends and fads don’t last. (i.e. pink bathroom tiles and avocado green counters).
I digress, and I’ve included the Magnolia here because there are styling tips you may find useful in your own home decorating journey. Just don’t overdo the farmhouse look!
Get it: https://amzn.to/2XnI9Z6
15 | DWELL (MODERN)
This is the first Modern style magazine included. And it’s largely the last modern print magazine overall. If you like clean lines, modern art and concepts, check out dwell for inspiration.
Get it: https://amzn.to/3aXmB9E
16 | MARTHA STEWART LIVING
Oh what Martha brings to the table. You won’t run out of run projects, recipes and even home ideas from this interiors magazine.
Get it: https://amzn.to/2JPT062
17 | ATLANTA HOMES & LIFESTYLES
With all of the southern charm and opulence, Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles is a beacon for decorating ideas. Take the pages of this magazine and apply the layout, storage solutions, furniture selections and color palettes to your palace.
Get it: https://amzn.to/39OWOiI
Conclusion
That concludes the first portion of the list for my recommended shelter magazine subscriptions to get your interior decorating ideas going. Now in addition to those paid subscriptions, I have another slew of favorite store catalogs.
18 FREE STORE CATALOGS THAT ARE GREAT FOR DECORATING
As promised, I’ve rounded up all of the store catalogs I have laying around the house. I’ve narrowed it down to my 18 favorite, most useful, catalogs for helping you decorate your house.
While you may be thinking, why are your recommending catalogs to me, they provide a wealth of information. For one, these companies pay designers, product creators, marketers, and professional photographers to arrange their products in a real life way that’s pleasing to the eye. This translates perfectly to real life design.
We will apply the principles used in the catalogs to your own home for a polished, collected look. Plus, these magazines have a huge range of styles, so you are bound to find inspiration you love.
Thing to Look For In Decorating Catalogs
While you are browsing catalogs for home decor inspiration here are the things I look for to use in my own home (besides the products themselves):
- front door wreath/planting porch decor
- house numbers and front door sconces
- entry mat layering
- curtain placement and pattern
- throw pillow size, combination, color
- light fixtures- color, style, mix and match in adjoining rooms
- patio furniture layout
- patio elements- rugs, lighting, umbrella & stand, coffee table, candles, string lights, cushions
- potted plants on patio
- living room layout
- living room furniture scale
- color palettes
- sofa cushion size and combination
- artwork size, amount and placement
- floor lamp placement
- lighting sources and number of lamps
- coffee table and console table styling
- end table size and style in relation to sofa style and size
- headboards
- wallpaper and paint colors
- bedding layout & number/size of pillows
- nightstand size and color
- nightstand styling
- bedroom artwork- on walls, above headboard or none due to heardboard height
- lighting placement
- best rug sizes in bedroom
- dining table shapes and sizes
- number of chairs that are comfortably placed
- lighting over dining table
- setting dining table ideas
- plate and serving combinations for each season
- entryway table size, style and sizing
- bench and stool placement for extra seating
- artwork height and size over tables and furniture
- how many colors are used in a room
- how to mix wood tones/painted wood
- adding color with art and pillows
- kitchen hardware (pulls, faucet)
- kitchen stools
- island lighting and breakfast nook lighting that relate but are not the same
- adding warmth and texture with trays, baskets, woven seats
- how to warm up an all gray room
- pay attention to ceiling heights- often they are very tall in catalogs, your space will not look the same with standard ceilings
- natural light versus your home’s natural light
- trim and floor color/stain – older homes with honey oak, cherry stain, or gray laminate look very different with the same furniture than floors are lighter or a neutral stain (ash, walnut, natural pine typically in catalogs). Adding a seagrass rug to cover the flooring can largely correct this problem.
That list got a little long winded, but I wanted to share how much you can gain from flipping through catalogs when you really look at the rooms and objects in them. The colors and placement make a world of difference.
MAKING ADJUSTMENTS
Going through your own home and making small adjustments to art height, furniture placement, adding lamps, removing small decor pieces in lieu of larger art can all have a huge impact on the space.
But, I won’t lie to you and say if changes everything. There are things that a little zhushing can’t fix, namely, too large of furniture pieces for space, too small rugs, wrong paint colors, terrible wood.
Luckily, paint color and wood can be swapped out more affordably than replacing all furniture.
So, let’s get to flipping through those catalogs. You can sign up to get on the catalog mailing list on each of these retailers websites. [Links included where possible].
INTERIOR DECORATING BEST FREE CATALOG ROUNDUP
18 | IKEA
https://onlinecatalogue.ikea.com/US/en/IKEA_Catalogue/
19 | ANTHROPOLOGIE
https://www.anthropologie.com/help/request-catalog
20 | CRATE & BARREL
https://www.crateandbarrel.com/catalogs/
21 | BALLARD DESIGNS
https://www.ballarddesigns.com/RequestCatalog
22 | POTTERY BARN
https://www.potterybarn.com/pages/e-catalog/pottery-barn-catalog-summer-d1-20.html
23 | SERENA & LILY
24 | GRANDIN ROAD
https://www.grandinroad.com/GrandinRoad/US/Global/online-catalogs/landing-path
25 | FRONTGATE
https://www.frontgate.com/catalog-requests/content
26 | WILLIAMS SONOMA
https://www.williams-sonoma.com/customer-service/ecatalog.html
27 | WEST ELM
https://www.westelm.com/pages/we-catalog/
28 | PIER ONE
https://www.pier1.com/mailer.html
29 | WAYFAIR
https://www.wayfair.com/v/request_catalog/display?&experiencetype=2&selectedvertical=2
30 | JONATHAN ADLER
https://jonathanadler.com/pages/catalog
31 | WISTERIA
https://www.wisteria.com/home-decor-catalog-request
32| THE CONTAINER STORE
https://www.containerstore.com/ecatalog/index.htm
33 | RESTORATION HARDWARE
https://www.restorationhardware.com/customer-service/catalog-request.jsp
34 | LAMPS PLUS
https://www.lampsplus.com/lighting-catalog/
35 | SHADES OF LIGHT
https://www.shadesoflight.com/pages/catalog
CONCLUSION
In summary, there are print interior decorating magazines that I adore and also a slew of catalogs that provide inspiration in many ways. I hope that you will check out some of the options and subscribe to something that resonates with you.
Use the bulleted list of things to look for as interior decorating inspiration in the magazines and catalogs.
What are your favorite interior decorating magazines and catalogs? Did I miss any? Let me know in the comments.
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Amazing steps. I want to decor my living room, working area & kitchen areas. Through this blog. I got lot of inspiration from decor ideas. Thanks for sharing. Please share more blogs.
Nice Post. Really happy to read about Top Interior Decorating magazines.
You’re very welcome! Thanks for reading. I love magazines and the store catalogs are helpful in getting started.
For the last few days, I have been looking for an interior decorating magazine but cannot find this valuable information. Thanks for sharing this useful information, and my favorite magazine is traditional home.
Thanks for sharing this great list. Its really helpful