A New Low in Trivial--Sept 2011

[griffin]

"How to Make a Ruffled Sink Skirt", "Doors that Deliver--Turn Old Doors Into a Day Bed". Jickie Torres are you a journalist or June Cleaver? In C&B Arts and Crafts should be a type of architecture, not the content of the magazine.

Yes, the economy is bad. No, no one has any money. It doesn't mean that people are willing to put substandard DIY creations in their cottages and bungalows. Tough times are exactly when we need to see things of beauty and timeless style to remind us that bad economic times never last forever--but as Keats said, "A thing of Beauty is a joy forever." Could we please see some historic bungalows?

If you want to be sympathetic towards hard times how about these topics--
Saving History--Loans to Preserve your Bungalow
The Style of Necessity--Cottages and Bungalows of the 1930s
Trading Talents--Bartering for Skilled Tradework
C & B Adopts a Cottage--A Lucky Reader Receives a Renovation

Finally, "If You're Rescuing an Outdated Nightmare...Beadboard, paint and a Fresh New Vanity". Cottages and Bungalows are all about saving/restoring quality fixtures and millwork--not gutting the unique to replace it with the ubiquitous and the generic. I think you meant this article to appear in Catastrophes and New Bungled Lows. Really, do you have any respect for the architecture and craftsmanship in this country?

[Bungalove]

I can't comment on the issue since I haven't seen it. But I want to ask, is the September issue is out already? I just saw the July/August one for the first time a couple of weeks ago. :-o

In general, I just wish I could find a middle-of-the-road magazine about bungalows, both historic ones and ones that look contemporary yet aren't full of plastic crap and clutter. "American Bungalow" is nice to look at but it seems like all the houses, renovations, furnishings, and decor items cost an absolute fortune, so when I look at it, I feel like a little kid with her nose pressed to the toy store window, unable to buy anything I see. I was hoping C&B was going to be what I was looking for, but the jury's still out.

[shabbychick]

There is no perfect magazine, just like there is no perfect newspaper. I'm sure the editors and writers appreciate feedback (and have solicited it and have appreciated it, at least insofar as I can judge from their responses to my feedback). However, coming on here and making insulting comments about the editors and writers and the "substandard DIY creations" that some of us actually enjoy making and having is just rude.

[Breezy]

Hmm I think someone needs to take a "chill pill". :rolleyes:

[vintage girl]

I agree 100% with Shabby. Criticism is fine, but being rude and insulting, especially when they have hosted this site for us, is uncalled for. If you don't like the magazine, don't read it!

[RoseMary]

Sorry you think DIY is 'sub-standard'. I haven't seen this issue, either, but I appreciate the chance that C&B gives us to get together to share our homes and our lives. Thank you C&B:).

[koolmimi]

I personally love DIY projects. We don't get any craft projects or DYI projects on HGTV anymore. I am happy and thankful we can still find some ideas in C&B magazine and this forum.

Claudia

[ChapterTwo]

Griffin - My mother always taught me that there are many ways to say the same thing. Constructive criticism is always helpful.

[allen820]

Chiming in to this kind discussion is probably not a healthy thing to do. I should know better.

I agree, the latest issue is not C&B's best effort, but the theme of how to make some positive changes without spending a bunch of money may appeal to a range of readers. I can understand that; I doubt any time soon that I'll make a bed out of a pair of old doors, and I am not a fan of beadboard. I am much more the type to perserve the original. Heck my bedroom is not painted, because in 1933 when my house was built in this community, no paint was used inside the houses, except for that used on the kitchen cabinets and few other places (the originally finished bedroom was a compromise with my wife, as we restored the house -- the rest of the interior is painted!).

On the other hand, I remember a few issues back, much space was devoted to European cottages that looked more like castles. And then there were a couple issues devoted to seaside cottages. Well, I won't have either of those, but again C&B is giving us new looks and new ideas. I liked both the European cottage issue and the seaside issue better than the current artsy- crafty issue, but that's just me.

I look forward to new ideas from C&B, and I like the "themed issue" idea. Let's just watch where we go from here. C&B has never disappointed in the long run!

Allen

[Bungalove]

I finally had a chance to look through the September issue on the newsstand. Thought it was just so-so and didn't buy it. There just wasn't anything in there that I'd aspire to recreate or which I'd want to revisit.

About the sink skirt project, though, I thought that was rather nice and that the finished skirt would look a lot better than old exposed pipes.

[canadiyank]

I'm a subscriber (although having ongoing issues with my subscription - so maybe not for long? Multiple calls and emails are *very* frustrating and issue is still not solved) so I get all the issues. I just finished this one - I really liked this issue! Lots of DIY and decorating, which isn't necessarily my thing - but certainly fun to look at and gather ideas. A huge variety of styles!

[Rory Bremner]

I didn't mind this issue. Some good articles, especially about bathrooms. Naturally, I'd like to see some more restoration articles and more bungalow articles because that's what I'm into. Still a good read though

[glasgowrose]

I laughed at "Rescue an Outdated Nightmare," considering the outdated nightmare looks just like the vintage blue salvaged fixtures I had installed in my new-build. And the renovation was just soulless and ugly. Shoulda saved their money.

[Bungalove]

I laughed at "Rescue an Outdated Nightmare," considering the outdated nightmare looks just like the vintage blue salvaged fixtures I had installed in my new-build. And the renovation was just soulless and ugly. Shoulda saved their money.

Was that the kitchen near the front of the magazine? I didn't buy the issue but I know there was one makeover where I thought the "after" pictures were the "before" pictures!

[ChapterTwo]

Oh, now you've piqued my interest about the sink skirt, Bungalove. Did you notice how they did it?
After I get done with painting the risers and trim on my steps, which I'm doing NOW, the next plan of attack is the bathroom. There is a tiny sink facing the toilet, and it has "lovely" exposed pipes too. The old sinktop edge sort of tilts inward, so I can't simply stick the velcro on, to hang the sink skirt I bought. So my plan is to velcro or glue on a small piece of wood under the sink, and then velcro the skirt to that Whether or not that will work is the question! :confused:

And before I do that, I want to really scrub the old subway tiles and see if any of the products I bought will actually whiten the old grout. A friend gave me something that sort of paints the grout, but I'm afraid that will make the grout too white looking, since the tiles have that aged look. Any suggestions would be sincerely appreciated! :)

[ChapterTwo]

I laughed at "Rescue an Outdated Nightmare," considering the outdated nightmare looks just like the vintage blue salvaged fixtures I had installed in my new-build. And the renovation was just soulless and ugly. Shoulda saved their money.


Welcome, glasgowrose!

Isn't it a riot how one person's "nightmare" is another person's dream? I continually perplex my friends when I tell them I would rather have old furniture (which I have) than new. And I love "fixer-uppers", which is what most of mine are! I haven't yet seen the issue, but now I'm going to have to...;)

[vintage girl]

You may want to go to your local tile store and see what they suggest to clean your grout. The reason I say that is that this weekend there was an article on just that in our local newspaper. The author of the article said they went to their local tile supplier and they gave them a special grout cleaner that most people do not know about and is commercial grade. They said it worked beautiful. Worth a try:)

[chyna]

Guess I should pipe in that grout way back wasn't actually white from what I've read. You may be trying to whiten something that was tinted grey in the first place. ;)

I bought the latest issue at Borders and I think someone addressed the velcro issue, or maybe I saw it in Old House Interiors. Anyhow someone wrote the editor and suggested using heavy duty magnets with hooks on them. That way you don't have the adhesive mess afterwards if you change your mind. :)