Dreamhouse Showcase

I work in an institution in a small town and have limited access to world-class architecture. My grandfather was an architect and house builder... of ranch-style homes. How could I possibly have access to some of the most beautiful buildings in the world?

Architectural Digest has provided a window into worlds most of us could never hope to view. It provides large, artfully composed photographs of private residences, government-owned castles, and other architectural landmarks located everywhere from the remotest desert valleys in Africa to sleek New York skyscrapers. Lavishly written articles support the photographs and often include conversations of the decorators who created these dreams. Every issue is a jewel.

The first issue I ever laid eyes on, back in the late '80's, enraptured me. I have subscribed on and off since landing my first job in the mid '90's. A letter to the editor I wrote appeared in the magazine several years ago. I attribute Architectural Digest with educating me on quality antiques, color and lighting in rooms; they have directly influenced my own tastes when purchasing my first home.

I peruse other magazines of interior design: House Beautiful, Traditional Home, Metropolitan Home. They are all good magazines, well-written. Architectural Digest is the cutting-edge. It consistently showcases the world's most renowned designers. It informs other designers and the general public of avant-garde museums, international hotels and other buildings newly designed or redesigned, and knows how to showcase only the best of the best. I am always impressed. I always learn something when I open the magazine.

If you're not convinced, walk into your local library and check out the back issues. You can travel the world via Architectural Digest: the U.S., Europe, Bali, Australia, Ecuador, deepest Africa. It is a dreamy, perfect world. Extravagant, luxurious and timeless. I'd rather read Architectural Digest than watch a movie.