Voted as such by the mysterious IPC Editors’ Group, Cover Of The Month is no more or less accurate than any other judging process. But the winner is always good, as demonstrated by this outstanding Living etc cover. Here are 7 reasons why it’s so smart:
1. It’s absolutely of the moment. Homes magazines have always used some new colour scheme to sell their issues (Let’s go all Tuscany!), and this issue is no exception with it’s bang-on-trend presentation of black.
But there is a deeper issue going on here. With the endless property boom of the last 15 years, we have all ducked away from strong colour schemes, on the basis that we always wanted to keep our houses instantly saleable. So it’s been beige and neutrals all the way. But now the only reasons why you would be fool enough to put your house on the market are the three D’s (Death, Divorce and Debt). Which means folks are finally free to indulge their inner gay decorator, and GO NUTS!
2. The light in the picture is amazing. From the backlighting on the girl’s hair to the light blasting though stage left, it makes a dark image incredibly inviting. And the fact that the light source is hidden makes the image all the more intriguing.
3. To hold an image of a real life person so confidently in the centre flatters the reader: ‘If I buy this, I too will be able to perch on my couch wearing denim shorts and a sexy top’ Or something…
4. It’s really easy to see the details in the picture. Many home magazine cover images are burdened with so much information it’s impossible to extract it all. Here, there is enough control in the composition to let the eye access what’s important. The things I saw, and liked, were the books on the shelf, the feet on the sofa and the parquet floor.
5. Colour control. OK, the picture has a lot of black in it. But after that, the green sofa fairly leaps out at you. And the choice of green and pink type both complements and contrasts the picture to great effect.
6. Every coverline line has a clear, positive benefit:
‘Wow factor’
‘Loving your space’
‘Make a splash’
‘Inspiring ways’
‘The best lighting’
“Wise buys”
7. Perhaps the best bit of the whole design is the way that ALL the coverlines interact with the main picture. From the sensitive siting of the line over the sofa, to the suggestion that the bathroom is somehow just behind the door, the overall effect is of a cover with six different images going on in the reader’s mind, instead of only one. Very smart indeed.