Cottage Living is closing their doors.
I wish it wasn't true, but look it's here too. And here.
I LOVED Cottage Living… unpretentious and real interiors. Homes you could actually see yourself living in.
November / December (on newstands now) is their last issue.
This durn economy killed them, they couldn't sell enough ad space.
I wish my friends at Cottage Living nothing but the best. What an amazing group of talented, kind, professional, and passionate people.
My heart really hurts for them today.
And just incase you missed this comment when I posted this interview with my friend Anne Turner Carroll… I thought I'd re-post it… from Ginny in California:
A wonderful interview and a thrill to find your blog on this very rainy day in SoCal. Since moving into my 1920's cottage(after my husbands unexpected passing), I found a new life. It was my monthly "Cottage Livings" that inspired me to buy a small bungalow instead of a condo. The large homes of my past never gave me the pleasure that this bungalow has. With a design education, my eyes are always quick to pick up fresh ideas from this great mag. I have even started some redoes on the block with pics from "Cottage Living". Thank you, Ginny
If you will miss Cottage Living, leave them a little note here in the comment section, I'll make sure that they see them.
::image above from Cottage Living::
Dear CL:
I can only imagine that I am one of many who are grieving this news. Like Erika said, you are a magazine for real people with ideas that real people can implement. I really am so sad. When my CL comes in the mail I get giddy, I don’t even peek inside until I have time to set aside to really ENJOY what’s on every page. I savor every page. I also am grieving for those of you who will potentially be losing your jobs. You all have done an incredible job at putting together a FANTASTIC publication and I can only hope that someone out there sees the “NEED” for a magazine like Cottage Living. I see that they intend to add “cottage theme” to other publications and while I think that is a good “try” it will not fill the void for a seperate publication. I really hope that when economic times change that CL will be brought back. Thank you for your inspiration. Thank you for the many hours I’ve spent pouring over your pages. Thank you for all that you have done for the “cottage lovers”!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are MY FAVORITE!!!!!!! And I am grieving with you!
Darby Stickler
very much a bummer. On a cheerier note, there is so much creative talent there that I know we will see many of them come back somewhere, somehow and hopefully it will even be more than they could possibly hope or think. Get their blogs on, so we can keep watch for their next projects.
what??!!(sorry, you don’t know me i read your blog regularly, but i’ve never commented before) I can’t believe this – my favorite magazine! I am very emotional right now… when my last issue arrived I tried to explain to my husband(i’m not sure he understood) how it made me feel to hold the new unopened mag in my hands and to anticipate what would be inside – ’cause every issue was so good. No other magazine was as exciting to get as this one! thanks for your fun blog, by the way – it’s full of great ideas and tips.
i feel like such a dork, but i have tears in my eyes. it was the first magazine that led me to my love of design, which in turn has led me to where i am today. they are an amazing group and local to me. i sure will miss this little magazine.
I loved Cottage Living. That makes me very sad…
They will be missed!
Heather
SHUT UP!!! say it’s not so…that is so sad. i can’t believe it….REALLY???
Omg! That is so sad. It was one of my favorite magazines to receive. I’ve always loved Cottage style and I actually ended up buying a small little Cottage. I love that Cottage Living was a great mix of cottage/country life with bits of modern thrown in. It’s exactly how my home is.
Since you are passing our messages along to C.L. then I just want to let them know that they made this wanna be Interior Designer a very happy camper every month. They will be missed.
Boo. I’m so sad now.
Oh! This is such sad news. This was one of the good ones.
kat
Cottage Living,
Say it isn’t so. I am so very sad for you and for all of us readers. I must go and collect all of the issues that I have always saved and put them in a most special place.
Good luck and God bless you…
Oh that’s sad, i loved Cottage living.
This is awful news for their staff and readers! So many magazines feature sterile rooms made for people with housekeepers, cooks, drivers and assistants. It’s so nice to open a mag and envision your life in a space – how you’d entertain in it, how you’d prepare dinner, how you want to redesign your garden next Spring, etc. That’s the kind of approachable design and inspiration CL offered. It will certainly be missed and as Darby said, can’t be recreated by adding “cottage” touches to already standing mags.
I even had a CL subscription on my Christmas list this year.
What devastating news! This was my fav! I’ve gotten at least three others hooked on such a good read. What a sad day!
I am so sad.I have saved every issue because there was too much great information to tear the pages out.First Blueprint now Cottage Living it is really depressing.Good Luck to all the staff.
I had no idea till I read your post. First Home Companion and now Cottage Living. Both are great magazines with lots and lots of eye candy and inspiration.
no! i refuse to lose another good magazine! i am spending the rest of the morning in denial.
What a shame! I’ll be sure to get their last copy.
Martha B.
How awful! That was such a great magazine. What’s next, Domino? Cottage Living was such a fantastic resource.
Thank you for posting the photos of the house you did–those are beautiful and inspiring shots!
oh my goodness – what sadness…my magazine world is dwindling and i don’t like it one bit!
So sad! Nothing goes better with a glass of wine than CL!! The amazing team behind the pages is so talented. I can’t wait to see their influence in some other publications. I’ll miss you in my mailbox, but the inspiration remains. THANKS and GOOD LUCK to each of you!
Ugh! This was one of the few magazines I subscribed to. I loved that their featured houses and showhouse projects weren’t McMansions and that they seemed to emphasize a “live small” mantra both in the size of the houses they pictured and the environmental impact. I loved CL and hope their talent pool surfaces somewhere else soon.
I think decor blogs are taking the place of shelter magazines but the two have always been interdependent. Blogs exist in part because they can spread the images that these talented editors, stylists and photographers create. Fewer magazines mean fewer great images and ideas to share both in print and online.
No!!! I can’t believe it! I think I just renewed my subscription, too. I’m really going to miss CL. Wow, first my subscription to Blueprint went down and now this. What’s next…Domino??? What a bummer.
I am in shock. It was my favorite magazine!
My daughter’s boyfriend and I used to go over it page by page and have such a good time when they visited. He owns a mountain cottage. This is one magazine that will be missed by many different age groups and types.
What a sad day. I admit that I haven’t been reading CL for very long, but I have been in love with it since I picked up my first issue. I was planning on subscribing soon. I wish all of the talented people at the magazine the absolute best.
Gees. Thanks for making me want to cry this morning. If there were ever a magazine that pin-pointed my own personal style, that magazine was Cottage Living. I will miss the sweet sight of a new cover on the grocery check out aisle.
Best of luck to all of you at CL.
May you move forward and be blessed.
This is a sad, sad day. I am here in Birmingham and so many people are being affected by this. Cottage Living was one of my favorite magazines, I can’t believe it is gone….
oh it’s just awful. I think they had one of the most innovative and creative staffs and it is such a shame. They were doing things that no one else did, and not many shelter mags can say that!
I’m loving reading all of this support, it’s just too bad that the readers can’t do much to stop things like this. I hope you do forward this on to ATC — I’m sure they could all stand to hear it. We’ll miss you, Cottage!
No! Cottage Living is my favorite magazine! What are we going to read now? This is so sad.
CL: I am so sad You were one of my favs!
My sister got me hooked on you as a gift one year and since then I have savored pouring over every page. So many of them I’ve clipped and filed away for future “dreamy” projects. Not to mention the fun of calling fellow subscribers with exclamations of “did you see page such and such?”
Thanks for always bringing do-able pics and ideas to your pages. You were the one magazine who consistently featured homes that I felt were “attainable” – as in, one day, my house might look like that. Thanks for such a great run! I will miss you!
And best wishes on the job hunts! You’re a talented group and I hope you’ll find work quickly.
this economy is destroying all the good things.
where oh where is the bail out for the business’ worth saving !
and i know one thing, everything passes, everything.
just hold on and be open minded with the ‘open doors.’
ps. maybe now you can take a little down time that you probably need desperately. ( the stress from all this )
follow your bliss &
re-group, and re-create…you will come back even better and stronger.
what is that they say…….it’s not the destination, it is the journey.
very best wishes
Oh no! CL is one of mine and my husbands favorites! I am so sad to hear this and for the people who may be out of a job now. It will be greatly missed and I hope to see it again!
SOOOO sad right now. I am tearing up writing this. Cottage Living you are the best magazine ever!!!!!!! Nothing is better than wondering what a wall color is and turning to the back to find out all of the sources for a room. What a wonderful help you were. Please come back. RIP best magazine ever!
Also my husband promised when we got married that every Christmas I would have a subscription to CL in my stocking. How depressing, what will fill it now?!
So sad…it’s like I’m losing one of my design mentors. I got such great ideas and inspiration from CL. It was truly a great publication. What will I do without the Fresh Ideas pages?!?
This is just super sad news. I didn’t imagine the loss of another magazine would make me so upset. I loved Cottage living with all my heart. It was a different kind of mag. Like some have said, it was more real… but still beautiful. Inspiring ideas, interiors, and gardens. The kind of homes we all dream of living in, that seem reachable but still aspirational. Cozy, warm, fresh, clean, beautiful, current but classic, Cottage Living was a wonderful review of all of the above. May all the talented people who made this publication so great go on to find equally wonderful outlets that we can continue to admire and be inspired by!
I’m not sure I can accept this news, and I can only imagine how the staff of Cottage Living feels. I always look forward to reading a new issue, and what you said about the magazine is so true. Cottage Living showed beautiful “real” homes- homes that actually seemed attainable. This is a publication I will remember and miss long after it is gone.
oh no! this is very sad news. i loved this magazine and will miss it.
Cottage Living has been my favorite magazine from their very first issue. I am sooo very sad to hear this. It has pretty much ruined my day
CL has always been so consistent in delivering beautiful, inspiring, fresh ideas in each and every issue. It was the only magazine I really looked forward to getting each month. I will hold out hope that some day it might come back.
Dear Readers,
I am the food editor of Cottage Living and we are all so very sad to be closing our pages. (We have tears in our eyes as well.) The only reason we were at Cottage Living was for our readers. The staff here is truly passionate about our mission.
We thank you all for your loyalty and we hope you will look for us in the future.
With warmest wishes,
Kim Sunee (food editor)
http://www.kimsunee.com
and Kate Karam (senior gardens editor)
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so sad and angry. I love this magazine! Damn economy.
No no no! I am SO SAD! What a bum piece of news; Cottage Living is my absolute favorite magazine. Prayers absolutely going out to all who will be affected.
No say it isn’t so about Cottage Living?!! I’m even a little choked writing this… not only that I LOVE, LOVE this magazine, but all the wonderful people tied into making the pages dance in our hearts and home and having us running to our mailbox.
OK I have no clue about the hows, whys and whats of running a magazine, but I’m going to through this crazy idea out there- just maybe it will trigger another idea.
You know how companies are employee owned full/portion is there anyway becoming a reader own company?
I wish many blessings ahead for all involved with Cottage Living!! I hope as the saying goes when one door closes another opens is true to all.
i just spent a plane ride ripping apart that magazine for my home files. when i read the news online this am, i was so bummed. the inspiration was always real, doable and could be budget-friendly. i am going to miss my monthly date with my couch and cottage living.
A very sad day indeed. It’s in my top two magazines – I enjoyed every page and their recipes were great too! Good luck to all at CL.
Simply- this blows.
CottageLiving is my favorite magazine and I will miss it so much. I also had several friends who worked there and my heart goes out to them as well.
Are you kidding? I cannot believe that – especially with the huge amount of talent they have. I will miss my monthly perk in the mailbox!!!
That’s sad. There have been so many great magazines that have closed up shop and it really does sadden me. They will surely be missed.
So sad! I am so bummed to see cottage living go. It was my absolute favorite because every month had the most perfect ideas from REAL homes. I never clipped my cottage living magazines because they were better whole – I would go through them each season and find something new. Nothing like cottage living. Hands down my (and even my husband’s) favorite mag. Best wishes to all of you at CL!
I am so sad to hear this news. I had to re read the words…I thought I was mistaken…not THE Cottage Living….I am so sad. I will agree with everyone else, its my favorite. It is a magazine that is real…unpretentious and comfortable…the way people really live….beautifully. I do hope that the magazine is able to come back…I will be waiting and watching!
so sad! I will miss Cottage Living – their spaces were so inspiring. I wish everyone there the best in these tough times.
Wow! I can’t believe it. I have subscribed to Cottage Living since the premiere issue. I am truly going to miss all of the great (do-able) ideas. Every month I had a new and improved idea for my house. Definitely my favorite subscription. Good luck to all the gang.
oh no! oh no! oh no! this has been my all time favorite magazine EVER. and i just sent in my renewal. i’m gonna go cry now.
Say it isn’t so!! CL is one of my absolute favorite magazines ever! I can’t believe it!! I looked forward to the day when opening my mailbox I’d see it’s beautiful face!! It was about equal to a good piece of chocolate on a stressful day…oh the humanity!! I just can’t believe this past issue will be the last! The emotions I’m experiencing feel similar to a traumatic breakup…was it something I said or did?? Please don’t leave me!!! Tears…sobbing…
I had to take a minute to make sure I read that correctly- Saying there is never going to be another issue of Cottage Living is like you saying you are never going to blog again Erica- I am SOOO bummed – maybe I can arrange a cyber petition and get them to stay when they see how sad this makes all of us who are devoted readers-
I can’t believe it! It was my favorite magazine – always fantastic houses that were liveable. I have so many tear sheets from various issues and I am so sad that CL won’t exist any more.
You are kidding me!
That’s my fac magazine! The one that I LVOE every single article, every single week, and have every single issue I’ve ever received!
What can we possibly do to express our disappointment to the publishers?
I am so sad…
~Dina from ATL
Can you tell I am just a wee little bit shocked, I misspelled every other word in my previous comment-oops!
~Dina
I am so so sad. Cottage Living was one of my favorite magazines. I will definitely save all of my past issues so I can continue to use them as inspiration. I’m crossing my fingers (and toes) that Cottage Living will return again one day!!
No!!!!!!!!
Very disappointed .
Thank you for all the moments of joy Cottage Living. I hope to see you back again some day.
I’m stunned. And sad. I LOVE Cottage Living. Like so many others have said, the day I find my CL in the mail I am giddy with anticipation and I always put it aside until I can devote all of my attention to it. I read every single word and devour every single photo, slowly and with delight. So inspirational! So many ideas for my own little cottage.
I will miss everything about CL, and I’m sad for the entire staff – it was obvious that CL meant as much to them as it did to us readers. A very, very talented crew there. Please come back as soon as you can. The website (please tell me that will stay?)is wonderful, but nothing will replace having that wonderful publication in my hands, drooling over the photos!
All the best,
Karin
Oh no! I love this magazine – I have every issue.
Waaaah! I want to cry I adore Cottage Living.
I am so sad about Cottage Living. When I first read about it online, I sent out an email to all of my friends who also pour over each issue. My inbox started filling with emails saying “What????” and “Nooooo….”. Cottage Living is one of two magazines with which I have a subscription (the other being US Weekly…haha). I looked forward to my Cottage Living b/c I knew that every issue would have something in it that would make my tummy tingle and my heart beat a little faster. I will miss it dearly. Luckily, I have my old copies to read again (and again and again), but it’s not the same.
So so sad. I have (or had) a monthly subscription to Cottage Living and relished the time I spent pouring over each page. Hopefully my other fav’s wont have the same fate. God bless blogs.
This is just UNREAL, Erika! I hurt so bad for CL and their wonderful staff….especially Anne Turner! I just talked to Nancy, her mom, and she said AT is really hurting about this. She absolutely LOVED her job and the people too. I am praying for her and know the Lord will show her where HE wants her. I will certainly miss Cottage Living too! God Bless everyone that is effected by this unbelievable economic crisis. God will use this in many lives to draw them to Himself! After all, He is ALL we need, isn’t He?
How sad. It is my favorite magazine, I have bought every issue!!!! So depressing! I will miss it so much. I have so many tear sheets from the magazine it is not even funny.
Dear Cottage Living,
I have only come to love you over the last year. I am a complete stalker and only drive by looking at your pictures. And it just goes to show how much I would just sit in absolute lust over the gorgeous pictures as I didn’t even feel the need to read the articles. Even last night, I got out for some alone time, which led me to BAM to the magazine section just to look at your current issue. Again pictures only. You have become my escape with all of your cottage coziness. You will be missed. I’m sad that I will have to find another place to try to “vacate” to in my mind.
Becky Tucker
i’m sad for you E!! you should fly your flag at half-staff this month.
I’ve been reading your blog for awhile now, and am sorry not to have commented before now … but I couldn’t let this post go by without saying how sad I am to be losing this beautiful magazine. It’s the only “home” mag I subscribe to, and I had no idea I’ve now received my last. I’m so sad … it was always full of ideas, lovely homes, so inspiring. Obviously put together by very talented folks, and I wish them all the best. You will be missed.
Total devastation!! I looked forward to receiving my copy every month, and devoured every page. I can’t remember how many years that I have been a subscriber, but I have saved every issue that I received. I built a new house this year, and Cottage Living was my main inspiration. I will miss you, dear friend. I wish the best for all the folks at Cottage Living. I hope all of you talented people will find new job homes soon!!
Cottage Living was my most favorite magazine. It is just a shame it will no longer be around. There was so much talent associated with the magazine. Hopefully it will come back soon!
I love cottage living, I have it listed on my christmas list this year
I always buy all of them at the newsstand, It’s been my new favorite magazine for a while now. I’m so sad they’re calling it quits.
I am shocked to hear this. I love this magazine and can’t tell you how excited and giddy I get when it comes in the mail every month. How can this be? I will be praying for everyone who works at CL.
Actually, I found your blog by googling Anne Turner’s name after the most recent issue which features her kitchen renovation. I loved learning more about her and I love your blog!
What a sad end for an adorable magazine. Perhaps it will pull a “Victoria” who I mourned the loss of and it has had a comeback. Hope springs eternal.
No, no, no! How sad. They were always a sure source of creative inspiration in our studios! They will be greatly missed indeed!
I am going to keep all of them that I have.
Please pass me the tissue box, the hand painted one that looks like a cozy cottage. boo hoo.
This makes me so sad. I had no idea what I liked when it came to design…until I found Cottage Living. This economy is getting worse and worse. I hope things start getting better soon.
I was just so sad when I heard the news about cottage living, I have been a faithful subscriber for years and it is my absolute favorite place to find decorating ideas. Shedding a tear for you, Cottage Living! You will be dearly missed!
Erika,
I love your blog! I was reading in your sisters blog that you were supposed to be IN Cottage Living. I am so sorry that this didn’t work out for you! You are an amazing designer and you deserve to have your work recognized! I am sad that CL is shutting down but now I am also more sad because I would have loved to see your spread! I totally had my mom getting me a subscription to that for Christmas too!
This totally stinks
I love Cottage Living magazine. I looked forward to their arrival in the mail and it always made my night to be able to sit and page through an issue. I hope they keep it as a website at least and bring the printed magazine back when this darn economy improves.
I feel like someone just canceled my birthday. The feeling of caring Cottage from the mailbox to the house is like…. like…. new hope!
Decorating hope! Such a sad day!
I just ordered 3 subscriptions for my favorite friends for Christmas!
I felt the need to add to this long list of Cottage Living fans. Like everyone else, I have always enjoyed the real photos and inspiration. I wish it wasn’t so and I hope to see more from a very talented group of people. I’ll be waiting and watching.
say it ain’t so!
I am heartbroken!! I subscribe to many magazines – but the one I looked forward to every month was Cottage Living. I have kept every issue and I re-read them so often that I think I know each by heart… This magazine reflects me and my style more than any other.
I think this may have ruined my holidays
.
Cottage Living was my FAVORITE magazine. Every issue was a delightful surprise. You will be missed.
I am so sad
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Cottage Living was my FAVORITE magazine. Every issue was a delightful surprise. It will be missed.
Every time I received Cottage lIving in the mail it was a present! My favorite……. I will relish all of them that I saved.
Such amazing style…..
soooooo sad……loved,loved,loved it!!!
Sorry to be late on commenting on this, but I just received a notice from Cottage Living that my subscription will be filled by Southern Living!! OMG! That’s like asking for an Ipod for Xmas and getting a turntable instead!! They should dump Southern Living and keep Cottage Living at all costs.
I bought my first house right around the time CL started up. It was perfect timing for me because the style represented in the magazine really struck a cord and gave me lots of ideas for my small bungalow. My fiance still can’t understand why I’m so devastated. I so looked forward to each and every issue. The photography and styling were amazing and truly appreciated. Cottage living has been a big part of my life for the last four years. Thank you to all who worked so hard on it. You will be missed.
I’ve gotten Cottage Living since day one and I love it! I was so sad when I got my notice that my subscription would be fulfilled with Southern Accents. I am so tired of all the pretentious magazines out there with out of reach prices and lifestyles. CL was how I choose to live my life and it made me happy every month. I will miss it.