Apt528 Reads: Atomic Ranch Magazine

Atomic Ranch Magazine

Subscription Price: $19.98

Apt528 Rating: 6 out of 10

I had such high hopes for this magazine.

As a mid-century lover, I have all the Atomic Ranch books on my Amazon wish list. The houses they feature are simply amazing. When I discovered the Atomic Ranch magazine the other day at Borders, I was simply ecstatic. I couldn't wait to dive into the crisp new pages and read all the exciting articles. I was like a kid in a candy store.

That night, as I read Atomic Ranch, I realized that I liked the magazine less with every page I turned. The articles were full of architect/homeowners with a penchant for name-dropping and the houses were typical and uninspiring. After reading the whole magazine, there was only one article that I wanted to keep for my clip book, and I only liked it because of a couple of the pictures.

What was I expecting from Atomic Ranch? I'm not sure. I guess I was hoping for a mid-century version of Domino with neat house tours, vintage-inspired product finds, city guides showing places with great 50's architecture and funky little antique stores. I wanted something useful, practicle, and inspiring.

My thought, Atomic Ranch should stick to books to avoid becoming boring and monotonous like Dwell. I used to LOVE Dwell until I noticed after a couple of months that every issue seemed to be the same. I get the same been-there-done-that feeling from Atomic Ranch.

On the other hand, Atomic Ranch is a great way to keep up with mid-century collectors, designers, architects, and businesses...I found several great shops and mid-century focused realty agents through the ads.

Overall, Atomic Ranch is a decent magazine but I'd suggest buying it issue-by-issue.

For more books and magazines from Apt528 Reads check out the Apt528 Amazon Book Store.

Black Friday at Apt528

Stop!

Before you head out to the stores and wait in long lines for Black Friday Deals, check Amazon.com where the deals start NOW! That's right. NOW! You can also take advantage of Gold Box hourly deals featured from midnight to 11pm PST and thousands of products that are on sale for a limited time only. Click here to start shopping! Who knows, maybe you'll get the flat-screen TV you've been wanting!

In other shopping-related news, Apartment 528 now has an Amazon book store. Hosted by Amazon.com, you can check the shop to find great Apt528 recommended home decor books, including books reviewed in past Apt528 Reads posts. I tried to cover a wide range of topics from DIY to design inspiration so there should be something for everyone.


Click the Apt528 Amazon Store link (in this post and on the sidebar) to start shopping today...you might even find a few early Christmas presents for yourself!

Apt528 Reads: Turf

Turf

By: Anthony Garay

Amazon Price: $17.99

Apt528 Rating: 9 out of 10

Today I'm combining Apartment 528 Reads and Weekend DIY into one. Turf is the best DIY book I've read. Anthony Garay's writing is witty and funny and his directions are easy to follow.

Made for 20-somethings on a budget, it won't cost you much to make the projects in Turf. Not only are they affordable, but all of the furniture can be built with just a jigsaw and power drill.

Of course, if you're looking for something more than the basic plywood pieces shown in Turf, don't worry. With paint, fabric, and a few extra tools, you can customize to your heart's desire using Turf as your launching point.

The book is full of projects for every room including a headboard, a microwave cart, a chair for the living room, and a filing cart to keep you organized. I plan on making the nightstands for myself!

Apt528 Reads: Retro Style

Retro Style: The 50's Look for Today's Home

By: Marion Haslam

Amazon Price: $16.50

Apt528 Rating: 6 out of 10

Overall, a good book. The brightly colored pictures capture the spirit of the 50's and Haslam gives vivid desciptions of how things were "back in the day." As you flip through, you'll see mini-bios of famous mid-century designers nestled between the pages, giving you a glimpse into how notables such as Arne Jacobsen got their start. That was my favorite part - learning the history behind the furniture I've come to admire.

Another great feature are the DIY projects. Every dozen pages or so you'll find step-by-step instructions on easy, affordable projects to turn your place into a 50's throwback. My favorite DIY is the boomerang coffee table - the instructions are clear and easy to follow.

While I liked most of the book, I wasn't so keen on the parts where Haslam tried to relate 50's design to the trends of today. For me, the comparisons just didn't work. I felt like the book was written in the 90's. I guessed right...it's copyrighted 2000. Even though the trends may not be up to date with 2008, there are still great examples of ways to incorporate retro style. You're bound to find something you like!

Apt528 Reads: ReadyMade Magazine

ReadyMade Magazine

Subscription Price: $19.99

Apt528 Rating: 9 out of 10

I. LOVE. READYMADE.

I subscribe to several shelter magazines but out of them all, this one is the best. ReadyMade is for 20 and 30-something DIY-ers looking for a creative jumping point.

As you flip through the pages, you'll find useful reviews, neat products, and a whole section devoted to projects and how-to's. In this issue, they show you the proper way to hang a pendant light, rate the best paper trimmers, suggest three new uses for old cookie tins (the multi-tiered serving tray is ingenious!), and even have a holiday gift guide with great gifts you can make yourself.

Perhaps my favorite part of the magazine was what I DIDN'T find - overpriced items I could never afford. Most every piece in the magazine was either something affordable or something worth spending a few extra pennies on.

But the greatness doesn't stop at the magazine. The ReadyMade website has a full archive of all their projects. There are also step-by-step project videos and an online store featuring everything from plans for a DIY modular dwelling to customizable library plaques for your house. Now you can make your movies posters look like museum-quality artwork! If you're looking for ways to simplify your life, check out the Resource tab which has helpful hints. My favorite:

TRUE BOUNCE - Avoid the nasty toxins in fabric softeners (and save a few bucks) by throwing three tennis balls into the dryer with a load of wash. The balls create air pockets that help clothes dry faster and feel fluffier.

You can find the Holiday issue on newsstands now.

Apt528 Reads: Flea Market Finds and How to Restore Them

Flea Market Finds & How to Restore Them
By Caroline Atkins
Price: about $20 (varies by seller)
Apt528 Rating: 5/10

The reason I gave this book only five stars is because I found the title misleading.  Judging from the "How to Restore Them" portion of the title, I assumed there would be how-to's on restoring different types of vintage pieces.  There weren't.  Instead, the book is written in Q&A form with different sections for each material - wood, glass, ceramic, etc. 

The questions seem less informative and more subjective to me.  Most of them are people asking if they should restore a piece or leave it as is.  For example: "Ive found an old mirror that has a very beautiful frame but badly damaged glass.  Is there any point in repairing or replacing it?" 

The book's answer: "Whether you do anything to repair your mirror depends really on whether it's more important to you as a practical looking glass or as a beautiful object."  The rest of the answer goes on for half a page.  There's no picture of the mirror in question or of the person's house, nor do you know their style so how can the book really answer them?  The same type of question is in each section.

Other questions ask how to use items that people bought at flea markets.  For example, "I couldn't resist a job lot of old bricks that were going cheap - but what's the best way to use them in my garden?"  My answer: what do you NEED in your garden?  A fireplace, a brick patio, a walkway?  Again, it takes half a page for the book to respond to this question with an answer as vague as the one above and again, these types of questions are throughout the book.

There are a few DIY tips that I found useful like using candle wax to un-stick drawers or using a raw potato and newspaper to clean a mirror, however these tips are far and few between.  Most of the advice in the book tells you to take the piece to a professional for help.  Other times they may tell you the method for fixing an item but not explain the steps involved which means you'll have to grab another book or go online to learn the actual process...why not just skip a step (and save $20) by doing all your research online or buying a DIY book that has detailed step-by-step guides?

My advice, take a minute to browse through any how-to book before purchasing to make sure it meets your needs.  And try one of Caroline Atkins other books like Small Spaces for Modern Living...one of the next books on my list!

Apt528 Reads: The Encyclopedia of Furniture

Encyclopedia of Furniture, Third Edition
By: Joseph Aronson
Amazon Price: $19.80
Rating: Eh...

My new book - The Encyclopedia of Furniture, Third Edition by Joseph Aronson. Unfortunately, it wasn't as good a book as I thought it would be. I needed a guide to help me better identify and price furniture pieces. Though I really only need information on mid-century pieces, I figured it wouldn't hurt me to pick up a complete furniture encyclopedia and learn a little about other styles as well. With the Barcelona chair featured on the cover of the book, I was positive it would be a great mix of old and new.

Not so much. I opened the cover to find only FOUR pages of modern furniture spanning from the 1950's to today. FOUR pages out of the WHOLE 496 page book! As Jerome reminded me, you can never judge a book by it's cover. Believe me, I won't make that mistake again!

If you're looking for antique pieces, this is the book for you. Anything past 1920, you should probably by a different book!