The Thousands

The advertising in a magazine is often a fairly accurate indication of the publication’s target audience. So, after leafing through the first few pages of Habitus it became abundantly clear that I do not fall within that demographic.

It’s not for a lack of interest in contemporary designer homewares, rather that my present financial situation precludes any active involvement in the world that Habitus represents. But sometimes a little ‘look but don’t touch’ can be perfectly satisfying and especially when the visuals are this good.

Habitus is a welcome departure from the underwhelming banality of most interior focused titles. There are no ‘how to’ guides or features dedicated to shabby-chic decorating. The dwellings featured within are unique, varied and generally the work of those who actually inhabit them. The editorial layout appears to have taken some serious design cues from Monocle (white space, typography and matte paper) but the finished product certainly reaches to up the bar in terms of production, clarity and substance.

Habitus represents a growing trend of coffee table magazines working harder to maintain their offline position and remain viable in a world gone digital. Personally, I’m all for it.