BluePrint.

Courtesy of Decor8, comes the news that BluePrint, the thirty something magazine from Martha Stewart is finally on the horizon…

With the first issue due out in May,  an initial statement from Lauren Stanich, president of publishing for Martha Stewart Omnimedia described the magazine thus..

"The research we conducted showed a large demographic of younger women
at a critical time in their lives – setting up homes, establishing
careers, getting married, having children and outfitting and upgrading
their lives,"

Rumour has it that there are just two magazines planned for 2006 and seven for 2007: presumably so that they can test the market on newstands flooded with new (and scrumptious) magazines like Domino,  and well established (and essential)  favorites like "Real Simple"…

With a target group of women aged between 25 and 45, BluePrint is selling itself as "A new magazine that helps you define your style and define your life " – essentially a magazine  created to  help those buying their first home establish a  "lifestyle" – without being what often amounts to little more than glossy catalogues like many of the new genre shopping magazines (Like Happy in the U.K)…

Unlike Martha Stewart Living, BluePrint will  feature  some  external product merchandising- loosening the reins a little on the strict Martha only products sold in Living, (though it does make for an incredibly soothing read because of it doesn’t it?) but the focus will remain on intelligent, elegant "How T0’s" with a mix of how to dress, how to cook, and how to lives, which in the first issue include:

Create your own wall worthy artwork.
Dresses that go from the office to out on the town.
Select a timeless sofa perfect for your space.
Pick a nighttime treatment sensitive to your face.
Supermarket pantry foods that keep the cost’s down and the mood up.

I am as you all know a magazine freak. I spend far too much money on far too many magazines, love new launches and mourn the ones that fade away and die: but  I don’t think I’ve been quite as excited about a new magazine like this, since the lovely lady in my newsagants wandered into my little interiors shop ten years ago and offered me an unheard of in the U.K copy of "Martha Stewart" she had accidentally been sent…

Martha brings uncomparable, understated style to everything she does. And BluePrint, I’m sure, will be no different.

And the best news of all? The first issue is free…

P.S: 1-  I have been having  American magazines imported by my local newsagent for the past ten years (until the wonder that is Borders opened  last year)  and it is probably entirely possible  to order BluePrint, and Martha (and Country Living, Mary Englebreit, Domino et al!) : you just have to ask. Though if not, Holly at Decor8 will be providing us with a review…

P.S: 2- Real simple must be worried, they are offering a sample issue free right now and have got in before the May launch of BluePrint with an article on  stocking your pantry…

Competition is healthy!