House and Garden, Editor-in-chief, May/June issue, magazine, 2023 Our Editor-in-Chief, Piet Smedy on our May/June issue. Image: H.J Bester.
According to popular wisdom, the three most stressful things you can experience in life are death, divorce and moving house. There are others, obviously, but those are the unholy trinity of sweaty palms and sleepless nights – though I’d argue there’s a fourth horseman of anxiety: home renovation.
If you’ve ever survived a reno you’ll know what I’m talking about. It starts suddenly and violently – despite a protracted planning phase – to a symphony of hammers and drills, brick dust and rubble bags, and suddenly your home isn’t your home anymore – it’s a construction site, no man’s land. Sure, the physical upheaval is one thing but the emotional journey that comes with it feels hellishly Dantean.
It’s at about this point that you’ll be thankful for having a guide through the chaos, your very own Virgil taking you by the hand through the home improvement inferno (I was a classics major at university, please indulge the extended metaphor). I am, of course, referring to House & Garden’s Kitchens & Bathrooms issue – the very one you’re reading right here.
Our editors know that the idea of home means something different to everyone, especially when it comes to our kitchens and bathrooms – sometimes a sanctuary space (does anything restore like a long soak in the bath?), other times a space to entertain (we all know the real party is always around the kitchen island). And while the scope is wide, we’ve narrowed down the need-to-know intel ahead of any update to these all-important rooms, whether it’s a wall-bashing upgrade or a simple decor refresh. It won’t take away the headaches of home improvement altogether, but it’ll certainly ease the anxiety knowing you’re in creative control.
Speaking of creative control (and leaps of faith), this is my last issue as editor of House & Garden. It’s been a really special thing, to be able to share this passion for beautiful design with you over the past seven years. Thank you for trusting me and my team with every issue – it’s no secret that print journalism, and the magazines that we love so much, is a tough industry and we wouldn’t be able to do what we do if it wasn’t for your continued support. I’ve had the most wonderful time and look forward to joining you soon as a reader of H&G.
So, one last time, welcome to the new issue.
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