Magazine captures uniqueness of architecture, design
For 10 years, Living Spaces has opened the doors of homes in Western Massachusetts and northern Connecticut, offering a glimpse into the life of some of the region’s most well-known people and homes. It has also helped capture the essence of what makes the region so unique.
The local shelter magazine has showcased 94 homes in 34 different communities from as far north as Colrain to as far south as Somers, Connecticut. It is direct-mailed thrice annually – April, July and October – to discriminating homeowners in the aforementioned regions, but is also available by subscription.
Associate Publisher and Editorial Director Beth Baker said she noticed in 2006 there was a need in Western Massachusetts for a magazine of its sort. She said the area offers homes ranging from extravagant to interesting, and she wanted to feature them in a local publication.
“The thought was, ‘let’s feature homes and gardens in our area that we take pride in’,” said Baker. “It’s a trendsetter, being one of the first true local magazines. It’s all about us, here.”
The only homes Baker will feature in the magazine are homes within the circulation area. She wants to keep the local integrity of the product intact. She said Living Spaces also offers a vehicle for businesses to reach a market of potential customers.
When asked if she has a favorite edition in past 10 years, Baker said, “It’s kind of like a mother trying to pick her favorite child. It’s hard to do. So much energy and planning goes into each issue.”
One edition that has left a lasting impression on Baker, however, is the special tornado issue released in the fall of 2012.
“It was nice to see how people rebuilt after such a tragedy,” she said.
Over the years the magazine has featured a number of local celebrities including Maestro Kevin Rhodes, musical director and conductor of the Springfield SSO; Peter A Picknelly, chief executive of Peter Pan Bus Lines; philanthropist Harold Grinspoon and world-renowned Shelburne Falls glass artist Josh Simpson and his wife, NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, among others.
It’s also highlighted special themed issues like Waterfront Living, Country Living, Gorgeous Gardens, Rooms with a View, Lake Living, Pools and Ponds, The Kitchen Issue, and a Salute to Springfield. There are plans to dedicate an issue to Holyoke this summer, according to Contributing Editor Rich J. Wirth.
Wirth, who helped launch the first issue in 2006, said being a part of Living Spaces has been a rewarding experience.
“For a newspaper beat reporter with a flair for the creative, this has been a fun and rewarding experience,” he said. “I was always interested in architecture and design, but now it’s my passion.”
Wirth said, since the very first Living Spaces the product has evolved from a newspaper supplement to a well-respected, highly-sought-after shelter magazine. While the look of the product may have changed since the first issue, Wirth said “what hasn’t changed is the original vision: to offer well-told stories supported by original photography – by the talented Corey Fitzgerald – that expand the narrative visually.”
In all the stories Wirth has written, he said one of his favorites was having the unique opportunity to interview the same couple at different stages of their life.
“Back in 2009, they were raising a family in a 19th-century Greek Revival farmhouse in Brimfield. We reconnected with them in 2015 after the now-empty nesters moved to Ware and transformed a 1960s ranch-style house into a minimalistic retreat,” said Wirth. “It showed that design sensibilities are fluid and can – and should – evolve with you.”
Another that stands out is having the chance to feature a $6.5 million replica of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, which Friendly Ice Cream co-founder Prestley Blake built in Somers, Connecticut.
“[It] is, by far, the most unique home we’ve featured. It’s the first and only time we’ve featured a house that wasn’t occupied or furnished,” said Wirth, adding that he was “honored” to meet Blake when he toured his home in 2009.
“Little did I know the then-92-year-old would end up giving me a personal tour of his 100-acre property on a golf cart. It was one of those ‘I love my job’ moments,” said Wirth.
For Baker, getting to know the homeowners and be invited into their homes has been a very rewarding experience.
“It’s been fun to meet these homeowners and find what drives them and what interests they have,” she said. “Living Spaces has helped me discover what kind of neat treasures we have in our area.”
Look for the 10th anniversary issue of Living Spaces, which is out now. To subscribe to the magazine, call 1-800-824-6548.
By Aimee M. Henderson, Staff Writer