Shelter magazines occasionally do get it right and present a home offering fascinating insight into character, but more often, they function on the mundane premise that 1) everyone hates where they live and 2) shopping is their way to the next rung up.

Notice that in spite of all the how-to or do-it-yourself stories they feature, there's never an article about appreciating the home you have.

You'll never see "Stop Buying Stuff And Wash The Floor" in Architectural Digest, or "Getting Rid of Swags And Other Crap" in Elle Decor.