Customer Rating: 
Summary: Exceptional to the US version on all levels!
Comment: Elle Decor (USA) doesn't appeal to me since I started reading the British version, Elle Decoration (UK). Elle Decor (USA) reads like a showroom catalog filled with spaces that the average American will never live in, nor could one ever reproduce on even a small scale in their own homes since most of the magazine is 50% design and 50% architecture to me - meaning that often the design of the room would look silly and like complete rubbish, but it's the bones of the room - the soaring ceilings, the towering columns, the sweeping staircase, that make the rooms appealing. Unfortunately, very few of us own homes like that, so when we try to apply the same 'look' to our own spaces, we fall flat.
Elle Decoration (UK), on the other hand, takes a much more creative approach to design, and although shot in beautiful rooms, they often do not feature all the architectural details and massive spaces that Elle Decor (USA) features, so you can apply the designs in your tiny NYC apartment and come up with a look that works for your space. Their designs are not so stiff and formal, they do not take design, nor themselves, too seriously.
Elle Decor (USA) seems to flaunt overindulgence and over-the-top, where everything must follow specific guidelines and there's no room to jump outside of the lines every now and then.
Elle Decoration (UK) jumps out of the lines constantly, showing us that good design isn't about taking things so seriously that the home lacks warmth and personalization.
It may seem as though I'm bashing Elle Decor (USA), I'm not, I read it as well. It offers informative articles and beautiful homes, the eye candy that we all dream about. But Elle Decoration (UK) blows the idea of perfect living in a dream home out of the water with approachable design that one could duplicate in their own home - whether it's an urban apartment in the heart of Queens, or an a architectural masterpiece in the midwest.
This magazine appeals to all, making it one of my top 5 magazines out there.
