Design in Depth: The Old Cover Try

July 10, 2013

By Stacy Kunstel

More than a year ago I showed this image to our editor Kyle Hoepner and told him, “I see a cover try here for our summer issue.”

Photo by Stacy Kunstel

Now it may not look like much to you, but there were certain elements that gave it cover potential. I knew that outdoor living would be a focus for the July/August issue. I also knew that any sort of relationship to the water, whether it be ocean or lake would increase its chances. This house just happens to be on Martha’s Vineyard and because the deck sits above the meadow below it, there’s a small water view.

Think about the other factors that would have to come into play though—the day would have to be perfect, a blue sky with interesting clouds day. We would have to have the appropriate props on hand and the furniture couldn’t look too faded or weathered after being out in the elements for months. The photographer had to get the right angle and composition for it to fit within our cover parameters. Perhaps most worrisome would be would the other New England Home team members, particularly our publisher Kathy Bush, like it?

Working with photographer Michael Partenio this is the final result, a cover you now see on newsstands. There’s a long list of thank yous to making it happen—Hutker Architects, Gregory Lombardi Design, and Wells Fox Interiors to name a few. A generous homeowner and Mother Nature to be sure.