“It seemed to me that so many print magazines were folding, and I saw an increasing need for a new magazine,” said Pamela Pierce, founder and editor-in-chief of Milieu, a quarterly home and garden magazine that will launch in print this September.

Preview Cover

“I feel a good print magazine is necessary and accomplishes something web content does not — people want to curl up with a magazine and a cup of coffee, delve into beautiful photographs and read tantalizing stories about the making of great homes and gardens. An engaging website is an important feature of any publication, but there are still many readers, especially of magazines devoted to homes and gardens, who prefer that the information and features be presented in print form.”

Pierce has owned and operated the Houston-based firm Pierce Designs and Associates for over 30 years. Although she has never worked in publishing, her designs were featured in Veranda's 20th anniversary issue and she was selected as a top designer in the 25th anniversary issue. Pierce credits Veranda as one of her biggest inspirations for starting a design magazine.

Milieu is working to establish an extensive, carefully chosen network of writers and photographers, scouts and stylists. The current roster includes David Masello, a seasoned editor and writer who has held senior editorial roles at Town & Country and Country Living, and Peter Vitale, a Los Angeles–based photographer with several books to his credit and appearances in many major magazine.

Another chief contributor is Mary Jane Ryburn, who has been a scout and stylist in the industry for 25 years, while Greet Lefèvre has assumed the role of chief European contributor and scout from her base in Belgium. Manolo Yllera, a Spanish photographer, is roaming Europe in search of projects—and he recently shot one of the homes to be featured in the first issue.

The publisher is Megan Megas, who has been a design associate at Pierce's firm for over 10 years. She has a degree in interior design and has contributed to various design blogs. Consultants Sims Bray and Jim Lewis, formerly the publisher and production director of Veranda, are also on board.

Article for inagural issue

The premier issue is “World of Change,” which will feature the first European project along with other distinctive homes in the United States. According to Pierce, the “Winter Whites” issue will prove that white is the most versatile color in the palette. The spring 2014 issue, “Fresh and Unafraid,” will highlight projects that speak of the season’s sense of renewal, and come summer, the focus will be on the spirited hues of orange and pink.

“Milieu will stand out because we will be ardently, rigorously, and decidedly seeking out new talent,” said Pierce. “We are visiting fun and unexpected places and discovering lesser-known or unknown designers.”

Milieu will be mailed to 100,000 homes and businesses in major metro areas throughout the United States. The targeted demographic will be readers with a median age of 45 and an income of $175,000.