I have to thank decor8 reader Margot J. who sent me a copy of Canada's newest gem, Chocolat, a shelter magazine that is, overall, really fantastic.

It's a shopping magazine, much like Domino, but it has somewhat of a UK feel to it - it's a little like Ideal Home meets Living Etc. maybe? Hmmm. Hard to describe. I love the title typefont and all the resources it lists inside, and the website is equally good with a few great DIY articles that are practical and do not involve power tools or a degree in fine arts.

I really enjoyed the online feature, Sticky Situations, all about using decals in creative ways, particularly since I've done this before and found it to be a terrific (and cheap!) shortcut to add personality to the home.

Content rich, packed with finds, and not a lot of advertisements only adds to the appeal. The layout and design isn't as drool inducing as some of my favorite glossies, I think the product shots could be more enticing and the photos of space could look better (Domino and Living Etc are tough to live up to!), but being that this is only issue #2 and it appears to only be published quarterly, I think they're off to a great start and hopefully will grow from here to become the Domino of Canada. I love all the links and design tips, and the 24 hour shopping guide to Calgary was an exceptional feature. I will definitely look for the Spring issue when I'm up in Montreal in a few months.

Thanks again Margot for the preview, It's a lot of fun to look at and I really appreciate that you took the time to mail it to me! More on Chocolat here.

(images from chocolat)

http://www.decor8.blogspot.com