H&G from the 2000s to today

Less than 20 years on, we’re already smiling wryly about a ‘Working From Home’ headline on a story about craftspeople and the fact the masthead listed a fax number for reader enquiries. Content-wise, scented candles, Buddhas and the philosophy of feng shui all got more coverage than they merited in the early years of the new millennium.

The obsession with New Age decor was perhaps our unwitting last grasp for a simple life before the onslaught of a thing called the Internet. As the rest of the media world became obsessed with a celebrity and reality culture, Homes & Gardens returned to its interiors roots, making heroes of the new breed of textile designers, craftspeople, e-trepreneurs, boutique retailers, florists…

A century since launching, we’re updating Instagram on our phone rather than caring for fox fur, but we still love a mood board, a colour card and a fabric swatch. It’s good to know some things never change..

Hot H&G topics: Should you embrace chateau chic?Craftsmanship, sourcing, bespoking – how to make it your own.

Key influences in the 2000s

Discover more of the history of Homes & Gardens

In the Zeitgeist

• Facebook – who was poking who?
• Austerity bites.
• London 2012.

Headline news

• The September 11 terrorist attacks.
• Barack Obama becomes the first black president of the USA.
• Same sex marriage is legalised.
• Britain votes to leave the EU.

Cultural radar

• In its first year of opening, 5.25 million people visited Tate Modern – revealing the public’s growing appetite for contemporary art, gallery going and immersive experiences. Olafur Eliasson’s Weather Project from 2003 was a highlight.
• The year 2010 was big for social media. First came Pinterest, then nine months later Instagram, opening up numerous opportunities for storing and sharing style inspiration.

Lifestyle moments

• One part property porn to two parts keeping up with the Joneses, Rightmove overhauled the tricky business of house-hunting. It launched in 2000 and was well placed for surviving the 2008 property crash.
• No kitchen was complete without a Cath Kidston tea towel or an Orla Kiely storage jar.
• When the first iPhone came out in 2007, most people just used their phone to talk to people. Ten years later, who could live without one?

Who knew?

• The launch of the Mr & Mrs Smith travel guide put boutique hotel style on our radar.
• After years of online over-shopping, Marie Kondo’s The Life Changing Magic Of Tidying Up is prompting a lifestyle reversal.