News Releases

Sep 1, 2021
Southern Living Reveals October Issue Cover Story Featuring Its 2021 Idea House

Consumers Can Experience the Brand's First Kentucky Idea House Through an Upcoming TV Special, Behind-the-Scenes Videos and Interviews, Digital and Print Content, IG Lives and Home Tours

17 Sponsors Including Monogram Appliances, Sherwin-Williams, Sleep Number and Sunbrella Are Showcased Throughout the Home

NEW YORK and BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Meredith Corporation's (NYSE: MDP) Southern Living today unveils its highly-anticipated annual Idea House across print, digital, video and more.  Located in a prime setting in Louisville, Kentucky, overlooking the Ohio River, the Southern Living Idea House 2021 is the cover story of Southern Living's October issue, on newsstands September 17, and is featured across Southern Living's digital and social channels now. The subject of a half-hour special airing across Meredith TV stations beginning September 25, the home is open to the public for in-person tours through December.

"After an action-packed year of planning, designing and building, it's always thrilling to see our Idea Houses come to life," said Sid Evans, Editor in Chief of Southern Living. "This year we focused on the concept of a "forever home," the kind of place you'd never want to leave. From the dramatic setting to the versatile spaces for living, working, and entertaining, the house overdelivers on its promise to meet the evolving needs of daily life. A big thanks to our talented design team for their incredible innovation, ingenuity, collaboration and sense of style."

The 5,545-square-foot 2021 Idea House has five bedrooms, five full baths, two half baths, a family-friendly media room, a children's study, a centrally located multi-use studio for everything from crafting projects to homework, and plenty of porch space for outdoor living and alfresco dining. This year's home was created by a team of renowned experts in their fields, including Louisville-based builders Jason Black and Jimmy King of Artisan Signature Homes, Atlanta-based architect Brandon Ingram of C. Brandon Ingram Design, Nashville-based interior designer Sarah Bartholomew and landscape architect Josh Myers of Myers & Co. Landscape Architecture. 

"The house is livable, relaxed, and classic. I wanted it to be like your favorite pair of jeans—they are easy to throw on and comfortable but still look and feel great. Enjoying the location beside the water, the beautiful view, and indoor-outdoor living was a big part of how I was inspired by this house," says Sarah Bartholomew, who will be interviewed on IG Live by Sid Evans on September 23. She'll share more about her design aesthetic, her approach to this year's home, and insider tips for those looking to create their own forever homes.

A special Idea House edition of The Southern Living TV show will begin airing across Meredith TV stations the weekend of September 25, as well as on Meredith's free streaming network PeopleTV, available here and on mobile and connected TV devices. Hosted by Southern Living's Ivy Odom, the show will take viewers on a journey through the 2021 Idea House's creation, from conception to completion. Providing an-depth look at the rooms and details of the house indoors and out, the show features interviews with members of the design team who share their insights and inspiration. The show also tells the history of the long-running Idea House franchise, covering how the Idea House got its start more than 30 years ago, where it's been and the incredible following it has established. 

The 2021 Idea House is open Thursday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. through December 19. Admission is $25, with a portion of each ticket benefiting Gilda's Club Kentuckiana and The LEE Initiative. The home will also host special events in the months ahead, such as pet adoption days and a tailgating-themed weekend, among others. Visit ideahouseky.com to purchase tickets and learn more about the tours. 

Integrated within the home, the Southern Living Idea House 2021 sponsors are: Clopay® Garage Doors, Cultured Stone, Kindred Outdoors + Surrounds, James Hardie, Kerrygold USA, Log Still Distillery, Marvin®, Monogram Appliances, The PEDIGREE® brand, Royal® Building Products, The Sherwin-Williams Company, Sleep Number®, Southern Living® Collection Exclusively at Dillard's, Southern Living® Plant Collection, Summer Classics Home, Sunbrella®, and Wellborn Cabinet, Inc.

For the October issue's cover story, Southern Living features 30 photos of the home across 13 pages of interviews and reporting, with additional photos and video available on southernliving.com/ideahouse. The Idea House is located in The Breakers at Prospect, a new community with homes in coastal and historical designs.

To recreate this year's home in your area, the "Riverbend" Southern Living House Plan is available for purchase at houseplans.southernliving.com.

About Southern Living 
Southern Living celebrates the essence of life in the South, covering the best in Southern food, homes, gardens and travel. Southern Living connects consumers to the region's rich culture through a variety of print, digital, mobile, social and event platforms, as well as its TV show and Biscuits & Jam podcast. Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, the rapidly expanding Southern Living brand is produced by Meredith Corporation.

 

 

SOURCE Meredith Corporation

For further information: Elizabeth Marsh, Elizabeth.Marsh@meredith.com