Buying Guides/Resources

Buying guides that jump over advertising should include “Continued on” and “Continued from” lines. Put a period at the end of each entry in resources sections unless the contact information is in a stacked format (with one line of address per line).

Use all caps in company names only if the name is an acronym.
For commas in company names, see Punctuation/Commas and company names.

For space considerations, “(see above)” may be used rather than repeating the entire address only within the same story and only within the listing of resources for the same page or spread. For example, list the address at the beginning of resources for “Flights of Fancy” on pages 18–19, and use “(address above)” for subsequent listings on that spread. The address should be repeated when the listing for pages 20–21 of the same story begins.

If there is an e-mail address in a listing, there is no need to preface it with “email.” (added 5.14.14)

Use New York City, not just New York, when listing a company’s location but not a complete address.

For pieces from the Better Homes and Gardens® Furniture Collection, follow this example:

Sideboard Sofa Console Table 818816 from the Better Homes and Gardens® Furniture Collection—produced under license by Universal Furniture International, Inc., 877/804-5535; bhgfurniture.com. (removed # before product number 9/17/14)

No spaces are used around an ampersand (&) linking two or more initials in a company’s name. Spaces are used around an ampersand linking two or more words in a company’s name.

Examples:

Drawer pulls (knife, fork, spoon)—Whitechapel Ltd., P.O. Box 136, 3650 W. Hwy. 22, Wilson, WY 83014; 800/468-5534; whitechapel.com.

Countertop Wilsonart Blackstar Granite—Ralph Wilson Plastics Co., 800 S. General Bruce Dr., Temple, TX 76504.

Armchair—American Home Furnishings; for store locations write P.O. Box 3685, Station D, Albuquerque, NM 87190; or call 505/883-2211; am-home.com.
Note: There is no comma after “locations” and no “to” after “write.” A semicolon following the ZIP code separates the calling information.

Rug—Crate and Barrel; to place an order or to learn store locations, call 800/323-5461.
Note: There IS a comma after “locations” because the preceding phrase is particularly long.

Vase—Macy’s; for store locations call 800/456-2297.

Striped sheer Parthian (Pearl)—Fabricut Inc., 9303 E. 46th St., Tulsa, OK 74145; 918/622-7700; fax: 918/622-7711.

Oak wood flooring C-5031 Walnut from the Natural Reflections collection—Bruce Hardwood Floors, 16803 Dallas Pkwy., Dallas, TX 75248; 800/722-4647; bruce-floor.com.

Bumper pad Guardian Angels, crib sham Sandman, both from Bou-Bou collection—Edward Boutross Linens; 800/395-2400.

 

BHG exceptions (updated 5/15/24):

BHG products are listed as the company lists them to assist the reader in searching for them on the website. So they may not follow word lists (e.g., flower pot might have to be open). These formal names are capped, but they do not have to include all the words listed on the site for the product (especially for Amazon and Walmart products).

Products from the BHG Walmart line are credited as Better Homes & Gardens® collection or BHG collection.


 

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Credits: Order

Generally, we will credit in the following order:
Writer:
Photographer:
Illustrator:
Producer:
Designer: (and other professionals involved in the story: food stylist, prop stylist)
Architect:
Builder:
Contractor:
Location:
Field editor:

Some variations may exist, depending on the magazine and specific intentions and uses.

Directionals in credits are italicized.

For line-by-line credits:
There is no period at the end of each line or credit (unless needed after an abbreviation).
Photographer: Jon Miller, Hedrich-Blessing
Designer: Catherine Chiesa/Design Pour Vous
Mural artist: Kathleen L. McCann, Savoir Faire Designs, Inc.
Field editors: Sally Mauer and Hilary Rose

For multiple photographers:
Photographers: directional, Name; directional, Name.

The credit style should be consistent throughout an issue.


 

Copy editors
Field editors
Food stylists
Guidelines
Illustrators
Names
Order
Photographers
Producers/Stylists
Style

Writers

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Trademarks: Common

In general, avoid using brand names. Instead, choose a more detailed but generic description. (Product stories are an obvious exception.)
incorrect: The IKEA sofa creates a lively focal point.
correct: A bright, contemporary sofa creates a lively focal point.

Be aware that some names that have made their way into the vernacular are actually trademarked brand names that usually should be avoided. Con-Tact paper, Crock-Pot, Jacuzzi, Lycra, Plexiglas, Sheetrock, Spackle, Styrofoam, Technicolor (added 1/24/24), Thermos, and Velcro are just a few. If you do use a trademarked name, be sure you’re using it correctly. It’s just as bad to call a generic product “Plexiglas” as it is to call the name brand “plexiglass.” Also, use trademark symbols (™ and ®) only with Meredith products.

Following is a list of common trademarks with the appropriate generic terminology. For a more complete list, search the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database.

Anaglyptaembossed decorative wall covering
Baggiesplastic bags
Band-Aidadhesive bandages
Bel Paesecheese
Bundt panfluted cake/tube pan
Carborundumabrasive
Chalk Paintpaint with a matte, almost chalky, finish
Con-Tactself-sticking covering
Coriansolid-surfacing
CorningWare (12/2/20)cookware, ovenware
Cran-cranberry
Crescent wrenchadjustable-end wrench
Crock-Potslow cooker
Cuisinartfood processor
Cyclone fencechain-link fence
Dacronpolyester fiber/fiberfill
Day-Glofluorescent
Derby-Piechocolate-nut pie
Dry Icerefrigerant
Feather Rocklightweight or porous rock
Fiberglasfiberglass/glass fibers
Fiestawareuse for Fiesta products made by Homer Laughlin China Co.
Filophyllo/pastry dough
Flex-arm lampswing-arm lamp
Formicaplastic laminate
Gunitepneumatically applied concrete
Herculonolefin fiber
Hershey’s KissesKisses milk chocolates (see Word List)
Hide-A-Bedsofa bed
Hot Trayelectric warming tray
Instant Potmultifunction electric pressure cooker
Jacuzziwhirlpool bath
Jell-Ogelatin
Jenn-Airself-venting range
Kiddie Kartoy car
Kitty Littercat box filler
Kool-Aidsoft-drink mix
Laundromatcoin laundry/self-service laundry
Legosplastic construction toys
Lincrustadecorative wall coverings
Liquid Nailsbuilding materials adhesive
Louver draperyvertical blinds
Luciteacrylic resin/acrylic plastic
Lycraspandex fiber
Maceliquid tear gas
Masa Harinatortilla flour
Masonitehardboard/fiberboard
Molly boltexpansion bolt/hollow wall anchor
Mylarclear polyester film
Naval Jellypetroleum jelly
Oasisfloral foam (updated 2/6/17)
Peg-Boardperforated board/pegboard
Pellonfusible webbing
Ping-Pongtable tennis
Plastic Woodwood filler
Play-Dohmodeling clay
Plexiglasacrylic plastic/plexiglass
Poly-Filsynthetic fiber
Polywebfusible webbing
Popsiclefrozen dessert/pop stick
Procionfabric dye
Pyrexheat-resistant glassware
Q-Tipscotton swabs
Realtorreal estate agent (unless member)
Roquefortblue cheese
Saran Wrapplastic film
Scotchgardprotective spray coating
Sheetrockdrywall/wallboard/plasterboard
Shabby Chictimeworn elegance/timeworn chic
Simonizpolish/wax
Sonontubesconcrete form tubes
Spacklesurfacing compound
Spodesponge ware
Stetsonhigh-brimmed hat
Stitch Witcheryfusible webbing
Styrofoamfoam
Tabasco saucehot pepper sauce
Teflonfluorocarbon resins/nonstick coating
Thermopaneinsulated glass
Thermosthermal container
Tinkertoyconstruction toy
Ultrasuedeimitation suede
Vaselinepetroleum jelly
Velcrotouch fastener/hook-and-loop tape
Vise-Griplocking plier-wrench
Waferwoodwaferboard
Walkmanportable radio/stereo and headphones
Weed Eatergrass and weed trimmer
Weight Watchersdiet foods
Woodtapedecorative wood strips
X-actocrafts knife
Xeroxphotocopy
Yellow Pagesno longer a trademark, but often capitalized
Ziplocresealable plastic storage bags, ziplock plastic bags

Trademarks
Common trademarks
Meredith trademarks

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Foreign Words

Foreign words in the body of Webster’s 11th are typed as roman text.

Do not italicize foreign language words not found in Merriam-Webster or other standard English dictionaries—particularly in food content. (updated 6/26/23)
Following anti-bias guidelines: If italics are supposed to mean that something is not a mistake, but rather unfamiliar, italicizing some words ends up setting them apart/othering and gatekeeping what’s considered “worth the mainstream knowing.” Writing the genus of a plant or animal is the only exception to this.

Use accents and symbols as indicated.

Unfamiliar or uncommon foreign terms should not be used if the meaning is not made clear within the
article’s text.


 

Foreign words
Accent marks
Translation help

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Addresses: Street Abbreviations

Ave.
Blvd.
Bldg.
Cir.
Ct.
Dr.
Expwy.
Frwy.
Hwy.
Ln.
Pkwy.
Rd.
Sq.
St.
Terr.
Tpke.

Spell out:
Center
Floor
Fort
Mount
Place
Plaza
Point
P.O. Box
Route (updated 6/26/23)
Suite
Trail
Way

Compass points (updated 9/15/17)
Abbreviate compass points used to indicate directional ends of a street (E., W., N., S.,) or quadrants of a city (NW, SE) in a numbered address. Use a period after a single-letter abbreviation; no period is needed after a two-letter abbreviation. No comma is needed before a quadrant indicator when it follows a street name.
Write the Energy Bureau, 450 W. State St., Boise, ID 83720.
Information is available from the Copy Editors Association, 1603 Grand Ave. NW, Hackney, IL 60201.

Do not abbreviate a single-letter compass point if the number is omitted.
West State Street
Two-letter abbreviations remain abbreviated even in text.
The office is on NW State Street.

If the address is not part of a complete sentence, do not put a period at the end.
Artagraph, 7100 Warder Ave., Markham, Ontario L3R 5M8 Canada


 

Addresses
State abbreviations
Street Abbreviations
Website addresses
Stand-alone cities

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Abbreviations: Degrees and Certifications

In general, do not use periods in academic degrees or professional certifications (updated 6/26/23):
PhD
MD
RN
BA
CDCES (formerly CDE; updated 7/31/20)
CKD
RD
Put all degrees and certifications after the full name and list last name only on second reference. (No Dr. Smith; just Smith.) 


 

Abbreviations
Capitalization
Company Names
Dates and Times
Degrees and Certifications
Periods
Plurals
Spaces

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Trademarks: Meredith (including partner pubs)

On Meredith titles with registered trademarks, include ® on covers, spines, mastheads, title pages, and postal ID/copyright statements. Include ™ on all Meredith titles that do not have registered trademarks. In display type, where the ® or ™ is placed at the end of the title is at the discretion of the designer.

100 Decorating Ideas Under $100®
100 Ideas® (title of magazine)™
100 Weekend Decorating Ideas®
Allrecipes®
American Patchwork & Quilting®
Beautiful Living Through Faith®
Best of Country Gardens®
Better Homes & Gardens®
(magazine) <<Do not use a ® in BH&G running text. updated 3/11/19>>
Better Homes & Gardens® (brand in general; when it’s a specific name, see those that follow or check with the legal department)
Better Homes & Gardens® collection (no italic) (updated 5/17/23)
Better Homes & Gardens® Furniture Collection (no italic)
Better Homes & Gardens® Home Decor Fabrics (no italic)
Better Homes & Gardens Special Interest Publications® (no italic)
Better Homes & Gardens Test Garden® (no italic)
Better Homes & Gardens® Test Kitchen—use second ® with logo, next to bottom right corner of red plaid
BH&G® (no italic)
BH&G® Creative Collection® (no italic)
BH&G® Creative Collection® Publications
BH&G® Special Interest Publications (on a cover in the box near the UPC)
BH&G Online® (no italic)
BHG.com® (no italic)
BH&G Specials™ (no italic)
Big Dreams. Real Budgets.®
Christmas Ideas®
Coastal Living® (added 2/4/21)
Cooking Light®
 (added 5/17/23)
Cook This Not That®
Country French®

Country French Decorating®
Country Gardens®
Country Home®
Diabetes What to Eat®
Diabetic Living®
Do It Yourself Ideas for Your Home & Garden® (but Do It Yourself™)
Dream Gardens Across America®
Easy Garden Guide®
EAT Easy Family Food®
Eat This Not That®
Eat This, Not That!®

Fine Cooking®
(acquired from Taunton Press) (added 2/3/21)
Flea Market Style® (acquired from Athlon) (added 11/8/21)
Forks Over Knives®
Garden, Deck & Landscape®
Garden Doctor. Advice from the Experts.®
Garden Ideas & Outdoor Living®
Halloween Tricks & Treats®
Heart-Healthy Living®
Holiday Baking®
Holiday Cooking®
Holiday Crafts®
Hungry Girl®
ISCRAP, USCRAP®
Kitchen + Bath Ideas®
Kitchen and Bath Ideas® Products Guide™
Living the Country Life®
Living with Quilts
®
Magnolia Journal® (added 6/2/23)
Make It Tonight®
(acquired from Taunton Press) (added 11/8/21)
Meals by the Plate®
Meredith® (no italic)
MeredithSpecials® (one word, no italic)
Mixing Bowl™ (ital.) magazine; Mixing Bowl® (no ital.) website
Quilt Pink™ (ital.) magazine; Quilt Pink® (no ital.) program
Quilt Sampler®
Renovation Style®
SCRAP-A-FAIRE®
Scrapbooks etc.®
Scrapbooks Etc. Inspirations®
Shape®
Simply Perfect®
(title of magazine)™
Southern Living® (added 2/4/21)
Traditional Home®
(added 2/3/21)
Window & Wall Ideas®
Zero Belly®

To make these symbols in Word and InDesign:
™ option-2
® option-r


 

Trademarks
Common trademarks
Meredith trademarks

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Credits: Field Editors

Field editors are always credited with first-use material. Field editors may be credited with pickup materials, but it is not required. In general, credit field editors with pickup materials if a full location if used; do not credit if only a portion of the location is used in a compilation story.

To determine if he/she functioned as a field editor, scout, stylist, and/or producer, see credits: guidelines.

Sarah Alba • San Francisco
Susan Andrews • Kansas City, Kansas
Jorge S. Arango • New York City
Darra Baker • Los Angeles
Mary Baskin • Waco, Texas
Jan Behrs • Portland, Oregon
Jeanne Blackburn • Washington, D.C.
Bonnie Blodgett • Minneapolis/St. Paul
Cynthia Bogart • New York City/Providence, Rhode Island
Bonnie Broten • Minneapolis/St. Paul
Betty Campbell • Victoria, British Columbia
D. J. Carey • Westport, Connecticut
Diane Carroll • Dallas
Andrea Nordstrom Caughey • Davidson, North Carolina/San Diego (Nordstrom added 11/22/22; Sam S. confirmed with Andrea)
Megan Chaffin • Chicago
Lisa Cicotte • Minneapolis/St. Paul
Kimberly Clarke (preferred for credits over married name Kimberly Clarke Armatis) • New Orleans
Stephanie Davis • Tampa
Lois de Vries • Lafayette, New Jersey
Eileen Deymier • Baltimore
Diane DiPiero • Cleveland
Susan Stiles Dowell • Baltimore
Anna Forkum • Nashville
Susan Fox • Houston
Claudia Franklin (is now Claudia Karafotas) • Tucson
Estelle Bond Guralnick • Boston
Chandra Hammond • Chicago
Betsy Harris • Indianapolis
Deborah Hastings • Birmingham, Alabama
Helen Heitkamp • San Francisco
Saxon Henry • New York City
Elizabeth Betts Hickman • Nashville
Carla Breer Howard • San Francisco
Love Albrecht Howard • Boston
Shannon Howard • St. Louis
Laura Hull • Los Angeles
Linda Humphrey • Seattle
Nancy Ingram • Tulsa
Rosemary James • New Orleans
Louis Joyner • Charleston, South Carolina
Claudia Karafotas (was Claudia Franklin) • Tucson
Peggy Keonjian • Portland, Oregon
Colleen Kochannek • Tampa
Maryalice Koehne • Milwaukee
Stacy Kunstel • Jaffrey Center, New Hampshire
Katie Leporte • Des Moines
Karin Lidbeck-Brent • Woodbury, Connecticut
Heather Lobdell • San Francisco
Christina J. Macbride • Washington, D.C.
Bonnie Maharam • New York City
Hillary Maharam • Boston
Trish Maharam • Seattle
Kathleen Mahoney • New York City
Amy Muzzy Malin • Dallas
Elaine Markoutsas • Chicago
Sally Mauer • Chicago/Sarasota, Florida
Lynn McBride • Charleston, South Carolina
Cathy Still McGowin • Birmingham, Alabama
Erin Milgram • San Francisco/Miami
Sandra L. Mohlmann • Charleston, South Carolina/Savannah
Susanna Showers Moldawer • Houston
Anna Molvik • New Paltz, New York
Joetta Moulden • Houston
Lisa Mowry • Atlanta
Barbara Mundall • Eugene, Oregon
Eleanor Lynn Nesmith • Pensacola, Florida (updated 4/8/16 per JBH)
Barbara Nielsen • Baton Rouge
Bill Nolan • Des Moines
Nancy Oates • Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Mindy Pantiel • Denver
Heidi Pearson • Minneapolis/St. Paul
Betty Lou Phillips • Dallas
Darlene Polachic • Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Michael Rainey • Beaufort, South Carolina
Karen Reinecke • San Diego
Shirley Remes • Chicago
Kathy Renwald • Hamilton, Ontario
Stephanie Rommel • Owensboro, Kentucky
Eleanor Roper • Atlanta (updated 7/9/14)
Gisela Rose • Chicago
Hilary Rose • Chicago
Marty Ross • Kansas City, Missouri
Margaret Zainey Roux • New Orleans
Elaine St. Louis • Denver
Susan Salomon • Portland, Maine
Tangi Schaapveld • Minneapolis/St. Paul
Lindsay Silcocks • Vancouver, British Columbia
Alecia Stevens • Minneapolis/St. Paul
Janice Stuerzl • Kansas City (Kansas)
Lynda Sutton • Newport, Rhode Island
Donna Talley • Saratoga Springs, New York
Helen Thompson • Austin
Mary Anne Thomson • St. Louis
Robin Tucker • Los Angeles
Lynda Turner • Seattle
Loralee Wenger • Seattle
Helen Yoest • Raleigh
Khristi S. Zimmeth • Detroit/Toronto


 

Copy editors
Field editors
Food stylists
Guidelines
Illustrators
Names
Order
Photographers/Stylists
Producers
Style

Writers

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