For nearly a decade, I’ve split my time between two of the hottest real-estate markets in America—Manhattan and Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. And even though I’ve held a steady job with a tidy salary, I’ve always been a guy who rents.
I know, I know, renting is like dating—lots of expense, no buildup of emotional capital, and no groovy tax breaks. But it wasn’t until just 18 months ago, at a time in life when most of my peers had owned houses for nearly a decade, that I put a down payment on my first place.
Call me a commitmentphobe, but until recently, I just wasn’t ready. Financially, yes, but emotionally, no. A home isn’t just an investment of cash—it’s an investment of spirit. Men invest themselves in their homes only when they reach a certain stage in their lives. That might be when they meet the right woman. Or when they have children. For me, the time came when I looked around and realized something was missing. I had nice clothes, a sleek ride, and a corner office, and each of them said something about who I am. But clothes go out of style, cars run out of life, and careers eventually fade. And there wasn’t a place I could call mine—where all the elements in my life could come together. A place I could go that was both familiar and reassuring, and that would always be there. A place that does more than just house me—it is me. It’s where I live.
It’s that idea of home that inspired us to launch Men’s Health Living. Whether you’ve made the leap into home ownership or are still waiting for the right moment, this is a magazine about making the space around you reflect who you are—the style, sensibility, and credo that guide your life. In our first issue, Editor Bill Phillips and the team reveal the kitchen secrets of America’s top chefs, a closet overhaul that will accelerate your next promotion at work, and design tricks that will inspire you and wow her. We also reveal the perfect home—as envisioned by the three architects we challenged to design it—and show you the a dozen fix-it skills every guy must know.
So enjoy Men’s Health Living. After all, it’s where you live.
Portrait by NIGEL PARRY, stylist: Sabina Kurz/Susan Price, groomer: Jenna Menard/Jump Management. Jason Statham by ART STREIBER, stylist: Brian Boye and Samantha Rubin, groomer: Helen Robertson for Redkin/celestineagency.com