Another sign that magazines trafficking in “aspirational” content continue to face tough times: Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. will cease publication of Metropolitan Home magazine with the December 2009 issue. The magazine was part of HFM U.S.‘s Luxury Design Group, which is being dissolved. The LDG also housed Elle Decor and PointClickHome.com, which served as an umbrella for the two online sections representing Metropolitan Home and Elle Decor. The PointClickHome site will disappear, too, along with the single MetropolitanHome.com section.

When the dust settles, only ElleDecor.com will be left in the publisher’s online shelter category, a rep for the HFM U.S. told paidContent. No details though on how many layoffs would result from the magazine’s shuttering. In addition to letting go Metropolitan Home’s editor Donna Warner, about a dozen staffers will be laid off, a source told paidContent. CrainsNY adds that while the edit staff is being cut, the business side will move over to the Elle Group. The news of Metropolitan Home‘s closing comes just a month after Condé Nast pulled the plug on Gourmet and three other titles.

By eliminating Metropolitan Home and its website, HFM U.S believes it can devote more resources to ElleDecor, which will become a part of the Elle Group led by Carol Smith, the unit’s SVP, chief brand officer. The publisher has sought to build up its main Elle.com site over the last few months, such as striking a partnership with invitation-only, discounted luxury shopping site Rue La La.

According to HFM U.S., Metropolitan Home, which was published 10 times a year, claimed a total audience of 2.7 million, with a rate base of 550,000. According to its internal Omniture (NSDQ: OMTR) numbers, PointClickHome.com attracted a monthly average of 359,000 uniques.

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