Following a three-year downturn, the remodeling industry can look forward to a sustainable recovery in 2011, accord-ing to Harvard University’s Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies. Findings released January 13 show the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) projects 6.5 percent annual growth in home-improvement spending in the third quarter of 2011. ■ “Favorable interest rates, a pickup in home sales, and the strengthening economy should lead to healthy gains in remodeling spending this year,” said Eric S. Belsky, managing director of the center. ■ The national view backs up what we are seeing locally. Cottages & Gardens readers are actively renovat- ing their homes and purchasing products and services at a rate of 4 to 9 times that of the nation’s affluent homeowners. See the great renovation projects in this issue. And we’ve just completed a new renovation survey, so contact us for the latest on how our readers are spending their reno- vation dollars. ■ Cottages & Gardens editorial excellence continues to be celebrated! The Eddie Award is the magazine industry’s largest and most prestigious contest for editorial and design excellence. Hamptons Cottages & Gardens won the Gold Eddie Award in the Shelter/Home full issue for the June 25, 2010 issue and the bronze Eddie in the same category for the June 1, 2010 issue. Connecticut Cottages & Gardens won a Bronze Eddie in the Consumer, Shelter/Home, Single Article category for “Generation Gap” from the September 2009 issue.
Congratulations to our editorial and design teams.