It’s spring and a redo is on everyone’s mind! While we referenced the national renovation trend from the Harvard Study last issue, it seems that Connecticut has renovation fever. According to our recent online renovation survey, 78 percent of our readers plan to renovate their homes in the next 12 months. ■ And it looks…

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…

Connecticut has the highest per capita income in the country, according to information from the latest U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.* We’ve always been bullish about Connecticut’s place in the hierarchy of states, borne out by the study CTC&G conducted last spring that revealed CTC&G readers exhibit 4 to 9 times greater purchasing patterns in…

Last month, I attended a meeting of the newly formed Decorative Furnishings Association (DFA) hosted by the New York School of Interior Design in Manhattan. Founded by heavyweights in the fabrics and furnishings business (think Duralee, Schumacher, Farrow & Ball), the group’s stated goal is to create more consumers of design and refer more clients…

For us it flew by in a flash, and I am happy to say that in spite of the mis- givings we all felt at the end of 2009, 2010 was a great year! Our revenues are up 52 percent and our events, ranging from our Innovation in Design Awards Gala and the Greenwich Red…

For us it flew by in a flash, and I am happy to say that, in spite of the misgivings we all felt at the end of 2009, 2010 was a great year! Our revenues were up a whopping 95 percent and our sponsored events have enjoyed record attendance. The season kicked off at the…

I bought Cottages & Gardens Publications a year ago today as I write this, and the November issue that you’re reading marks our first anniversary. I’m delighted to say that our first year has been a good one. This issue is up 57 percent in advertising revenue and the company is up 54 percent. With…

Last spring, DJ invited a group of design professionals to a breakfast roundtable. The discussions, which covered a variety of top- ics, from shopping with clients to the role of design centers, were lively and informative. The get-together allowed us to develop the hypotheses for a research study that we sent to design professionals in…

Summer is drawing to a close and here at C&G, we’ve had a great one. Our business is reflecting the optimism of the market place and the continued recognition of our brands. We’re up 59 percent in advertising revenues–one of the highest increases in the publishing industry! ■ We’re feverishly working on our new website, which…

We are nearing the end of summer 2010, when the Hamptons revived in all their glory. ■ There wasn’t a hotel room to be had in August, restruants were packed and all the events we were involved with produced record attendance. At HC&G we are up 106 percent in advertising revenues. ■ During this time,…

It’s a fact! The results of our recent readership survey confirm that HC&G readers have a passion for decoration and design. ■ We’ve learned that 71 percent of our readers own two or more homes and the average value of their addi- tional residence is $2.2 million. With an average household income of $838,000, a…

“I pick it up because the magazine has a pulse that makes you want to call a friend and tell them what you discovered.” ■ I hear this all the time from our readers. They are describing how they feel when they see CTC&G at their favorite design store, real estate agent, architect’s office or luxury…

The summer is in full swing. HC&G is publishing at a twice-a-month frequency, and as we continue to see, it’s being snapped up at retailers as soon as it arrives. What happens to the magazine once it’s snagged from the stands? You tell us. ■ Just the other day we spotted a Breakers hotel visor–wearing,…

Super Saturday is a daylong summer fundraising event for the entire family hosted by Kelly Ripa and underwritten by Donna Karan. the event raised $3.4 million last year to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund and reflects the generous spirit of people in the Hamptons. ■ More than 2,000 guests, including celebrities and the media,…

Last month, we asked you to tell us who you are, how you feel about the maga- zine and a little bit about your buying habits. We wanted to find out how HC&G readers compare with the nation’s “affluents,” as identified in our home Luxury Report con- ducted by Unity marketing. ■ I am overwhelmed…

Over the years, Corcoran has approached HC&G with innovative marketing ideas, special events, glossy catalogues and brochures using aspects of HC&G’s signature style to enhance the lifestyle component of their listings. ■ So when the company approached us with the audacious idea of purchasing every ad in an issue of HC&G this season, we were…

Phew! The last few weeks have seen a whirlwind of events sponsored by Connecticut Cottages & Gardens: the Near & Far Aid House Tour with an opening breakfast and a fascinating lecture by design legend Eric Cohler; the Spring Awakening at Le Beau Chateau to benefit the Summer Theatre of New Canaan; the Greenwich Chapter of…

The Wind in the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame, was published in 1908 in England and 1909 in America and over the years has become a much loved classic. The principle characters are talking animals that live in and around a river and, although they all have their faults, display charming examples of hospitality, forgiveness, compassion, generosity and…

It left Shenzhen, China on March 30 and touched down on American soil on April 2 in Anchorage, Alaska via Chek Lap Kok, Hong Kong; from there to Louisville, KY, Jamaica, NY, and finally Norwalk at 12:46pm on April 3. ■ I got the call during the Saturday Easter service rehearsal at the Church. “It’s here,”…

Since joining Cottages & Gardens, I have been enchanted by the passionate following that the magazine has—evidenced by the fact that we are swamped with requests to feature projects from builders, architects and designers each month. These requests are not driven by the vanity of seeing a project in print or on our website although there is…