Loan Limits Raised for Mortgages to be Acquired by the Enterprises
WASHINGTON, DC — The Federal Housing Finance Agency has announced an increase in conforming loan limits (CLLs) for mortgages to be acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) in 2022. In most of the U.S., the 2022 CLL for one-unit properties will be $647,200, an increase of $98,950 from $548,250 in 2021, according […]
Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition Open for Entries
NEW YORK — Confindustria Ceramica (the Italian Association of Ceramics) and the Italian Trade Agency have announced that the 2022 Ceramics of Italy Tile Competition is open for entries. The annual awards program celebrates the exceptional work of top North American architects, designers, and students who use Italian ceramic and porcelain tile in their projects […]
Indulgent Reflections
While bath accessories are often touted for the organization or comfort they provide, products such as medicine cabinets and mirrors can be statement-making pieces while they provide a needed function. Lighting is a key component of today’s mirrored fixtures, and many deliver different colors and temperatures to add brightness or a softer atmosphere, depending upon […]
Kitchen Franchise Company Adds Pair of Business Units
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — Multi-brand franchisor Premium Service Brands has added a major grout cleaning and restoration franchise to its network of home-service brands, the company announced. The 67-location franchise operation The Grout Medic was added to a roster of home-service franchises that includes kitchen remodeling brand Kitchen Wise, painting brand 360-Degree Painting, cleaning brand Maid […]
Formica Corp. Accepting Entries For 2022 Student Competition
CINCINNATI, OH — Formica Corp. has announced the opening of the com- pany’s “FORM Student Innovation Competition,” an annual competition that will be marking its fifth anniversary in 2022. The annual competition invites architecture and interior design students in the U.S. and Canada to showcase their creativity through original furniture designs that feature Formica Brand […]
Appliance Firm Relocates Showroom To LuxeHome in Chicago
CHICAGO — Middleby Residential Showcase Gallery, an appliance retailer anchored by Viking Range and La Cornue, has relocated to a new, larger space at LuxeHome, the Chicago-based collection of boutiques for home building and renovation. At more than 7,000 sq. ft., Middleby Residential will more than double the size of its existing showroom at the […]
Wellborn Cabinet Marks Alabama Factory Expansion
ASHLAND, AL — Wellborn Cabinet Inc. has announced the groundbreaking for a major expansion of the company’s cabinet manufacturing facility here. The $15-million expansion will add more than 175,000 sq. ft. to the 60-year-old company’s cabinet manufacturing factory, impacting more than a dozen facets of the company’s operations, Wellborn officials said. The expansion is expected […]
Cabinet, Vanity Sales Termed ‘Healthy’ Through October
RESTON, VA — Major domestic kitchen cabinet/vanity manufacturers continued to report “healthy” sales through October, according to the latest in a series of monthly surveys conducted by the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association. The KCMA’s latest “Trend of Business Survey,” released today, reflected a year-to-date sales increase among participating cabinet manufacturers of 14.7% through October, compared […]
Homeowners Seeking ‘Spa Feel’ in Bath Remodels, Study Finds
PALO ALTO, CA — U.S. homeowners are increasingly turning to their master bathroom as a safe and peaceful respite from a world that often seems chaotic and threatening, a major new survey has found. According to the 2021 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study, whose results were released last month, two in five surveyed homeowners report […]
Ongoing Supply Chain Disruptions Termed Threat to Housing
WASHINGTON, DC — Ongoing global supply-chain disruptions coupled with the prospect of higher interest rates threaten to exacerbate affordability problems for both new and existing homes in the months ahead, the National Association of Home Builders said last month. Housing affordability, according to the latest figures released by the NAHB, held steady at its lowest […]