Editor’s Note

Home, Sweet Home

I am sure that our readers share my intense feelings about the importance of home—and staying in it until this pandemic ends. That sentiment was certainly expressed by the two sets of homeowners I interviewed for the home stories in this issue. I had such a lovely time on the phone with each of these folks as we chatted from our respective home offices. We were all so happy to talk about something that brings joy and we all expressed gratitude for the shelter of our homes.

I expect that when this is finally over, residential architecture will never be the same again. There will be more emphasis than ever on passive homes—solar power, wind power and drum-tight insulation. The concept of passive homes, in fact, dates to the 1970s and another crisis: the oil embargo/energy crisis. I also envision a slew of other concepts that make households more self-sufficient becoming standard home-construction practices: smart home offices for parents and smart learning stations for children, as well as rooftop gardens, greenhouses, aquaponics, even chicken coops. It will be an exciting, revolutionary time in residential architecture, and we welcome the opportunity to cover innovative solutions in Northern Home & Cottage.

Until then, join me in being so grateful for the homes that we have—whether they are in the woods, on the water, in a suburb or city. Our staff at MyNorth (Traverse Magazine, Northern Home & Cottage, MyNorth.com among our many products) has heard from so many of you this month, telling us about how important our publications are to your connection with Northern Michigan. Despite the fact that by virtue of the circumstances we are more isolated from any of you than we could ever imagine, in our hearts, we feel closer than ever.

Stay safe, stay well, and settle into this issue to celebrate homes of the present—and take a moment to dream of all the good things to come.

Elizabeth Edwards is managing editor of Northern Home & Cottage. lissa@traversemagazine.com