Orders for new residential furniture increased by 10 percent in May over May of 2009, according to the latest survey by High Point accounting and consulting firm Smith Leonard.

So far this year new orders are up 10 percent versus the same period of 2009, the survey found. At this point last year, new orders were off from 2008 levels by 21 percent.

Shipments of completed orders were also up, by 9 percent in May from a year earlier. Year-to-date shipments are up 6 percent from 2009.

The number of factory and warehouse employees was about even in May from April, and up 1 percent from May of 2009. Total payrolls were up 4 percent from May and 19 percent from a year ago.

Report author Ken Smith said that seven straight months of higher orders indicate the bottom for the industry was reached in 2009. He said there has been some talk of activity slowing down again since Memorial Day, but manufacturer backlogs are also building, which is a positive sign.

"It does seem that better times are coming," he said. "It’s just that they are not coming as fast as most would like."