In Fayette County, there are few places that offer the

one-stop shopping of Home Depot for building and remodeling and

now, the home improvement store has expanded their services to

include all of the design and decorating advice you need.

Paula Holden heads up the design department at Home

Depot in Fayetteville offering all the coordinating techniques

needed to pull a room together. From window treatments to kitchen

cabinets, the design center will guide customers through the entire

decorating process.

"We want to let the average homeowner know the design

services are available," Holden said. "And we offer them free

of charge."

When you begin remodeling or even building your home, bring

in your blueprints to take advantage of all the products and

services available from the beginning of the process.

The design center will help you by starting with the lighting

process, which will set the mood or atmosphere of the room.

>From there, you will move on to walls, which may include paint,

wallpaper, cabinets and window treatments. Custom-designed

kitchens by Home Depot save the thrifty homeowner because only a

measurement fee, which goes toward installation is tacked on to

the entire job.

The store boasts of its state-of-the-art technology that allows

the paint department to match any color. With a swatch the size of

a dime, the computer is able to sample the color and mix

pigments with the paint to achieve the exact same color.

The most important thing to do, says Holden, is to get the

customer to share their needs and desires so the home

improvement specialists can help them achieve their goal. Furthermore, this

will allow them to tell customers the most efficient way to spend

their money.

Home Depot can help with virtually every aspect of home

building, except the building itself and pouring concrete or asphalt.

Holden also gives free in-home consultations and any design

consultant in the store can give an in-store consultation, though

they urge appointment be made for undivided attention. All of

the consultants are required to take Lynette Jennings classes and

become certified in kitchen and bath. All in the design center also

attend flooring college where they learn how to lay tile, linoleum

and carpet as well as veneer flooring.

Since none of the employees at Home Depot work on

commission, Holden says there is no pressure from the departments to

urge sales or brand preferences.

"We're about customer service," said Donnie

Wellington, assistant manager of the store. "This is an excellent

company and we're proud to be here."

Holden says they "stand behind the product. There is no

gray area."

Home Depot also offers services to help contractors and

builders. Contractors and builders can call in large supply orders and

the store will have them loaded and waiting at the door for pick up

or delivery services can be set up for the next day on stocked items.

"We ensure quality," said Chuck Clymer, Home Depot

contractor, "we're not infallible, but we will make it right."

Other conveniences include charge accounts that provide

special offers and promotionals and that offer builders and

contractors opportunities to buy supplies before a house is sold or a job

is finished.

Home Depot also guarantees customers the best prices

10 percent provided a written, valid quote from the competition.

For more information about the design services at Home Depot

at the Pavilion in Fayetteville, call the store at 770-461-9819,

ext. 423.

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