Articles by Kristi Cole on ArticleSnatch.com

French Country Kitchen Design and Decor Tips

Thu, 09 Aug 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The most captivating room in a French country home is often the kitchen because it serves as the social gathering point for good food and conversation with friends and family. You can add this rustic charm to your kitchen by focusing on the colors, fabrics, furniture and decor. Bringing these characteristics into the design of your French country kitchen is easier than you may think. Many hillside houses in the southern region of France are fairly small and so are their kitchens. Their French owners focus on warm colors and maximizing available space with functional earthy furniture and old-age accessories. Warm Colors - Almost all rural French kitchens have warm appealing colors. Sunny yellows, gold, rustic red, azure blue and dark hunter green create that warm and elegant French country hillside feeling. Walls are often painted a buttery yellow or light cream color to accentuate the natural light. Creamy stucco walls with dark olive green and rich burgundy accents will immerse your senses in the ambiance of a quaint vineyard home in the south of France. Tuscan sun-drenched color can be emphasized with terra cotta tiles or a worn wooden floor. **End Summary** Topics: french country kitchen design decor decorating furniture pictures cabinets ideas tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> For more information on French Country Kitchen Design , Decor and other Interior Decorating Tips visit www.inhomeimprovements.com This article is free for reproduction but must be reproduced in its entirety including live links and this copyright statement must be included: Copyright ÃÂ© 2007 Kristi Cole

Closet Organizers Help DeClutter and Enhance Interior Design Aesthetics

Sun, 03 Jun 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Removing clutter and organizing your home is the holy grail of most home owners. There are endless possibilities for organizing your closet, pantry, garage and other spaces using closet organizers. Don't tolerate cluttered and disorganized spaces any longer. With a properly designed closet organizers, shelves, drawers, hanging rods, and other features can be easily adjusted, added or removed, and reconfigured as often as you wish as your needs change. Components can be built to last using durable and attractive wood that wipes clean with a cloth for easy maintenance. Most closet systems are made from melamine panels which is constructed from a melamine resin with decorative paper, thermally fused to an industrial grade of particleboard or medium density fiberboard (MDF). Panels are supplied with decorative faces on one or both sides. A 3/4" thick material is typically used for extra durability and strength. If you are the do-it-yourself type, you can easily build your own closet organizer. Start by dividing your clothes into two or three groupings organized by height. Determine the width and height each group requires. Be sure to allow space so the clothes will not be crammed together. **End Summary** Topics: closet organizers]]> declutter]]> storage systems]]> clutter]]> control clutter]]> home remodeling]]> interior design]]> remove clutter]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kristi Cole is a home remodeling consultant at www.inhomeimprovements.com where you will find tips to help control clutter by installing closet organizers . This article is free for reproduction but must be reproduced in its entirety including live links and this copyright statement must be included: Copyright ÃÂ© 2007 Kristi Cole

Installing Low Voltage Landscape Lighting

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Having your outdoor landscaping look beautiful both day and night can be as simple as installing low voltage lighting. Low voltage lighting is available in abundance of styles and can add emphasis to key elements of your home or garden at night. Outdoor lighting will also make it safer on your walkways after the sun goes down. Low voltage landscape lights are easy and safe to install even if you are electrically challenged if you follow these simple instructions. When installing low voltage landscape lighting, it's important to remember that you are still working with electricity. Always shut the power off before working and don't touch the wires near electrical panels. Make sure your hands are dry and wear rubber gloves for improved insulation. Consult your manufacturer's safety directions and always check with your utility company before digging so they can inform you of the location of underground wires or pipes. Install the Transformer - The transformer should always be installed near a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet. A GFCI outlet is designed to protect you from severe or fatal electric shocks. **End Summary** Topics: Landscaping Ideas]]> Landscape Design]]> Lighting]]> Contractor]]> Architect]]> Garden]]> Gardening]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kristi Cole is a home remodeling expert offering outdoor landscaping ideas at www.inhomeimprovements.com . Webmasters and publishers, please feel free to use this article provided this reference is included and all links remain active

Who Does Your Home Real Estate Agent Really Work For?

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0500

If you are thinking of buying a new home, it is in your best interest to know the difference between seller, buyer and dual real estate agents. Using the wrong style of agent could affect the financial terms of the deal and have material legal implications. Read on to arm yourself with an understanding of the difference and how to use it to your advantage when buying a home. There has been frequent discussions over the past couple of years about buyer's agents and seller's agents. Real estate law now obligates an agent to indicate who they are representing. This is normally done when you first meet with an agent through a written disclosure document that you must sign that identifies whether the agent is working for the buyer or seller. A seller's agents represent the seller. Most real estate agents who show and market houses are seller's agents. They may be friendly to you as a potential buyer, show you multiple homes and help you prepare an offer on a home. However, the agent is typically working for the seller and looking out for the interests of the seller. **End Summary** Topics: Home Remodeling and Real Estate Tips]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kristi Cole is a real estate and home improvement expert at www.inhomeimprovements.com Webmasters and publishers, please feel free to use this article provided this reference is included and all links remain active.

Staging Your Home to Intrigue Buyers

Thu, 18 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Every home seller wants to ensure they get the highest sales price when selling their homeand get those offers rolling in quickly. Properly preparing or 'staging' your house before you place the for sale sign in the yard can help get that sold sign up quickly. It is important these steps be taken before you place the house up for sale because the first few weeks the house is on the market are the most important. Comprehensive cleaning - This is the one time when you need your house to be immaculate - both inside and outside. Potential buyers will be turned off by dishes in the sink, a smelling litter box or dusty furniture. Professionally clean your carpets. Remember, you want to create a lasting impression - a positive one. Clean your windows, wipe down floor molding, clean counter tops, replace moldy or aged caulking and even clean your garage. Prepare yourself and your family for the challenge of keeping your home spotless for the next several weeks. Reward your children for helping and keeping their rooms clean. **End Summary** Topics: Real Estate]]> Home Staging]]> Selling Your Home]]> Home Sale]]> Staging]]> Declutter]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kristi Cole is a well known writer and home remodeling expert at www.inhomeimprovements.com where you will find more tips on decluttering your home or increasing your curb appeal . Webmasters and publishers, please feel free to use this article provided this reference is included and all links remain active

Why You Should Use an Interior Designer on Your Next Home Remodeling Upgrade

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

A quality designer is as important to a remodeling project as a builder is to a new home construction. If you decide to work with one, the designer should bring a wealth of experience and product knowledge to the table to help you with your remodeling or new home construction project. Finding an interior designer - good interior design consultants are like good therapists. They don't tell you what to do, rather they guide you through a process of selecting options that best suite your style and provides the best outcome. So how do you find a amicable interior design consultant? Well, the best way is through word of mouth and recommendations from friends, family and others. Talk to your friends to see if any of them recently used an interior design specialist and if they would recommend the interior designer to others. Interior designer web sites can be helpful, but also visit local builders and model homes to obtain referrals. Another great source for referrals can be your local furniture supplier. Many furniture supplier retailers provide interior design referrals or have local designers that moonlight in the evening. **End Summary** Topics: Interior Design]]> Decorating]]> Decorator]]> Designer]]> Home Remodeling]]> Home Improvements]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kristi Cole is an interior design and kitchen remodeling expert at www.inhomeimprovements.com Webmasters and publishers, please feel free to use this article provided this reference is included and all links remain active.

Essential Home Buying and Selling Strategies

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0500

Whether you are buying or selling a home, you will face all kinds of people - people with a variety of backgrounds and personal preferences. By identifying their skills and preferences, you can form a strategy to help ensure you get the best price during the real estate deal. When negotiating the sales price or purchase price of a home it can be helpful to separate people into three broad types - analytical, visual, and intuitive - in terms of the way their thinking influences their behavior. Analytical People - The analytical home buyer/seller is mostly influenced by financial, statistical and factual matters. As you might guess, analytic people tend to prefer occupations that require working with numbers such as accountants, financial analysts, auditors and tax consultants. They tend to be left-brain oriented. You can more easily persuade an analytical home buyer/seller by being fully prepared with information related to the financial or factual side of the home purchase or sale. You can possibly even down-play aesthetic or intuitive matters, like the quality or beauty of the home, what a good neighborhood it's in or how fair of a person you are to work with. **End Summary** Topics: Real Estate]]> Home Buyer]]> Home Seller]]> Agent]]> Home Buying]]> Home Selling]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Kristi Cole is a home improvement and remodeling specialist at www.inhomeimprovements.com Webmasters and publishers, please feel free to use this article provided this reference is included and all links remain active.

Essential Tips to Keep Home Improvement Costs Down

Fri, 29 Dec 2006 00:00:00 -0500

Before you hammer the first nail, your home remodeling and improvement projects will face critical make or break points along the way. The choices you make at these points can be critical to the success of the project. To get the most of your remodeling dollar, be sure to follow the steps below to keep your home improvement projects on track and within budget. Hire a professional - Good architects, designers and contractors will add to the initial cost of the project, but can save you money and aggravation in the long run. Their experience will help you find design pitfalls early that can cause budget and timeline problems later. So how do you find a good architect, interior designer, remodeler or contractor? The best way is through word of mouth and referrals. Talk to your friends to see if they recently completed a remodeling project. They may be able to recommend a good architect, interior designer, remodeler or contractor. Also determine if they were satisfied with the quality of the work they received. Another great source can be your local parade of homes or home builders association. **End Summary** Topics: Home Improvements]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> For additional home remodeling tips visit: http://www.inhomeimprovements.com Webmasters and publishers, please feel free to use this article provided this reference is included and all links remain active.