In recent months, you may have heard a lot about investing in gold. But is gold the right choice for you? Actually, many factors are involved in this investment decision ?and you?ll want to consider these factors before you invest.

Of course, the lure of gold is undeniable. Throughout history, gold has been perceived as having great intrinsic value. And this year, as you may know, gold prices have hit record highs, at well over $1,200 an ounce, as people have sought ?shelter? from the stormy financial markets.

Although an interior designer first and foremost, Genie Purcell is being approached more and more to wave her magic wand of style and design to create fantasy weddings for Southern brides. She explains that weddings are as much of a design concept as interior design: a wedding should reflect the personalities of the bride and groom, just as a home must suit the lifestyle of its owners. Balance, scale and texture are important design elements. However, Genie’s real passion is for color, and she is never faint of heart when it comes to choosing rich, bold hues. She embraces color in all its glory, intuitively combining complimentary shades to showcase the elements of the wedding — flowers, fabrics and décor. “Color is power,” Genie says. “Whether in a home or a wedding, color can make or break the total appeal.”

Story: Margaret Morgan 

Home Accent Interiors was started in 1987 by Margaret Morgan, and together with her team of talented designers, she created a complete design center from which she and her staff created beautiful homes for numerous clients in the greater Atlanta area. Their clientele eventually extended from north Georgia to as far south as Florida. In 2003, Home Accent Interiors was selected as the best design firm in Gwinnett County; in 2006, the firm was chosen as one of the top 50 retail firms in the United States by Home Accents Today magazine.  Margaret and her staff are still very much involved in the industry, designing beautiful homes in 2010. 

Story: Justin Martin

The words “Oconee County Welcome Center” are now printed on many unique signs adorning the storefronts on historic Main Street in downtown Watkinsville. “After many years of waiting, Oconee County Tourism has finally found a place to call home,” says Tourism Director Peggy Holcomb. Once located in an unassuming office complex off a back street in Downtown Watkinsville, the old Welcome Center was at the end of a long maze of buildings and trees. Travelers were lucky if they were able to find the sign with an arrow pointing left, reading “Welcome Center This Way” on a sign that would commonly be described as the size of a note card.