Best Home Improvement Store

1. The Home Depot

Multiple locations; homedepot.com

The Home Depot is Orange County’s preferred spot for home improvement needs. Based on what the company is seeing inside its stores, you might have made at least one Home Depot trip in the past year.

“Given the housing backdrop of housing appreciation and low interest rates, customers continue to invest in their homes,” says Jabarr Bean, regional vice president, Pacific South of The Home Depot, via email. “This includes major projects in their kitchens and bathrooms that improve both look and functionality, like countertops and appliances.”

Long-term work-fromhome situations have also played a role in home improvement needs, perhaps a continuation of trends from 2020.

“As people have moved to a more hybrid work life, they are still interested in improving their outdoor spaces with projects like gardening and expanding the uses of outdoor sheds to be used as offices or play spaces,” Bean explains.

Inside The Home Depot, customers are picking up power tools and equipment from makers like RYOBI, Milwaukee and Makita. They’re also looking for storage and organization ideas. Flooring projects are another trend that The Home Depot is seeing among customers.

Before you head to The Home Depot, make sure to check out its online guides and tools. The Project Guides, which cover everything from installing a toilet to building a picnic table, are marked by level of difficulty and estimated time. The Project Calculator can help you figure out how much material you’ll need to do the job.

MICHAEL GOULDING, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement retailer. Register readers voted it the best improvement store as part of the Best of Orange County readers poll.

— Liz Ohanesian

2. Lowe’s

Multiple locations; lowes.com

Lowe’s is celebrating its centennial this year and the home improvement behemoth shows no signs of slowing down.

In the first quarter of 2021, Lowe’s saw above average performance in areas like kitchens and bathrooms, as well as outdoor living.

With six locations throughout Orange County, Lowe’s is certainly an essential spot for everything from paint to power tools.

However, you don’t have to be a DIY-er to visit. The company also offers installation services for many of the items it sells, including countertops, siding and smart home devices.

In recent years, Lowe’s has also been aiming to provide more sustainable options for upgrading your home.

In 2020, the chain partnered with the World Wildlife Fund to work to improve its wood sourcing practices and increased the selection of batteryoperated outdoor power equipment.

3. Ace Hardware

Multiple locations; acehardware.com

Ace Hardware can help with anything from plumbing to landscaping to storage needs, but where this chain of independently owned home improvement stores really shines is its Paint Studio.

Online, its ample collection of paints from brands such as Benjamin Moore, Magnolia Home and Clark + Kensington are sorted by palettes.

Browse “2021 Color Trends” for earthy shades like Potters Clay or Amazon Soil, or peruse “Historical Collection” for a swath of classic greens, blues and grays.

Use the visualizer tool on Ace’s website to see how different colors will look on your walls.

Once you get to the store, check in with the experts to make sure you have everything you need for your home improvement project. Ace has an “Extra Mile Promise” program, where if you didn’t get all your tools on your trip to your local store, you can get what you need delivered for free.