Spring-cleaning has a way of putting the old, worn, out-of-style aspects of your home into perspective. Cabinets that blended into the winter woodwork look dull and uninspiring in the fresh light of spring. Home renovation projects you’ve been putting off jump to the top of your home improvement list. Out of all the home areas in need of a quick springtime makeover, the bathroom is by far the most difficult. Generally too small for major changes, it’s also nearly impossible to decorate beyond hanging pictures and changing the shower curtain. If your bathroom needs a redo, Ace of Gray has you covered with these easy DIY bathroom renovations.

Paint and Stain

The simplest way to freshen up a powder room is to add a splash of color. Bright colored walls add a jolt of energy to a boring bathroom. Painting or staining old cabinets is another easy bathroom update. Contrast a dark wood stain with a whimsical wall color or keep to classic hues with ivory panels and metallic details. Working with a small space? Keep the walls and cabinets neutral in color to open up your bathroom.

Take Advantage of Furniture Storage

If you’re blessed with a large bathroom, furniture is a simple way to update your space and increase your bathroom storage. Find a narrow, open table and make your own drawers by sliding linen-lined wicker baskets underneath it. Stackable storage is another excellent, easy bathroom update. Repurpose a wine rack for storing towels, add floating shelves from floor to ceiling, or install a new cabinet above the toilet for a clean, useful bathroom update.

Update Plain Mirrors

Builder mirrors are a blight on a beautiful bathroom. Flat, square, and usually hung with unattractive hardware, they can ruin a bathroom renovation. Unfortunately, they’re difficult—and expensive—to replace. If you’re stuck in a standard apartment or simply don’t have the funds to purchase a new bathroom mirror, consider framing your mirror. All you need is molding trim, a miter box, liquid nails, paint, caulk, and an hour of free time. You’ll have an elegant bathroom update in no time.

In the mood for home improvement? Stop by Ace of Gray for DIY talk, tools, and tips for your latest renovation projects.

photo from FreeDigitalPhotos

When people think about monogramming, they think of the South. Monograms call to mind sweeping plantations, bright blooms in window boxes, and graceful weddings. Monograms mean heirlooms and family pride, marriages and unity. In the North monograms may be a sign of wealth and grandeur, but in the South they mean love, commitment, and cherished keepsakes.

The History of the Monogram

Although many people believe monograms began with European royalty, monograms have an even more illustrious history. The tradition of monogramming personal treasures dates back to the Greeks and Romans. In ancient times, monograms were stamped onto coins to represent their city of origin. Artists, craftsmen, and even aristocrats quickly latched onto monograms as an elegant way to make their mark on sculptures, furniture, and documents. By the time of the Victorian era, monograms were used to stamp letters, sign paintings, and personalize household items.

Monogramming in the South

Southerners love monogramming for its class, artistry, and history. For centuries, women of the South embroidered quilts, linens, and clothing with monogrammed initials. Wedding gifts are often monogrammed with a couple’s initials to celebrate their union and the start of their history together. Although traditionally a family matriarch sewed monograms onto heirloom belongings, modern technology allows Southern women to personalize items easily and artfully.

Ace of Gray Monogramming

Here at Ace of Gray, we make it easy to personalize your purchases. Whether you’ve bought a new cooler, a tote bag, or spring clothing, we’re happy to monogram your belongings. Create a new family heirloom, make a wedding gift unforgettable, or simply make your child feel truly special with our personalized embroidery or heat press decals.

Call today for more information on Ace of Gray’s monogramming service.

With spring-cleaning well underway, Gray homeowners are up to their elbows in dust, old boxes, and cleaning solution. But as all-inclusive as spring-cleaning may feel, a few household items always seem to get overlooked. As you tackle your home improvement tasks this spring, take a look at these 8 household items that probably need replacing.

1. Toilet Brush. For something that spends so much time in your home’s dirtiest places, toilet brushes don’t get replaced very often. Depending on how often you use it (and how many toilets each brush cleans), consider replacing yours every 4-6 months.
2. Toilet Seats. No matter how well you clean them, old toilet seats just look dirty. Replace yours to make your bathroom feel fresher.
3. Garbage Disposal. After several years of abuse, garbage disposals often get jammed. Stop wincing as your disposal grinds and squeals and invest in a quality brand garbage disposal from Ace of Gray.
4. Water Filters. Water purifiers come with replacement filters for a reason. Follow the instructions on how often to replace your filtration system.
5. Cutting Boards. Old cutting boards develop knife slashes, which collect germs from raw meat. If your cutting board has discolored grooves, replace it.
6. Pillows. People rarely consider how much dust, dander, and dead skin pillows collect. Buy a dust mite pillow cover, wash pillowcases often, and replace bedroom pillows every year or two.
7. Trash Cans. Considering how often garbage bags need replacing, it’s curious that so few people think to clean trashcans. Wipe yours with disinfectant whenever you take out the trash, and buy a new one when the smells start lingering.
8. Remote Control. You may think your remote control isn’t that dirty, but it sits in the busiest section of your house collecting germs from pets and dirty fingers. Studies show remote controls may carry more germs than even toilet seats. Clean your remote regularly and replace it yearly to prevent germ buildup beneath the buttons.

Keep your home germ-free by replacing common household items every few months. Visit Ace of Gray for quality home maintenance materials that are as stylish as they are functional.

photo from FreeDigitalPhotos

As spring rolls through Georgia, homeowners are focused on sprucing up flowerbeds, painting dull drywall, and updating outdoor living spaces. But applying fresh paint and buying new patio furniture isn’t the only way to enjoy spring this year. Take a break from setting up your new Traeger and stock up on springtime sporting equipment.

Clothing and Eyewear

Spring has finally arrived, and summer won’t be far behind. Prepare for camping, home entertaining, and trips to the beach with clothing and sportswear from Ace of Gray. If you love cute sundresses, practical footwear, or monogrammed kids’ clothing, keep an eye on our gift shop Facebook photos. If sporting equipment is more your style, check out our selection of Columbia clothes and Georgia Boots. Don’t forget to pick up a pair of Coasta Del Mar sunglasses for your springtime golfing, fishing, and lounging by the lake.

Coolers

Nothing cooks a burger quite like a Big Green Egg, but a cooler is crucial to keeping your refreshments ready. Whether you’re exploring the great outdoors, watching your kids play baseball, or packing up and heading to the beach, Yeti coolers will keep your snacks fresh and your adventures awesome. Choose from our open coolers for backyard entertaining, our travel-sized cooler for family road trips, or our full-sized cooler for cookouts and tailgates. Do you love hitting the lake, camping with your family, or cooking burgers at the game? Purchase a Yeti cooler from Ace of Gray and receive FREE ICE FOR LIFE. There’s no better way to keep cool when the temperatures start heating up.

Prepare your family for the return of warm weather with apparel and sporting equipment from Ace of Gray.

Spring-cleaning is in the air. While most people think spring home improvement means cleaning out the attic and organizing the tool shed, just as often it means touching up peeling paint, unclogging gutters, and fixing leaky faucets. To make your home maintenance easier this March, we’ve complied a list of 10 home improvement life hacks that will make all the difference.

1. To remove mildew from the showerhead, tie a plastic bag of vinegar around the neck and leave overnight. In the morning it will clean easily.
2. Use bread tabs to label power cords. Eliminate tangled cords by looping the excess and holding it in place with a hair clip.
3. Place a rubber band over a stripped screw for extra traction.
4. Did your space heater leave a dent in the carpet? Lay ice cubs in the groove to fluff your rug.
5. Wrap a rubber band across the opening of a paint can. Wipe excess paint off your brush without causing a mess.
6. Dry lines of acrylic-latex caulk on the bottom of rugs to prevent slipping.
7. Need an attractive option for bathroom storage? Hang a wine rack and roll your towels.
8. Glue a magnet to the bottom of your hammer to keep nails handy.
9. Hold small nails in place with a clothespin to protect your fingers.
10. Fold a post-it note and stick it to the wall to catch dust when you drill.

Need tools, building materials, or home improvement tips? Ask the professionals at Ace of Gray.

The official start of spring is still weeks away, but no one shared the date with our Georgia landscapes. Flowers, trees, and lawns across Gray are starting to show signs of greening up. As you pack up the pruning shears and preemergent herbicides for another year, remember these 3 home improvement projects to prepare your house for spring.

1. Spring-cleaning. Out with the old, in with the new. No matter how much we might dread it, when spring rolls around it’s time to clean. Enlist the help of family and friends to complete your home improvement tasks more quickly. Throw away the storage items that are just taking up space, wipe away the dust that collected over the winter, and scrub dank home spaces prone to mold growth. Spring-cleaning often reveals drywall that needs patching and pipes that need replacing, so set aside a portion of your March budget for home improvement and maintenance.
2. Landscaping. There’s no better time to revamp your garden than just before spring arrives. Transplant last year’s blooms before they emerge from dormancy to reduce the shock of repotting. Plant spring bulbs for a burst of late season color. Fertilize your lawn or lay spring sod to ensure thick, green grass for the kids to play on and the neighbors to admire. If you have a tried-and-true green thumb, visit Ace of Gray and choose from a selection of plant seeds in our Garden Center.
3. Allergy-proofing your home. Pollen season will be here before you know it. If you or your loved ones suffer from spring allergies, it’s time to get serious about your home improvement. Replace all HVAC air filters every few months to ensure clean home air. Reseal windows and doors with sturdy weather stripping and caulking. Consider ripping up old carpets—which collect dust, dander, and pollen—and renovating your home flooring.

Want to make your house fresh again? Stop by Ace of Gray and receive free advice from our home renovation experts.

Photo from FreeDigitalPhotos

Spring is creeping up to Gray, bringing with it warm breezes, bright blooms, and the promise of outdoor entertaining. But flowers aren’t the only plants taking root in our gardens: weeds are preparing to sprout, too. Prevent a yard full of summer weeds by applying a preemergent herbicide to your grass.

Timing Preemergents

When deciding when to apply preemergent herbicides, it’s important to remember: the calendar varies from state to state. While most landscapers recommend applying winter weed-killers around the middle of March, Southern gardeners follow a different timetable. Due to our early growing season and temperate winters, Georgia landscapers recommend applying preemergent herbicides no later than March 1^st. Because preemergents are designed to kill spring weeds before they sprout, late applications of preemergent herbicides are ineffective.

Tailoring Preemergents

Maintaining a luscious lawn isn’t hard work, but it does require foresight, planning, and a little help from the professionals. Preemergent herbicides are chemically designed to protect your lawn as they kill early spring weeds. Because of the specificity of their chemical makeup, each preemergent targets a specific type of weed. Apply herbicides tailored to the weeds that sprout in your yard each year. Southern landscapers should be wary of “weed and feed” preemergent/fertilizers. In the heat of Georgia summers, these herbicides often burn your grass, leaving dead and brown patches in your landscape.

Maintaining Home Lawns

Well-tended grass is the best way to deter spring weeds in your lawn. The thicker and healthier your grass, the less room for weeds to take root. To limit crabgrass and other spring weeds, mow your lawn with a sharp-bladed mower, water your grass sufficiently during summer heat and winter drought, and fertilize your yard in early autumn and late spring.

Ask the landscape professionals at Ace of Gray which preemergent herbicide is right for your lawn.

It’s hard to believe that spring is almost here. The weather in Gray is fluttering between chilly, overcast mornings and warm, sunny afternoons, making us yearn for the beauty of spring blooms. Truckloads of fresh spring bulbs, seeds, and flowers are en route to Ace of Gray, but there are plenty of lawn care tasks to keep you busy until they arrive.

Lawn Maintenance

Our lawns have had a rough few weeks. Ice, slush, and splintered tree limbs have made hazardous mud pits out of our well-groomed landscapes. Take advantage of the cool weather and tend your yard. Remove debris like broken limbs, deadhead perennials whose blooms didn’t survive the storm, and fix any drainage issues the winter storms revealed in your gardens. Apply preemergent herbicides to discourage crabgrass and other spring weeds from sprouting. Continue to water your grass and shrubs, and mow cool-season grasses like fescue.

What to Plant in Your Garden

Choosing what to plant in your garden is almost as crucial as the planting itself. Design your landscape based on aesthetic, color, or ease of maintenance. Take into account how annual and perennial flowers will affect the look of your landscape in subsequent years. Next, choose whether to cultivate your spring flowers from seeds, seedlings, bulbs, or transplanted specimens. Ace of Gray’s Garden Center stocks a variety of plants suited to the Georgia landscape, but the speed and permanence of planting is up to you.

Landscape Equipment Maintenance

Late winter is the ideal time to service your lawn mower and other garden equipment. Ace of Gray has a fully equipped professional service center to tune and repair your lawn mower. Take stock of your landscaping equipment and replace any shovels, trowels, or pruning shears showing signs of rust or dulling. Well-maintained landscaping tools will help you cultivate a well-tended garden.

Want to know about our newest lawn care tools, professional services, and spring flowers? Call Ace of Gray or stop by our Garden Center.

The weather is as unpredictable as ever, but Gray homeowners are starting to look past the dreary cold to the bright renewal of spring. Landscaping tasks like tending flowers, laying sod, and planting trees may depend on warmer weather, but February is the perfect time to plan home renovation. Before you buy building materials and fresh home décor, take a look at the 5 biggest home renovation mistakes homeowners make:

1. Buying cheap materials. Purchasing subpar building materials and equipment undermines your renovation. Flimsy cabinets and cheap flooring may save money now, but soon you’ll be shelling out cash for replacements. Using cheap power tools and renovation equipment guarantees poor results and increases your risk of injury.
2. Failing to plan. Don’t get knee deep in ripped-up carpet before you purchase hardwood flooring. Before you begin any home renovation project, recheck your measurements, prepare materials, start with a clean space and quality tools, obtain necessary work permits, and hire the necessary contractors.
3. Ignoring the constraints of your home. No matter what your dream room looks like, you have to work with the home you have. Don’t buy overlarge furniture or dark hued paint before you assess your home space. Pay attention to permanent fixtures, natural lighting, and available room for expansion before you determine what renovations are right for you.
4. Shortsighted renovating. Your new outdoor kitchen may be picture-perfect, but if it doesn’t match your home style, it will probably seem out of place. Before you add, remove, or refurbish an area of your home, determine which other rooms will need an update. There’s nothing worse than a gorgeous, modern kitchen beside a den with dirty shag carpets.
5. Getting swept up in trends. The key to home renovating is balance. Instead of implementing the latest home trends in your spring renovations, choose timeless fixtures and classic colors. You can always add bright hues and bold prints on interchangeable décor like pillows and pictures.

Stop by Ace of Gray for renovation tips, building materials, and classic design trends.

photo from FreeDigitalPhotos

Valentine’s Day is just a week away. Whether you’re a planner, a spontaneous romantic, or a last-minute shopper, Ace of Gray has what you need to create the perfect evening for the person you love.

Valentine’s Day Basics

Need a quick gift or a lead-in to a romantic dinner? Does your wife, girlfriend, or crush love chocolate? Ace of Gray has a range of tasty treats to delight any Valentine. From the classic box of heart-shaped chocolates to a carefully arranged bouquet of candy bars, we have something to satisfy your loved one’s sweet tooth. Want something that will last past February 14^th? Floral arrangements will bring a smile to her face long after the last piece of chocolate has melted in her mouth. Choose from our selection of supple red roses and surprise your significant other at work or school. We deliver FREE to schools on February 13^th and to all businesses with orders of $25 or more.

A Personal Valentine

If you’re looking for a dash of romance and mystery, there’s no better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with a personalized present. Customize your gift with an embroidered stuffed bear or personalized beaded bracelets. Looking for something out of the ordinary? Once you’ve found the perfect picture on Pinterest, stop by Ace of Gray for DIY supplies for your Valentine’s Day project. From baskets to picture frames to paint and brushes, we stock everything you need to make a homemade Valentine’s Day gift your significant other will cherish!

When in doubt, it’s great to help out. Wives love husbands who are handy, so grab a new wrench and fix that leaky sink you’ve been ignoring since the holidays. There’s nothing more romantic than that!