Toronto design celebs team up for an important cause

I’ve always liked Arren Williams. Not only does he have good taste, he knows a lot of good bars, a fact to which I, having shared a press junket or two with him, can attest. And while I’m not sure that Tommy Smythe knows any boffo boîtes, he too has exquisite taste, and I’d buy him a drink anytime. So it makes me very happy to help spread the word about a wonderful video project they’ve put together to support gay teen-agers and young adults being bullied and denigrated — a la the It Gets Better campaign in the U.S.

Click on this link because  you must watch it.

Now, I myself don’t happen to be gay — although when I think of Angelina Jolie in that Tomb Raider costume — oh never mind. But I am just old enough to remember a time when what seemed to be full armies of smart, witty, creative, erudite, extremely well-groomed and terribly bright young things - who just also happened to be gay - got mowed down by a disease. What a waste.

I think it’s important that the current gen doesn’t get taken out by self doubt or the misfortune of living among the ignorant or cruel. It would be more  sad and senseless waste. So even if you’re not young and troubled, watch the folks in this video. And tell me if they aren’t going to be the coolest kids at just about any party? Proof that it does indeed get better.

Playing with colour

 
This is my favourite shot from the selection of images that Misty Walker, colour marketing manager for Olympic Paints (available exclusively at Lowe’s), showed to several design and décor writers today, as part of a colour trend presentation. I just love the contrast between the teal-blue, hot pink and zesty green. This look, which Olympic has dubbed Pop-luxe, was one of four trends shown. I'll share more on that, along with new eco-friendly and dirt-resistant exterior formulas, in an upcoming Hot Home Products column. In the meantime, have some fun with the company’s new online ColorClix application, a desktop colour tool that lets you grab any colour displayed on your computer and match it to the shade closets to it in Olympic’s palette, which numbers more than 1,200 — and all of which can be found in a Zero VOC formula. Users can also create and save grouping of colours for future projects, and test how they’ll look in a virtual room. Then, they can be shared through Twitter and Facebook. ColorClix tool also connects to the Olympic Paints harmony colours feature, which shows complementary paint shades that accent your choices. From that, users can create a printable strip card that they bring to their local Lowe’s store.

BTW, I also loved that we got to take home gorgeous floral arrangements from Fresh Floral Creations. Some of the prettiest arrangements I’ve seen all year!!!