Chair Affair 2011 at Furniture Bank

Last year, I participated in Furniture Bank's first Chair Affair. This fund-raising event showcased the creative makeovers of 31 Toronto-area designers and artists, who donated their talents and their time to transform ordinary chairs from the Furniture Bank’s warehouse. About 375 guests were in attendance on October 31^st at The Steam Whistle Brewery for the silent auction. The plain black chair that I turned into a cute pink chair for a little girl's room received quite a few bids during the Silent Auction.

This year, Furniture Bank is holding Chair Affair 2011 on September 21st at the Steam Whistle Brewery. I encourage you to check it out and help support this worthy cause.

Recycling TV's and other Electronic Equipment

Our TV broke down recently and it turns out that it would cost more then to replace it. At least that's the explanation my husband gave me when he purchased a brand new 46" 3D HD TV! For those of you who follow my blog, you know that I really feel strongly about reuse, recycle, re. So how does one avoid putting the old TV in landfill?

According to the City of Toronto’s web-site, if we lived in a single family residence, we could get curb-side collection of the TV if it is placed beside the garbage bin. A different style of truck from the regular garbage truck will pick up all electronics for either recycling or safe disposal. However, since we live in a condo, we can place the TV at a collection spot designated by the property manager for collection of bulky items.

For those of you who live in Toronto, the City of Toronto website has more information. For those of you who live in other parts of the province or country, check out the Ontario Electronic Stewardship website.

http://www.recycleyourelectronics.ca/Electronics/Default.aspx

Dayle David Laing

Colour Trends

Colour is always an exciting way to awaken a space. Injecting new colour can be done inexpensively through the use of cushions and accent pieces and can keep your space look alive and up to date.

In 2011, grey continues to be a hot neutral. Grey works wonderfully as a neutral because it’s less stark than black or white, but can still provide a great backdrop for bold colours to be their best. Grey can be either warm with overtones of taupe, or it can be cool with the addition of blue, evoking the feeling of steel.

To pair with your fabulous new grey neutral, think about using citrine or popsickle yellow. Or a colour that packs a punch - purple. Purple brings up feelings of luxury and decadence. Purple’s rich colour pairs wonderfully with other vibrant colours, and works well in both cool and warm seasons.

Lastly, blues and turquoise. Blue brings peace and serenity to spaces. If your life is hectic, and you need some tranquillity in your home, try some blue cushions, a rug, and artwork. Navy, cornflower, sea foam, azure, agean…blue comes in so many hues your options really are endless! But it also makes a nice balance to all the vibrancy of the greens and purples.

Community Environment Days

Spring has finally arrived! Let’s celebrate!

With the arrival of spring comes a sense of renewal and freshness. We look forward to breathing the fresh, clean spring air. We get reacquainted with our neighbours in the community after a long winter indoors. We pack up our winter clothes and boots. And we get rid of unused or unwanted things that are taking up valuable space in our homes.

Each year, Toronto holds a Community Environment Day in different parts of the city where we can bring those unwanted and unused items. Help the environment by:

• Extending the life of a product by offering it to someone for reuse.
• Reducing the amount of waste going to landfill and ensure that it is properly recycled.
• Ensuring that hazardous waste materials are disposed of safely.

Happy Spring!