Splashes of spring

 A fresh coat of paint is a spring staple, and Dudley Hardware’s Steve Dawson says people are getting bolder with their colour choices. “It’s not just the red accent wall anymore,” he says, “but more greens and citrusy colours.” What’s really exciting him is a stylish new line of frosty adhesive window films from Decozi that provide privacy for crowded condo owners while cutting down on glare. $20–25 per yard. Dudley Hardware, 511 Church St.

 When you’re serving up brunch at home, it’s the finishing touches that make it great, like this savoury little jar of Wendy’s whipped butter with bacon that will ensure you’ll never eat ordinary toast again. $5.49. Pusateri Fruit Market, 497 Church St. pusateri.ca

 Even easier than painting a wall is covering it with the vintage beefcake photos of Walter Kundzicz. Goliath Wallpaper of Fame, the poster book magazine, features nine large prints, a hilariously entertaining autobiography by the artist, and a life-sized poster of a posing-strapped blond hunk that is easy to assemble and impossible to ignore. $25. goliathbooks.com

 It’s spring-cleaning time, and job one starts with your hands, you filthy thing! Flatirons manager Sandra Georgie calls this satirical-but-functional new line of hand sanitizers “something you mustn’t go without, darling!” $8. Flatirons, 449 Church St.

  In Toronto, dining al fresco can begin in February, but whenever you plan to gather your gang around your table, this set of eight Libbey pub glasses will ensure everyone gets good head. Even better, no one need know how little you paid. $15. Kitchen Stuff Plus, 703 Yonge St. kitchenstuffplus.com

 Fashion-wise, preparing for spring means preparing for summer. Some new swimwear from Andrew Christian, like these South Sea shorts in red or royal blue, will get you ready for the beach in classic, sporty style. $50.
Out on the Street, 551 Church St.

 By now, yes, you do feel like dancing, and the Scissor Sisters are back with Magic Hour, this time trading in their glorious retro sound to work with of-the-moment DJ Calvin Harris. Released May 28. HMV, 333 Yonge St, or wherever you buy music online.

 “Ahem. Excuse me, sir,” says this ever-so-polite alarm clock in the voice of actor, author and wit Stephen Fry, “I’m so sorry to disturb you, but it appears to be morning. Very inconvenient, I agree.” With more than a hundred such lines, waking up will never be undignified again.$70. thinkgeek.com

  “Orchids have had an air of exclusivity about them,” says David Greer at Ladybug Florist, “but it’s a misconception that they’re harder to take care of than other plants.” New techniques in “mass production,” he says, have made these lovelies cheaper and more accessible. $24–60. Ladybug Florist, 513 Church St. ladybugflorist.com

The ultimate coffee-table book, Jim French Diaries is a sexy tribute to the man who created Colt Studios and to Colt’s beefy macho hunks who defined gay porn for decades. This book’s as thick as the men inside. $130. Glad Day Bookshop, 598A Yonge St. gladdaybookshop.com