Wall-to-wall coverage of Toronto's first-ever
International Design Week!
International Design Week!
The Gladstone takes Come Up To My Room up to their room. Watch a video of the opening party.
Ame on Mercer Street is not your usual clubland spot. The Munge Leung-designed room is a gorgeous mix of industrial space and raw, natural surfaces that looks flawless in its cocktail-hour glow.
THE CONCEPT: Design Week’s big do turns 10 and celebrates by returning to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre where it all began. Its rep for being the ho-hum home of our interior establishment and the TV decor show junkies who love them is passé, considering IDS’s ongoing indie exhibits like Studio North and DesignGenNext.
THE CONCEPT: The Gladstone’s alternative design event is the most conceptual of the three main shows, with an eclectic cast of more than 50 designers reimagining the hotel’s rooms and public spaces. This year’s roster includes diorama dynamo Julia Hepburn and a trio of student chair projects from the University of Waterloo.
THE CONCEPT: MADE’s Shaun Moore and Julie Nicholson ask 42 different architects, artists and craftspeople to reflect on design’s new economy in their Assets & Values-themed event in the heart of the financial district at Commerce Court West. Textile work stands out this year, especially Bev Hisey’s topographical carpet and Kerry Croghan’s wilderness-print pillows.
Cut/Paste: Creative Reuse in Canadian Design, to January 30 at the Royal Ontario Museum (100 Queen’s Park). Creative agency Motherbrand looks at the redesign of found objects from historic artifacts to contemporary work by the likes of Tobias Wong and Douglas Coupland. Visit cutcopypaste.ca for info on additional shows and lectures at the Gardiner Museum, Harbourfront Centre and InAbstracto.
The centrepiece of this year’s Interior Design Show is The Ultimate, an installation of four inspiring spaces created by interior authorities from CityLine trend reporter Arren Williams to Ministry of the Interior boss Jason MacIsaac. Seizing that extreme theme, we asked design insiders who know the city well for their utmost example of Toronto design.
Sustainability steals the spotlight at the first Toronto International Design Festival
Concepts are dandy, but we're itching to buy something new for our pad right now. Here are six design week debuts that are ripe for the purchasing.
The centrepiece of this year's Interior Design Show is The Ultimate, an installation of four inspiring spaces created by interior authorities from CityLine trend reporter Arren Williams to Ministry of the Interior boss Jason MacIsaac. Seizing that extreme theme, we asked design insiders who know the city well for their utmost example of Toronto design.
What's Coming lantern by Julia Hepburn
Julia Hepburn fills working lanterns with fantastic, dark and meticulously crafted scenes that make your imagination run wild.
See Hepburn's work at Come Up To My Room, January 22 to 24 at the Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen West). Admission $8. Comeuptomyroom.com.
Blue Gold carpet by Bev Hisey
Hisey follows up last Radiant Dark's collection of petri dish rugs with this six foot-by-nine foot hand knotted wool and silk carpet featuring an abstracted map of North American river systems.
See Hisey's work at Radiant Dark, until January 24 at Commerce Court West (199 Bay). Free. Madedesign.ca/radiantdark.
Offcut stool by Tom Dixon
There's nothing rustic about Brit designer Tom Dixon's offcut stool made with salvaged oak painted a punchy fluorescent orange. Pick up the piece for $344 at Klaus (300 King East, 416-362-3434, klausn.com).
See the Tom Dixon stool at the Interior Design Show, January 23 and 24 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (255 Front West). Admission $20 at the door. InteriorDesignShow.com.
Tecumseth side table by Two Tuques Designs
Two Toques' Mike Kennedy will only make 30 of his Tecumseth table, 10 each in locally sourced white oak and ash and imported African sipo wood. It can be wall mounted or sit on the floor on its low-profile base.
See the Tecumseth side table at the Interior Design Show, January 23 and 24 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (255 Front West). Admission $20 at the door. InteriorDesignShow.com.
Hard Times Have Come and Gone chest by Rob Southcott
Southcott, who also has work in the Interior Design Show and Heavy Metal at the Paul Petro Special Projects Space (962) Queen West), revitalizes a vintage chest of drawers with teal paint that reveals it former condition through a decorative surface treatment.
See Southcott's work at Radiant Dark, until January 24 at Commerce Court West (199 Bay). Free. Madedesign.ca/radiantdark.
Throw cushions by Kerry Croghan
Textile designer Croghan's pillows are printed with nature motifs of Canada geese, brown bears and other cottage country wildlife.
See Croghan's work at Radiant Dark, until January 24 at Commerce Court West (199 Bay). Free. Madedesign.ca/radiantdark.
189 Church St, Toronto ON M5B 1Y7 | Telephone 416-364-1300 | Front Desk Hours: Monday - Friday 9am - 6pm | email