Toronto’s 2018 Interior Design Show: Luxury Living Inspiration

I had the pleasure of attending Toronto’s Interior Design Show last Thursday night with my daughters. I am so happy they also enjoy exploring interior design! It is always nice to do a walk through this annual design show to get ideas for your own home and it is an excellent resource if you are about to undertake a renovation. It is very handy to have so many vendors at the same place and to see the products you may have seen online or in a magazine.

Design Show Trends

Made Made in Canada

There were many design booths that offered Made in Canada options for that mid-century modern look with a twist. The above photo is Small Batch Solid wood Furniture made locally in Toroto by Charuk and Ford. You don’t have to invest in the “named” mid-century design to get that look and sometimes it is nice to have something more unique. 608 had two great Scandinavian inspired chair designs N22 and the Noce Series by Evan Bare.

Appliances

Retro is still very popular in the design world.

Smeg is still a hot item from toasters to fridges including a limited edition Dolce and Gabbana fridge for those looking for something whimsical to spice up a drab kitchen.

Appliances are a very important part of any kitchen renovation. Luxury homes require built-in coffee makers, microwaves, fridge and freezer drawers, and warming drawers integrated into the kitchen design. It was fun to see the new technology in the appliance world. Wolf and Subzero remain dominant players in the appliance market however Miele is producing some quality appliances. Miele actually had a vacuum display showcasing the evolution of the vacuum cleaner. I do believe their vacuums are one of the best on the market today.

Clever Design for Small Space Living

With the trend for small space living, many of the vendors offer clever storage solutions. Kroft had a cleaver minimalist design for hanging. I also really loved this shoe storage idea.

There is also a trend for multipurpose furnishing. We saw a murphy bed transformed from a simple bookshelf to make full use of your space if you are living in a micro-apartment. The bar below is perfect for a small condo that lacks the cupboards required for storage. This portable bar is both aesthetic and functional and can move with you–well worth the investment.

Pre-Fab is now Design Savvy and Cool

Pre-fab has come a long way! I was very impressed with The Bunkie Co. which is following the trend for small space living. The Bunkie Co touts that these pre-fab small space buildings do not require a permit in almost all of North America. I would still do my due diligence on what your local building by-laws are prior to proceeding. I thought one of these could make the perfect gym space at a cottage! In fact on their website a cottage gym in Lake of Bays is showcased.

Axiom by Turkel Design and Dwell Prefab have a collaborated to create very contemporary and design-savvy larger prefabricated buildings for today’s modern lifestyle that take the environment into consideration.

Patterns are in!

Patterned tiles are very popular for flooring and also walls and table mats! I was impressed with Locus Vie + Hidraulik who create high quality and durable floor mats and table mats. These mats are heat, bacterial and stain resistant in addition to coming in an assortment of stunning patterns. There was also a vendor that designs custom vinyl tiles for a wall surface.

Black is Bold

Black and white create a great contrast, especially in a bathroom. This stand- alone matte black tub and shower with black trim create a real statement.

Carpets are an Art Form

Carpets are art pieces in addition to a soft surface for your feet. W Interiors had a beautiful art installation of hung carpets that looked like watercolours in addition to a stunning carpet of a graffiti art tunnel.

Comfort

Comfort is very important to today’s lifestyle. Montauk, Monte Design Home Collection and Style Garage were displaying large comfortable sectionals. Style Garage also displayed a lovely leather banquette to make dining more cozy!

Statement Lighting is Big!

Lighting has become an art form which we saw at last year’s IDS with the Gweillo light and this year we saw with the Transforma light by Jacob Antoni, the focal piece of the Ontario Wood display. The Anony Highwire Pendant was another showstopper that is so new it isn’t on their website yet!

Fireplaces

Gas fireplaces are still big and there was a huge variety, from the pebble look with flames to the traditional. I was most impressed with the Stuv fireplaces that had a clean, contemporary look. Stuv produces both gas and woodburning fireplaces and wood stoves.

Elevators

A very slick looking elevator was on display manufactured by Savaria that clearly understands that aging baby boomers want aesthetic design when it comes to any lifts in their private residences.
Outdoor space is very important even with our Canadian climate. This heated fibreglass mid-century inspired bucket chair below certainly warms you up! A few of these chairs would be a nice addition to the stand-alone heaters and outdoor fireplaces used to extend patio season.

Small Batch Aritsans

Fine design can be in the little details from a notebook to serving implements. It was interesting to see all the creativity at the Design Boom and Studio North are of the IDS show.

Bring a Hint of Nature to your Home!

Succulents are still a thing! These sculptural plants are the perfect way to bring nature indoors in any space as they are very low maintenance.

I hope I have provided you some ideas for around your home. I will be attending the Artist Project in February and shall highlight some affordable art I spot at the show.

Best,

Helen