#ids13

The Carli Chair is a lightweight, low footprint dining chair that draws aesthetic influences from Italian furniture designer Carlo de Carli.

First shown at Toronto's Interior Design Show 2012, this hand crafted chair has been shown at furniture exhibitions at the Ontario Crafts Council and Propellor galleries.

The Interior Design Show is always a packed out event that draws all types of lovers of everything haute design. Opening night party main stage music was curated by sheVISIONS (http://www.shevisions.net) and featured Saidah Baba Talibah, Eon Sinclair aka the Soul Proprietor and DJ Filly. In keeping with the IDS13 theme of 'Canadiana' sheViISIONS Canucked it out of the park with performances that reflected the fabric of Canadian music. Following Saidah's power-packed set of original music. Saidah & Eon did a mashup of Canadian music that included everything from Rush to Estero and all other points in between. The feeling of the room was electric with revellers designing moves on the dance-floor. 

above: Jason Wu a Taiwanese-Canadian fashion designer based in New York City is most famous for designing the dresses of Michelle Obama on several occasions, including during first and second inauguration of American President Barack Obama. Wikipedia..  Wu has developed a line of luxurious bathroom accessories that have a unique flair. 

Deirdre Kelley (Globe & Mail Columnist, Best-selling author Ballerina, Sex, Scandal and Suffering Behind the Symbol of Perfection) with Christiane Lemieux (Creative Director Dwell Studio NYC) after the interview conducted by Deirdre for Globe Style Saturday. The two authors went head to head discussing upcoming trends.

The Beautiful Judy Merry - KUDOS on an excellent job well done!! "Design Boom is one of my favourite areas this year" quipped Merry.

DOUGLAS COUPLAND (Canadian novelist, author 13 books including Generation X and visual artist) launched his new furniture collection with SwitzerCultCreative at IDS13. Danny Sinopoli (Globe and Mail Style Saturday editor) conducted a brilliant interview drawing out the satirical side of Coupland. 

The Bookcase - one of Copelands favourite utilitarian designs

The digital image depicts Coupland comfortably at work in his Vancouver home. The colourful towers are interactive pieces of art - created from fans' plastic lid donations at book signings or lectures.

above: “The Collection you will see here is a reflection of everything I use daily.  These are pieces that would unleash a universe of creativity, dopamine, high style and timelessness into their user’s world.  The desk I write on every day is an escritoire.  My escritoire is Japanese lacquer colored.  Every time I see its lush, civilized richness my brain releases a small hit of dopamine, which in turn makes me want to write more.  It’s a successful feedback loop”. “But mostly I like escritoires because they exist purely for writing and nothing else.  Their very existence is about the civilized creation of words, whether by ink or by electrons.”                

Douglas Coupland

The Bento Box Escitoire and the Writer's Seat derive from Coupland's experience honed at a Japanese art school where he studied several art forms - kebana, rock arranging, calligraphy and sumi-e-painting. The ergonomic chair are extremely comfortable.

above: Earth Inc. Designed Landscapes - one of the most interesting booths at the show! The iron cauldron hanging atop a bed of coal brings a whole new dimension to the backyard fireplace.

Earth Inc. specialize in transforming landscapes into award-winning extensions of your home.  They utilize salvage bits and pieces in a clever design method that incorporates the natural use of iron, coal, wood & brick

A curtain of standing twigs blend into the horizontal wood fence creating a three dimensional effect

above: A clever brick wall with ornate stone opening hovers above a salvaged wooden table that is higlighted by found industrial light fixtures

photo: Michael Graydon

above: IKEA created a 980 square foot space that mixed IKEA products and incorporated their new SOFIELUND light grey walnut kitchen doors. One felt like they were in a warehouse space with the very ceiling-hieght cabinetry enclosed with warehouse windows.

Guests were invited to submit their own personal design philosophy

Above & below: Vancouver-based - The Foxfire Furniture Company brings nature indoors!

The company philosophy sums up why this company hits the mark at this year's Interior Design Show;

"There was a time when people would actually meet, and shake hands with the maker of their objects, our goal is to bring a little of that nostalgia back, along with the many benefits of a local economy"

Black Walnut drawer set finished in was & oil

above: Sun Project remote control blinds - close your window blinds from across the room

above: The Felt Store embellishes colour & style with a good-feel wall of world time favourites!

Bonnie Brooks (CEO Hudson's Bay Company) & Lynda Reeves (House & Home editor) after leaving the Krups stage where Lynda interviewed Bonnie on style and her newly renovated home. I loved Bonnie's 11 foot kitchen harvest table that is only 18 inches wide - it makes for a very cosy dinner party whereby one can sit within closer proximity to one another.

Molson's mixologist and Martini Club bartender, Justin Greer is sporting a tie-knot that he created by overlapping. He demonstrated the complicated process for us with aplomb!