5 Must-Sees at the Interior Design Show 2020
It’s like the Christmas Eve of design in Toronto today. The worker bee design elves have been working around the clock to perfect their booths and displays. Satellite events have been launching all week. But tomorrow is the biggest of big design days when the 2020 edition of the Interior Design Show opens in Toronto. This year I’ve had my nose the grindstone on AustinSmyth business and do not have any styling assignments at the show itself. So I’m feeling enough distance from the show for there to be a bit of mystery about it. I’m so looking forward to all of the discoveries. Here’s what’s on my must-see and must-do list.
The Party
Well, duh. The party is actually tonight, which is technically before the show opens but of course the party is at the show so the show is OPEN for the party. I gotta be honest. I LOVE the party and have gone every dang year that thing has happened. People in the TO design scene play it cool though — they poo poo the party. Some are too cool for the party. I am not. I don’t mind saying I look forward to it every year. It’s a fun date with my beloved husband. Since he is also in the business we “work” the room together and I love that. He introduces me to his clients. I do the same for him and we connect with our mutual pals. It’s a win win. I chat and sip my face off (!) and the conviviality is so welcome this time of year. Recently Mr. A and I have been going out for wings after (because my only true beef with the party — see what I did there? — is that there is never enough food). We love the juxtaposition of going to the fancy design party and then jumping into a total non-scene after party for two and ordering up the hot wings. Yummo.
Yves Behar
Samsung Frame TV by Yves Behar
SodaStream Source by Yves Behar
2. Yves Behar
Every year there’s someone I can fangirl over. This year, Yves is the one. I’m a fan. Love his work and so look forward to hearing his talk on Friday. Don’t miss it at 12noon.
3. Monogram Minimalist Appliances
Wowzers. A sneak peek of this new line landed in my inbox today and I am smitten. Monogram is actually launching two new lines at the show Minimalist and Statement. The booth is by cool cats Partisans architecture firm. I went to the pre-party at the Partisans studio the other day thinking I might see this line in person but no such luck. This rendering is as close as I’ve gotten so far. But it’s enough to pique my interest. I’m kind of a gadget/tech nerd deep down and to me appliances are some of the most important “gadgets” in your home. And yet, they so often fail to live up to the design standards of other performance pieces in the home, like faucets etc. Appliances (up until now) are often best handled by making them as invisible as possible in any kitchen design scheme. But not any more. BTW I’m headed to the Kitchen & Bath Industry trade show next week in Las Vegas, so expect to see me fawn over more of this type of stuff on all my channels then.
Milkstand curated by Design Milk and designed by Rollout.
Faina Design at Studio North
3. The Up-and-Comers
Milkstand (sponsored/curated by Design Milk — because of course a Canadian show requires Americans to tell us what’s worthwhile, because there’s nothing more Canadian than needing American validation…), Studio North, Prototype and the Maker section are the four zones in the show where you can discover, meet and chat with expert craftspeople working in all of the disciplines of product design and fabrication. Finding and connecting with new talent is probs about 80% the reason to attend the show so I always make a bee-line for these features first.
5. Off the Wall, Off the Loom
I am a complete and utter textile nut and come by in honestly from my Mom. Can’t wait to see this feature space that will showcase the latest in textiles and wallcoverings.
There will be so much more to see of course, but that’s my quick hot take on what’s catching my eye so far. The Komandor closets booth is being designed by Boychuck Fuller and I love their work so will check it. Also, my pals at The Collective Workspace will be there with bells on and what looks to be a pretty big and fab booth. Head honchos Carly and Rocco opened the co-working space just a few weeks ago and I think it will be a great boon to the local design scene. We at AustinSmyth handled some of their launch media relations and we are so pleased to have had the opportunity to work with the team. And last but not least, Jonathan Adler will be there and he’s a dude. I don’t share his aesthetic but when in his presence one cannot help but feel his positive vibes. Most welcome in the middle of dismal winter. If at all possible I’ll also be checking out the Sunday chat with Kimberley Brown and the Peart brothers of WANT Les Essentials. Kimberley, Style Director at House & Home, is a superb interviewer, and the two gents are always on the cusp of something great, so I don’t want to miss that! See you at the show.
