Tabla de contenidos para Winter 2016: Modern Renos en DESIGNLINES

Fresh, real-life bathrooms Find all the reno inspiration you need with design ideas copped from 10 local bathroom projects, including a lavish, skylight-lit lavatory in Forest Hill and this spa-like loo in Parkdale. HOLIDAY SHOPPING HOT SPOTS Whether you’re tracking down sneakers or hand soap, we know just where to send you. The city’s best boutiques showcase great gifts inside dazzling interiors – meaning you may walk out with as many design ideas as you do stocking stuffers. SEEKING SCANDINAVIA Inspired by the Gardiner Museum’s True Nordic exhibition (p. 113), we map out design stores filled with Marimekko and Iittala wares, restos serving smørrebrod and glögg, as well as landmark buildings designed by Nordic architects such as Viljo Revell. GOING POSTAL Spread seasonal cheer with our selection of locally designed…

A pair of globe-trotters hired architect Cindy Rendely to bring their 1940s Forest Hill home more in line with the luxe lodgings they’d recently checked into in Thailand. Specifically, they sought a bedroom that acted as a self-contained living space, complete with an ensuite that would serve as the ultimate staycation spot. Working with VMF Structures Ltd., Rendely tucked the new bathroom into a former kids’ room that had a low ceiling and an attic above. By merging these spaces, she created a glossy white oasis. Celestial lights from Artemide and five-metre-tall totems clad in aqua tile from VitroCeram accentuate the space’s height. Millwork by Two Degrees North. A soaker tub from Ginger’s looks out to the rooftop deck, where a metal chimney flue is concealed by a skyscraperesque lightbox…

THERE’S A LOCAL TYPOLOGY that architect Luc Bouliane calls “the Toronto addition”: you start with a boxy house and then add (surprise!) yet another box out back. When Bouliane opened his firm, he vowed that he would never build one. That is until 2012, when Ryan Wiley and Brian Vandervecht hired him to add an extension to their century home in Leslieville. Though it was an elegant brownstone, it had poorly proportioned rooms, and it failed – spectacularly – to make use of the 7.5-metre-wide lot. Bouliane, known for his organic and geomorphic forms, devised a gemlike addition that transforms the feeling of the entire house. The shape is what you might call a nonahedron (or a nine-faced polyhedron). Bouliane refers to it as a “thing” – a cluster of…

Bang & Olufsen Toronto Among the Danish luxury-electronics brand’s extensive offerings are stylish speakers, home-theatre setups and even home-automation products with smart wireless technology. BeoVision’s Avant 4K TV adjusts for ambient light levels for an always-vivid picture, while the 360-degree BeoLab 90 audiophile grade loudspeaker appears to float on a curved wooden base. 100 DAVENPORT RD 416 935 1919 MON-SAT 10-6 BEOTORONTO.COM Bay Bloor Radio Canada’s first Bose store occupies the third floor of BBR, which offers a complete range of A/V products. Highlights include: UHD/4K TVs from Samsung, Sony and Panasonic; Sonos music-streaming systems; an unparalleled turntable selection from Pro-Ject, Oracle, Rega and Teac; and speakers from Totem Acoustic and Sonance. 55 BLOOR ST W 416 967 1122 MON-WED 10-7, THU & FRI 10-8, SAT 10-6 BAYBLOORRADIO.COM Great Metropolitan…

Allan Rug Company Flooring options abound across this showroom, which houses an extensive selection of carpet tiles, area rugs and hardwood flooring. Standouts include luxury vinyl by Karndean, maple planks by Lauzon, mix-and-match carpet by Milliken and cork from Fuzion Flooring and Torlys. Custom designs are on offer, as are Hunter Douglas window coverings. 103 MIRANDA AVE 416 639 2545 MON-FRI 9:30-6, SAT 9:30-5, SUN 12-4 ALLANRUG.COM Amala Carpets What could provide a better backdrop for artisanal Nepalese wool and Thai silk rugs than a whitewashed, well-lit industrial showroom? The new Core Collection is a line of budget-friendly rugs in hand-carved Himalayan sheep wool: Gonka is inspired by fossilized dinosaur eggshells, while Showa evokes tropical flowers. 990 ROSELAWN AVE 416 482 0998 MON-THU 9-6, FRI 9-5 OR BY APPT AMALACARPETS.COM…

Mystical Forest If the Garden of Eden had a fence, it might look something like the room divider at Saks Fifth Avenue’s downtown location. Unitfive Design – whose gold-plated, wireframe stag-head sculpture and chandeliers are on offer at Avenue Road – hand-forged the rose brass-plated screens to serve as a semi-transparent enclosure for the store’s designer womenswear department. Composed of 49 super-slim, tree-like components that stretch from floor to ceiling, the structure is over 27 metres wide. 176 YONGE ST 416 507 3100 MON-FRI 10-9:30, SAT 9:30-9:30, SUN 10-7 SAKSFIFTHAVENUE.COM Posh Precipitation The silver-painted Elvis impersonator who busks at Yonge and Dundas is no longer the corner’s most glam attraction. Nordstrom has arrived in Toronto and is decorating its new digs with a flashy touch courtesy of Moss & Lam.…

Property Pipe Dreams Team DL members draft plans for their ideal renos What is your name? Chantal Braganza What have you done for us lately? I toured Thrush Holmes’s renovation and partial re-build of his High Park-area home (p. 71). It’s full of rich textures and clever solutions. In the living room, firewood is stashed in a skinny wall niche, while the Birch panelling throughout gives the space a cozy warmth. What DIY skill do you wish you had? I’d love to have the know-how – and the patience – to tile. I’d re-cast all of my surfaces in a million colourful chips. “Refresh my drab kitchen with bright pastel cabinetry.” What is your name? Bob Gundu What have you done for us lately? I photographed a renovated 1890s house on Tranby…

“Babe, I bought a chocolate shop.” Brandon Olsen and his fiancée, Sarah Keenlyside, had talked about opening a storefront together, but plans were never more tangible than those conversations. She runs a documentary production company and he wanted to get his own restaurant off the ground first – another business on top of that would be painful. But Olsen, a chef, is “kind of” impulsive, according to Keenlyside. She’s learned to trust his instincts, though, which he’s sharpened through stints at Napa Valley’s The French Laundry and Ad Hoc, as well as calling the line at The Black Hoof. A spell at Bar Isabel, the lauded Spanish taverna, clearly inspires one milk chocolate variety at Chocolates by Brandon Olsen: Port-like Andalusian Pedro Ximenez sherry with cream-mellowed cocoa – a reconstruction…

California Closets CC’s expert space consultants take you through storage solutions for the kitchen, garage and media room: think workbenches replete with drawers and Murphy beds that tuck seamlessly away. Drawer and door-front finishes include the EcoResin line made from thatch and leaves, as well as the Tesoro line that mimics the textures of linen, herringbone and wood. 1400 CASTLEFIELD AVE 416 342 1717 MON 2-6, TUE-SAT 10-6 (ALSO: 158 DAVENPORT RD 416 342 1717) CALIFORNIACLOSETS.COM Komandor Bespoke closets and room dividers reign supreme here. Interior drawers and shelves can be crafted to fit all sizes, while the sliding-door options are endless. Laminate panels from European brands Kronopol and Egger come in an array of colours, while Decorativo lets you get arty by digitally printing an image of your…

Bergo Designs Boasting accessories from top Danish, German, Italian and Swiss manufacturers, Bergo is home to the city’s largest collection of Alessi and Eva Solo kitchen wares, including the latter’s shapely carafes. There’s also jewellery (Georg Jensen watches!) and a kids’ section with items like Areaware’s wooden blocks that transform into robots. 28 TANK HOUSE LN 416 861 1821 MON-THU 10-7, FRI & SAT 10-8, SUN 10-6 BERGODESIGNS.CA Bookhou With most items fashioned on-site, Bookhou is small-batch local furniture and accessories at its best. Natural materials are at the forefront: totes and pillows in linen and wax canvas are adorned with monochrome geometrics, floral prints and hand-drawn patterns. Larger hardwood pieces include shapely benches and chairs with intricate, contrasting curves that recall mid-century Finnish design. 798 DUNDAS ST W 416…

Advice from a Caterpillar Owner Susan Dyer and her daughters Elizabeth and Emily frequently jet off to Paris to keep this stylish store well-stocked with decor treats for tots. Sweeten the nursery with Caroline Z Hurley’s hand-dyed linen rugs; Danish brand Bloomingville’s small round tables, baskets and bookcases; and Egmont’s whimsical animal-shaped lamps. 8 PRICE ST 416 960 2223 MON-SAT 10-6 ADVICEFROMACATERPILLAR.CA Baby on the Hip Stylish eco-friendly furniture, toys, supplies and clothing are aplenty in this Leslieville shop devoted to the wee members of the family. Make-life-easier items include UPPAbaby car seats by Mesa that move from stroller to car with ease. There are also critter rattles from Fidoodle and non-toxic baby-care products from The Honest Company. 969 QUEEN ST E 416 465 4141 MON-SAT 10-6, SUN 11-5 BABYONTHEHIP.CA…

AM Studio Each of this studio’s exquisite lights – most of which are LED – is sourced from local and Israeli artists, or is created on-site. Swarovski crystal, metal and handmade glass is fused, blown and drawn into clusters of globes, while Lasvit’s new collection finds inspiration in the candle chandeliers of renowned opera houses. 1270 CASTLEFIELD AVE 416 783 4100 MON-FRI 10-5, SAT 12-5, SUN BY APPT AMSTUDIO.CA Artemide Inside this Italian lighting manufacturer’s wedge-shaped showroom is a selection that includes everything from innovative pendants to outdoor fixtures. Recently added to the LED offerings is the Laguna series: available in table, floor, ceiling and suspension versions, these globes in milky white hand-blown glass float softly on black extruded aluminum bases. 5 MILL ST 416 628 6718 MON-FRI 10-6, SAT…

Designers Walk Dedicated to the interior-design industry is a five-building complex that houses some of the city’s most exclusive product. Get your bearings at the DW Resource Centre, a one-stop shop for high-end wallcoverings, flooring, textiles, lighting and furniture. Of special note are fabric houses Telio, Kravet and Primavera, as well as – open to the public! – Hollace Cluny’s iconic furniture brands and Weavers Art’s rugs. 168 BEDFORD RD, 2ND FL 416 961 1211 X225 RESOURCE CENTRE: MON-FRI 9-5; SHOWROOM HOURS VARY DESIGNERSWALK.COM Funktion Interiors Have your interior designer take you to this loft-like showroom that focuses on Italian and Danish furnishings, including seating from Plank and Frag and contract furniture by Howe and Holmris. There are also tilt-and-turn windows from Gaulhofer, hi-fi audio systems from La Boite Concept,…

Are & Be Merike Bauer stocks wallpaper and floor coverings otherwise impossible to find in the city. German brand Object Carpet’s new Manufaktur collection goes for a classic feel with jewel-toned hues in natural wool and shimmering silk. For the walls, try Eley Kishimoto’s hand-screened prints featuring vibrant optical illusion graphics, or whimsical flora and fauna designs from Onszelf. 1213 BATHURST ST 416 533 3203 THU 12-5:30 OR BY APPT AREANDBE.COM Farrow & Ball Known for quality paints and wallpapers, 70-year-old F&B epitomizes British style. Elegant and classy remain its bread and butter, but the brand is now offering more modern options, like bolder new hues in its heritage collection and wallpaper that embraces slightly more avant garde motifs, including the playful-yetornate Bumblebee and the geometric Tessella. 1054 YONGE ST…

Haworth In a sprawling glass-walled showroom channeling Suits, task chairs and desk sets come with verve, courtesy of Marcel Wanders, Jasper Morrison and Patricia Urquiola. Lust-worthy leathers from Poltrona Frau add luxe to many pieces – check out Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec’s Basket lounge seating – while Giulio Cappellini’s commercial/home hybrid furniture makes being at the office much more inviting. 55 UNIVERSITY AVE 416 363 3486 MON-FRI 9-5 HAWORTH.COM Humanscale The LEED Gold-certified Canadian HQ boasts a wealth of furnishings and lighting options suitable for the workplace and home, including ergonomic desk chairs and LED task lamps. The growing emphasis on wellness in the workplace is evident here with products like QuickStand, an easy-to-use accessory that attaches to any surface to create an adjustable sit/stand workspace. 488 WELLINGTON ST…

ENTER THE STUDIO of Filo Timo and you are instantly immersed in the sights and sounds of creation. The Junction Triangle space crackles with buzz-sawing and welding. Walk past this action, and Erica Pecoskie and George Simionopoulos are ready to usher you to the elegant office beyond, where delicate models – brass candlestick holders and custom signs – are arranged on every surface. Par for the course in a design studio, and then you look up to find you are sitting below a model of a triangular wood helipad – another one of the team’s wildly unique designs This is the one-stop design and fabrication studio you hire to imagine the crown jewel of your project, that architectural component – big or small – that elicits awe. Both trained architects,…

FOR THRUSH HOLMES, it was a snap decision in 2008 to purchase his High Park-area detached, a house he would go on to re-imagine and renovate for the next near-decade. “We just bought it without really exploring the depths of it, or the construction,” says the self-taught painter and mixed-media artist. “We overlooked a lot. A lot.” Holmes, who’d trained as a master carpenter, had expected to renovate the place himself – but he wasn’t prepared for just how many issues the previous owners had left behind. In the first month, the roof started to leak. In the first year, the air conditioner and furnace broke. Even the dishwasher caught fire. “Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong,” he says. The house forced Holmes to take on a room-by-room…

18 Watt Many of the European designs on display here look transplanted from a luxury resort. Visitors will find avant-garde Spanish seating from Beltá and CasaDesús, as well as poolside furniture by Vondom and sound-deadening felt wall panels by Sweden’s Johanson. Serpentine chandeliers by master Murano glassmaker Andromeda are eye-catchers. 660 CALEDONIA RD, UNIT #202 416 787 1818 MON-FRI 9-5, SAT 10-5 18-WATT.COM Akroyd Furniture Visitors to this studio will find a range of custom furnishings in walnut, cherry, white oak and maple – all sourced from regional woodlots and crafted on site. Wares include exquisitely detailed benches with hidden storage and platform beds that appear to float under exaggerated headboards crafted from chunks of wood. 15 CASE GOODS LN, STUDIOS #101 & #102 416 367 5757 WED-SUN 12-5 OR…

Cambria Gallery This space only showcases Cambria’s natural stone surfaces, but staff members are happy to direct visitors to local dealers that carry its quartz slabs sourced from Canadian mines. All of the brand’s 126 designs, including the new seashore-inspired Waterstone collection, are on display in shimmering kitchen and bath vignettes. 91 PARLIAMENT ST 416 363 8801 MON-FRI 9-6, SAT & SUN 11-4 CAMBRIACANADA.COM Centura Tile Displays lining the perimeter of this flooring specialist’s flagship store flaunt upscale North American and European lines like Mirage, Atlas Concorde and Italgraniti. Recent arrivals include Florida Tile’s EarthstoneHDP tiles that mimic the look and feel of hand-cut stone, and Fioranese’s industrial-looking Urban Avenue line in porcelain. 950 LAWRENCE AVE W 416 785 5165 MON & FRI 8:30-5, TUE-THU 8:30-7, SAT 8-4, SUN…

Amati Canada Among the 50-plus brands in store are faucets by Blanco and Hansgrohe, rain showers by Aquabrass and Dornbracht, commercial-grade sinks by Elkay, Porcher’s elegant free-standing soaker tubs and therapeutic bath systems by BainUltra. Also here: minimal fixtures from Riobel, fully furnished vignettes by DXV by American Standard and wall-mounted Duravit toilets designed by Philippe Starck. 105 DONCASTER AVE, THORNHILL 905 709 0881 MON-FRI 9-6, SAT 9-5 AMATICANADA.COM Appliance Canada AC is filled with ingenious appliances. The Miele induction cooktop has five burners, two of which can be combined for a larger heating area, while AGA’s free-standing range is well-proportioned for smaller kitchens. Other marvels include LG’s steam closet, which refreshes wrinkled clothing, and Avantgarde’s steel wine cooler with room for well over 100 bottles. 1380 CASTLEFIELD AVE 416…

Andrew Richard Designs Tropical plants provide a perfect backdrop for ARD’s assortment of outdoor dining furniture, lounge seating, daybeds, umbrellas and accessories. All furniture is available in a range of materials, including its patented all-weather Solartex weave. Once you’re done outfitting your outdoors, visit the adjoining gallery, Struck Contemporary, for some pop-art treats. 571 ADELAIDE ST E 416 601 1451 MON-WED & SAT 10-6, THU & FRI 10-7, SUN 12-5 ANDREWRICHARDDESIGNS.COM ARD Outdoor A range of materials, styles and price points make this sunny showroom a go-to destination for outdoor furniture. Build your backyard oasis with a Tuuci parasol and LED lighting encased in colourful egg-shaped spheres sized up to a half metre. There are also Dekko concrete fire pits to extend the night into the wee hours. 3019 DUFFERIN…

Artemano Nothing is lacquered in Artemano’s Zen-inspired collection of handcrafted furniture sourced from India, Indonesia and Thailand – wood is kept in its natural state. Bed frames and dining tables are complemented by chesterfields, wingbacks and other soft seating. We also love the Raja dining table made from recycled railway wood. 698 CALEDONIA RD 416 548 7818 MON-SAT 10-6, SUN 11-6 (ALSO: 1090 DON MILLS RD, UNIT #N012A 416 477 1717; 255 BASS PRO MILLS DR, UNIT #405B-406, VAUGHAN 289 807 0700) ARTEMANO.CA Atomic Design AD is a panacea of mid-century originals. Modern furniture and accessories from the Eameses, Arne Jacobson and Marc Berthier are judiciously collected for this compact Queen West boutique. Complementary accents include the streamlined glass-and-steel Jefferson 500 Clock and geometric silver bracelets from Alysha Alex. 965…

1925 Workbench At its showroom in Etobicoke, it’s business in the front and particularly beautiful sliding barn doors in the back. All custom doors and furniture are made on site in woods ranging from pine to teak, complete with crafted-right-herein-Canada hardware. Recent projects include a walnut slab model with transom-like cutouts for a loft bedroom, and a sliding ash bookcase to conceal under-staircase storage. 198 30TH ST, ETOBICOKE 416 878 1869 BY APPT ONLY 1925WORKBENCH.COM Alleens Located at College Park, Alleens is packed with window treatments for every need and budget. Choose from hundreds of curtain textiles by Robert Allen, Joanne Fabrics and Kravet; blinds by Maxxmar and Shade-o-matic; shutters from Eclipse; and motorized skylight blinds by Hunter Douglas. Other faves: shoji screens and room dividers, as well as wallcoverings,…

True Nordic: How Scandinavia Influenced Design in Canada Wool wall hanging by Velta Vilsons (1965-1970) Oct 13-Jan 8, 2017 Defined by clean lines and simple silhouettes, the timeless Scandinavian aesthetic has played an instrumental role in shaping Canada’s own design identity. Homegrown contemporary creations such as Bensen’s winged Park lounge chair (designed by Denmark expat Niels Bendtsen) and Katherine Morley’s iceberg-shaped bookends, for example, are both pure forms that could have easily originated in Copenhagen in the 1960s. Overseen by Design Exchange founding curator Rachel Gotlieb and OCAD U associate dean Michael Prokopow, this exhibition charts Canada’s embrace of Scandinavian design and its enduring influence on local artisans. The show starts in the 1930s, when Canadian furniture manufacturers first introduced collections with names like “Helsinki.” Eight decades later, Junction…