Table of contents for Spring 2017: Toronto Design Tour de Force in DESIGNLINES

Eureka Rituals Team DL’s tips on overcoming a creative rut “Bike around the city. You take in things you miss travelling underground.” What is your name? Andrea Janus What have you done for us lately? I copy edited this issue, my fifth. I love that I learn so much as I read the magazine cover to cover (more than once, and very slowly!). I get to know designers and architects, discover cool spots to visit around town and get loads of inspiration for decorating my apartment. What is a creative project you’d like to embark on? I’d like to have a proper gallery wall. Choosing what to put and where over a large space is a daunting task. For now, I’ll just gaze longingly at other people’s on Instagram. “Watch…

1 CIRQUES DU SOLEIL Marquee-style lighting moves from the ticket booth to centre stage in Rich Brilliant Willing’s show-stopping Cinema chandelier. Warm satin opal LED globes are fastened to three rings, available in a multitude of shiny finishes. $54,950, at lightform, 267 Niagara st lightform.ca 2 CLOWNING AROUND Resembling a jester’s cheery red nose, the four buttons on the back of Belta’s tufted Ovvo sofa are sure to inspire smiles. Cushy proportions suit comically lazy couch potatoes. Choose from a variety of fabrics. $3825, at 18 watt, 834 caledonia rd 18-watt.com 3 MAKE ME STRONGER Thankfully, it doesn’t take the strength of a weightlifter to twist the golden barbell atop this stainless-steel nutcracker. Only 999 are being made as part of Alessi’s Circus collection designed by Marcel Wanders. $1700, at…

Carmo by BoConcept By pairing hyper-soft foam-back cushions with handsome piped detailing, this modular sofa system delivers an ideal combo of substance and style. Opt for an extra-long sectional configuration so the whole family can kick back. Shown in a beige felt, it's available in over 100 upholstery options, including various leathers. from $7430, at boconcept, 230 adelaide st e boconcept.CA Climb by EQ3 Wall-mounted powder-coated steel gables ensure this modular storage unit's oak shelves can withstand up to 50 kilograms of favourite books, family photos or eclectic vacation finds. Choose from white or black beams in two heights, the tallest with nine attachment positions to let you adapt your configuration as collections grow. Also available: a desk element. from $1170, at EQ 3, 222 King st e (Also: 3-51…

DOZENS UPON DOZENS of plaster moulds line the shelves of Janet Macpherson’s studio on Geary Avenue. “Rat tail”, one reads. “Sheep head”, another, and a concise but slightly troubling, “Arms”. The Barrie-born artist is preparing for her next exhibition at the Gardiner Museum, and nearly every surface is covered in her signature spliced ceramic animals, the haunting figurines she’s been engineering since 2008. Macpherson focused on pottery characterized by its sgraffito technique for six years before a mould-making class (taken while completing her MFA at Ohio State University) sparked her departure from functional pots. “It resonated immediately as the way I was supposed to be working,” she says. Macpherson built a catalogue of partial animal moulds using dollar-store toys and hunting decoys, then connected the body parts to create new…

Not many folks can lay claim to a personal home with international design status, but then Christine Ho Ping Kong and Peter Tan are not your average couple. It’s Saturday morning at their Courtyard House, one of the most famous iterations of residential architecture Toronto has seen since the millennium. The Asian-inspired home and office is also the project that launched Studio Junction, the duo’s award-winning architecture firm. Now, in their studio, located in their ivy-covered abode, Ho Ping Kong’s and Tan’s original tables, credenzas and tea carts beam in muted white oak and rich walnut. More than 10 years after its exciting debut, Studio Junction has set its sights on a new pursuit: a furniture line. “We’ve always been interested in blurring the line between what is furniture, what…

WHETHER WE KNOW IT or not, each of us carries around miniature artist multiples almost every day. Coins might not be worth much more than the fraction of a dollar stamped to their sides, but they express something about history and design in their finely wrought details. Artist Micah Adams discovered this eight years ago in the tiny maple leaves on the soon-to-bediscontinued penny. Using a jeweller’s saw with a blade a quarter-of-a-millimetre wide, he cut out each one until he created a Lilliputian pile. When the copper was heated, the leaves turned iridescent colours, just like in autumn. He has reassembled the details on our currency in many ways ever since. His skill at working in a small scale began in the jewellery studio at art school, but the…

1 SMOKE SHOW Sometimes where there’s smoke, there’s just burning bacon. That’s why the Nest Protect V2 can be silenced via a smartphone, which also reports alarm activity remotely. At night, a motion-sensing ring lights the way to the bathroom. $130, at jump plus, 275 college st jumpplus.com 2 ILLUMINATION STATION Nanoleaf’s Ivy hub interfaces with Apple HomeKit and other automation services to allow smartphone or voice control of ultra-efficient LED bulbs. Program presets can change a room’s mood with just one touch. $135, Online at shop.nanoleaf.me 3 OPEN SESAME Install August’s Smart Lock on the interior side of your deadbolt to let approved guests check in with their smartphones. Perfect for frequent hosts, the unit allows for short-term access that expires after a set period of time. $250, at…

When you commission Christine Leu and Alan Webb for an art installation, there’s no telling what you’re going to get – and that’s just how their patrons like it. The architects behind LeuWebb Projects have pulled off everything from an interactive inflatable parachute at MaRS, to the rewiring of a 1940s sign for a soundresponsive light show at Nuit Blanche. Oh, and they’re currently developing a design to recreate the Gladstone Hotel’s historic cupola (read: its original tower peak, removed in 1930) using locally manufactured solar panels. Leu’s and Webb’s mutual love of architecture powers these immersive, multi-modal works. Last September, Flotsam/ Jetsam reimagined the Ontario Place waterfront during the In/ Future arts and music festival. After 3-D-printing miniature versions of the Cinesphere and the pods (designed by architecture legend…

422 square metres in Glen Park THE BRIEF: Craving a closer relationship between home and garden, the owners of this property enlisted Paul Raff Studio Architects. Central to the project was a new rear addition, conceived as a long box with a wall of glass that folds away come warm summer days. While this open connection sets up a smooth flow between indoors and out, it was up to the patio to carry that idea forward. Specifically, Raff was asked to define outdoor spaces for spirited entertaining and secluded relaxation – without interrupting the new kitchen’s view of the back flower beds. THE SOLUTION: Cascading levels clad in distinct materials deliver different amounts of privacy. The upper deck, with its six-seater table and open-air kitchen, is dedicated to private dining.…

1 STORAGE STUNNER This handsome walnut design’s six slide-out drawers will be a dream come true for anyone running out of space for their fun sock collection. Designed by Sean Yoo, the bed is finished with bevelled edges and raised off the ground to achieve a lighter presence. FROM $4325, at design within reach, 214 king st e dwr.com 2 SWISH SLEEPER A wraparound headboard, shown here in a deep indigo velvet, elevates Molteni & C’s Fulham from a piece of furniture into a stand-alone retreat. Available in a full array of fabric and wood frame combinations, as well as with a matching bench. $8850, at mo lteni & C, 339 adelaide st e mo ltenitoro nto.com 3 CENTRE COURT Walter K.’s Jaan is a statement piece meant to stand…

A concrete wall marks the junction between heritage property and contemporary addition in this house near Spadina and St. Clair. Responding to the homeowners' desire for a raw, gallery-style space, Audax left the material in its natural state but added homey accents. In the family room, favourite artifacts are displayed on a wall-spanning custom storage unit created by Commute Design. A slit of a window intersects to introduce southern light without sacrificing privacy. Black metal panelling behind some of the shelves helps visually balance the dark mass of the television, while walnut trim coordinates with the nearby dining table. The dynamic light fixture is also by Commute. Baseboards and custom air diffusers in black metal echo the finish of the suspended Fireorb fireplace, which, along with a high-piled rug from…

Lesley AND MATTHEW have a giant pig in their kitchen. It’s made from plastic and has a serving tray on its head, perhaps to make it seem functional – a pretense that Lesley quickly dispels. “We love things that make us smile,” she says, “but have, at best, a limited purpose.” As medical professionals, Lesley and Matthew work in clean, clinical settings, so at home they want light and colour. “We love a place to feel happy and bright, and we don’t mind spending money for things, but we don’t want our home to feel precious,” says Lesley. Seven years ago, the couple moved into their two-storey King East condominium and set about personalizing the 167-square-metre box, which has panoramic windows facing west to the city skyline and south to…

Closet Systems 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…