Table of contents for Issue 4, 2021: Fresh Starts in DESIGNLINES

Designing a dream home is never easy. The sheer number of decisions one has to make about the materials, colours and decor is daunting – fun, but daunting. White oak or walnut? Contemporary or classic? Modern or mid-century? It’s easy to get caught up in those details. But as you research, compare and shop around, a word of warning: don’t forget that your home has to be safe, too. According to the Canadian National Fire Information Database, 80 per cent of fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms – and in many of these cases, missing batteries are to blame. The risk of fatality gets cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms. Meanwhile, 300 Canadians die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning, while it’s estimated that…

There’s perhaps no more recognizable lighting design than the PH series by Poul Henningsen. You know the one: its series of nestled shades, occasionally offset by others inverted above, is synonymous with Danish design. Part of that familiarity is a result of its longevity. Manufacturer Louis Poulsen first put the PH series into production in 1926 following its gold-medal showing at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. The Danish government had asked for an entirely original design for its pavilion, saying “every copy or imitation of old styles will be barred from the exhibition.” And so they – and the world – got one, but Henningsen didn’t arrive at his tiered design by accident. His famous shade system was arrived at logically, through study. “The aesthetic…

Even when faced with the need for a radically different home, it’s sometimes best to stop short of a full rebuild. Not because it’s more efficient (although it occasionally is) or that the existing shell is full of heritage charm (although it occasionally is, too), but for an unsexy and highly bureaucratic reason: lot line regulations. Old homes inherit more than just antique windows and stonework: they’re bequeathed zoning from another, more lenient time. In Sherwood Park, These Architects found themselves with just such a place, a one-bedroom, one-office 1920s Dutch gambrel whose walls directly abutted the property line and could not be rebuilt as such. “Had we torn down the whole house, we would’ve had to abide by new bylaws,” explains These Architects principal Gina Schafrick. “We would’ve lost…

Anazao Inc. Anazao designs, builds and installs fine custom wood furniture and decor, as well as architectural millwork and handcrafted steel. Homeowners and designers will find contemporary bespoke beds, dining tables, vanities and dressers made from single slabs of walnut alongside barn doors with forged steel handles and brackets. Enviable projects include a sleek hydraulic sit–stand desk, sliding doors in an oak herringbone pattern and benches of grouped hexagonal storage modules. 10 JUTLAND RD, ETOBICOKE 647 792 7855 BY APPT ONLY ANAZAOINC.CA Andreu World Wood is at the heart of this Spanish manufacturer’s 65-year-long reign producing quality chairs and tables for residential, contract and hospitality use (indoors and out). And just to be clear, we’re talking about premium FSC-certified wood transformed by hand into award-winning products. Showstoppers include Patricia Urquiola’s…

Bay Bloor Radio A long-standing institution, BBR is a centre for sight and sound from the world’s leading brands. Drawing on the best TVs from Sony and Samsung, high-fidelity sound options in a range of price points and a top-notch selection of headphones and turntables, BBR’s custom design department will advise you on all your AV installation needs. Standouts include Samsung’s atypical The Frame television, invisible speakers from Bowers & Wilkins and media consoles from BDI. MANULIFE CENTRE, 55 BLOOR ST W 416 967 1122 BAYBLOORRADIO.COM Great Metropolitan Sound The services on offer at this audiovisual design and installation hub include lighting, shade-and climate-control automation and computer networking. Integrating the latest from RTI, Crestron, Sonos, NAD, Bluesound and Marantz, the team installs multi-room music systems and surround-sound home theatres, all…

The Adelaide Project Here’s something a little different: innovative luminaires in a lovingly restored and fully furnished heritage home where consumers and industry pros alike can explore functional vignettes of architectural and decorative lighting. Good ideas abound: Nod suspension lights by XAL in the bedroom create a variety of moods thanks to a rotatable head and changeable height; in the living room, the fabric diffuser of the celestial Manto suspension lamp by Axolight provides the perfect balance of illumination and ambiance. 509 ADELAIDE ST W 416 538 6548 BY APPT ONLY THEADELAIDEPROJECT.COM AM Studio AM’s versatile custom lighting studio is home to intricate and imaginative fixtures handmade in Toronto. The gallery is aglow with Swarovski crystal, metal and glass fused, blown and drawn into dramatic sculptural forms. Find shapely porcelain…

JF & Co. This trade-only showroom specializes in fabric and drapery from such high-end brands as MissoniHome, Scalamandré, Ashley Wilde, Pindler and Maxwell, as well as its own in-house collection. JF&C’s equally impressive wallcovering collection features sumptuous silks, grasscloth, paper weaves, cork, screen-printed novelties and digital prints that are sure to enliven any room. A sweeping drapery hardware line and decorative tapes, tassels and trims for those finishing touches are also available here. 326 DAVENPORT RD 416 238 5254 JFANDCO.CA Kate Thornley-Hall Collaborating with artists, local designer KTH transforms their work into home furnishings, wallpapers, decorative flatweaves and custom handwoven wool and silk rugs, or what we call “art you can walk on.” Patterns include butterflies and bees, playful birds, peacock feathers and decorative florals. A new partnership with design…

1925Workbench A true love of craft – for solid wood and traditional techniques – is on full display at 1925, with its studio in the front, workshop in the back. And the specialty: handcrafted solid wooden doors and furniture, panel and glass doors, and hand-welded metal. Highlights include patented single-track bypass barn-door hardware (made in Canada), walnut slab doors with transom-like cut-outs and nearly five-metre-tall rolling or hook ladders. 198 30TH ST, ETOBICOKE 416 878 1869 BY APPT ONLY 1925WORKBENCH.COM ADH Fine Hardware ADH offers tried-and-true solutions – in traditional and contemporary styles – from Baldwin, Emtek and Rocky Mountain. Unlock your creative side with stylish jewelled knobs by Matthew Studios, leather loop straps by Scrim or custom forged bronze handles by Hamilton Sinkler. Or go the minimalist route: tiny…

313 Design Market Brothers Chris and Mark Siemicki agree: “Home is where the heart is.” The two opened 313 in their childhood abode to house their shared passion: fun and playful design-forward objects by cool international brands. Home accessories from Dusen Dusen, MoMA, Poketo and Areaware happily mingle with throws and pillows by David Fussenegger. Also: watch for installations, pop-up markets, design-related talks and workshops in this space. 313 RONCESVALLES AVE 416 537 2220 313DESIGNMARKET.COM Average Average is a collection of contemporary and classic home objects designed for everyday life. The revolving QW showroom’s founders hand-pick unique pieces from Japanese and European design houses. Find practical yet stylish counter and bar stools, as well as coat hooks in powder-coated steel from Menu and, from Valerie Objects, multicoloured dining chairs and…

Advice from a Caterpillar This Yorkville lifestyle boutique caters to the design-loving parent and child. Personalize your nursery with blankets from Autumn Paris, seagrass changing baskets from Olli Ella and beautiful rattan doll furniture from Bonton. Lovely home decor abounds: Astier de Villatte’s ceramic incense holders and candlesticks, Iris Hantverk’s eco-friendly tooth-and hairbrushes, Mifuko’s woven baskets and plenty of stay-cozy clothes. 41 HAZELTON AVE 416 960 2223 ADVICEFROMACATERPILLAR.CA BB Buggy Find everything that stylish soon-to-be parents want and little ones need at BBB, including rockers and bassinets, beds, bookshelves and changing tables. Canadian-made Natart cribs with matching dressers and handcrafted Dutailier gliders will add warmth to any nursery. Sleep sacks, organic loungers and Leander’s foam Matty changers make for chic baby-shower gifts. The Bugaboo play yard unfolds in seconds for…

ARD Outdoor Transforming your backyard or balcony into a resort-​ inspired retreat? ARD Outdoor has all the upscale patio furnishings and accessories you’ll need, including futuristic European line Vondom. Seating abounds in colourful Sunbrella fabrics – sectionals, loveseats, accent chairs and canopied daybeds. Cantilevered umbrellas and Tuuci parasols pair with dining tables in teak, resin and powder-coated aluminum. Maximize your nighttime downtime with a Dekko concrete firepit and ambiance lighting. 3019 DUFFERIN ST 416 551 6055 ARDOUTDOOR.COM Casualife Outdoor Living If you are seeking furniture for outdoor entertainment spaces, exterior family rooms and private oases, Casualife’s on-staff designers will navigate you through wares made from teak, aluminum and woven resin. Look for luxe daybeds, loungers with sunshades, and poufs that perform triple-duty as side tables, footstools and seating. Create ambiance…

Atomic Design Lawrence Blairs’s compact boutique presents a tightly curated, high-end collection of authentic vintage art and design restored to glory. Current exceptional offerings include Hans Wegner’s iconic black leather Wing chair, Tobia Scarpa’s architectural coffee table and a pair of Victor Vasarely black and white Cinetique serigraphs. AD’s smaller decor accents also delight: sculptural modernist lighting, abstract neon and a vibrant selection of Scandinavian and Italian art glass. 955 QUEEN ST W 416 912 2358 ATOMICDESIGN.CA Bungalow Aficionados of mid-century Scandinavian furniture and accents make Bungalow in Kensington Market a regular stop, thanks to its rotating collection of impeccably maintained and refurbished vintage dining sets, modular wall units and occasional chairs from Domino, Dyrlund, Herman Miller, Vejle Stole and Niels Koefoed. Art glass from the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s…

It started with her. She had been with Odami’s Michael Fohring and Aránzazu González Bernardo for years, but the couple had moved on and replaced her. Reluctant to put her on the street in winter, they let her stay – maybe better accommodations could be found; maybe she’d find a new home. But then something happened that neither of them expected: they started to feel sad about the idea of letting her go – which is odd, because “her” was just their old mattress. Fohring and González Bernardo didn’t consciously anthropomorphize their old mattress – sorry, “her” – until they were ready to throw her away. Inconvenient as it may have been, their weathered pile of fabric and foam had become family. Odami’s Pet Objects, a study in form, material…

Go with the Flow If you’re a Leslieville local, don’t worry: Biblio Lofts won’t upset the low-key vibe. The NVSBLE Developments mid-rise, designed by BDP Quadrangle, subtly nods at the nearby architecture, maintaining vintage Toronto’s low-slung stature and red brick face. Still, modern details abound. At ground level, the luxe Commute-designed interiors – including the studio’s characteristic lighting – are framed by a series of double-height arches. The motif is repeated up its modest seven storeys and terraces, lending a little more movement to the bustling ‘hood. BIBLIOLOFTS.CA Surface Tension Like so many Partisans projects – including Bar Raval and Grotto Sauna – the studio’s vision for Yonge and King is a sinuous one. Designed in collaboration with BDP Quadrangle, the 66-storey 55 Yonge would see a podium-and-tower design wrapped…

Before starting their own design–development studio called HXOME in 2017, Parviz Bozorgmanesh and his son James Manesh always shared a love of simple, timeless design. Parviz, who founded Parviz Kitchens, has been a cabinetmaker for over 40 years, while James – who cites designer Dieter Rams as a heavy influence – has a background in residential building development. We talked to James about their latest project. WHAT VISION DO YOU AND YOUR FATHER HAVE FOR THE STUDIO? We are committed to design, sustainability and community-building. Our goal is to leave the world a better place than we found it. We want to create spaces that allow people to do and feel their best. HOW DID THIS PROJECT GET STARTED? We were in the market for a place to redevelop but also…

Amati Canada AC’s focus is squarely on kitchen and bathroom fixtures. Among the 50-plus brands in store are faucets by Blanco and Hansgrohe, rain showers by Aquabrass and Dornbracht, commercial-grade sinks by Elkay, elegant free-standing soaker tubs by Porcher and therapeutic bath systems by BainUltra. Also in store: minimalist fixtures from Riobel, Philippe Starck’s wall-mounted toilets for Duravit and extraordinary faucets from Graff. 105 DONCASTER AVE 905 709 0881 AMATICANADA.COM Appliance Canada Find the latest innovations in ultra-premium appliances here, including Thermador ovens with patented Star Burner technology (which delivers superior flame spread) and Freedom induction cooktops that are controlled using a full-colour touchscreen. Consider Hestan wall ovens, refrigerators, wine cellars and outdoor grills with colourful finishes, and Fisher & Paykel dishwashers that offer the convenience of two independent drawers.…

Allan Rug Company ARC’s newly renovated 1,263-square-metre showroom boasts a staggering selection of versatile flooring solutions suited to home and office environments. This long-standing family-owned business – one of Toronto’s largest carpet and flooring showrooms – carries Missoni, Nourison, Stanton, Karastan, Bloomsburg and many more. Also at ARC: custom and hand-knotted rugs in modern and traditional designs. Cork, laminate and extra-wide hardwood and vinyl planks from Lauzon and Fuzion Flooring round out the selection. 103 MIRANDA AVE 416 787 1707 ALLANRUG.COM Amala Carpets For their local, designed-in-house artisanal rugs, Amala uses Nepalese wool and Thai silk. The six-generation family business works directly with the craftspeople who harvest and weave creations using sustainable methods and vegetable-based dyes. Find exquisite transitional and contemporary designs in hand-trimmed Himalayan sheep’s wool and shimmering hand-reeled…

Century Architexture Loft living without the cost and hassle of bricklaying: CA’s seven-millimetre-thick pre-engineered brick veneer wall panels affix to a mesh backing, making them a cinch to install. Locally hand-cast from gypsum to replicate the look and feel of century-old reclaimed brick, they’re incredibly convincing. The showroom’s own backsplashes, bathroom walls and media room exemplify a variety of uses for the manufactured-on-site panels. 1401 THE QUEENSWAY, UNITS # 5 & #6, ETOBICOKE 416 503 3889 CENTURYARCHITEXTURE.COM Farrow & Ball Britain’s F&B offers a medley of handcrafted wallpapers showcasing the rich pigments it is best known for, as well as an expansive selection of paints ranging from contemporary neutrals to heritage tones. Chromologists will relish the latest hues from F&B’s collaboration with London’s Natural History Museum. Covetable metallic-print wallpapers with…

Büro Klaus Klaus, the famous showroom run by Klaus Nienkämper, has reinvented itself. Büro Klaus carries contemporary and classic designs by such esteemed manufacturers as Lambert & Fils, e15, COR, Fredericia and &Tradition, as well as an in-house line that includes both reinterpretations of Nienkämper classics – iconic Canadian-made office furniture – and new furnishings developed in collaboration with renowned designers. The underlying theme is enduring furniture so beautiful that it serves equally well for residential or contract use. 296 KING ST E 416 362 3434 BUROKLAUS.COM Haworth Haworth’s affinity for the “resimercial” (commercial–home hybrid) model defines its showroom. Discover adaptability with pops of colour and texture in their dashing task chairs, desk sets and storage options, courtesy of design stars Marcel Wanders, Jasper Morrison and Patricia Urquiola. Find that…