Now in its 15th year, the Interior Design Show (IDS13) is Toronto’s annual design fair, featuring a roster of international speakers and not to be missed exhibits. The newest and most innovative in international and Canadian products are annually presented by over 300 exhibitors, while inspirational exhibits feature works by both emerging and established interior designers, architects and industrial designers.
From trends to pop-up-shops, exhibitions and product introductions, here’s a look at what’s happening at this year’s show, which runs from Jan. 24 – 27 in Toronto, Canada.
The show kicks off on Thursday, Jan. 24 with an opening night party presented by Dekla, Scavolini, The Globe and Mail and benefits ONEXONE.
Friday, Jan. 25 the show opens to the trade only giving industry professionals a leg up on the exhibitor offerings.
On Saturday, Jan. 26 The Globe and Mail will present Style Saturday and the show opens to the public, House & Home Sunday will conclude the show on Jan. 27, also open to the consumer.
ISD13 has named five trends to look out for throughout the show:
Mix It Up: Brave Blending of Color and Pattern
On Opening Night KIA will unveil a unique exhibit at IDS showcasing four cars wrapped in colorful, custom patterns created by Karim Rashid, Christiane Lemieux, Douglas Coupland and Jürgen Mayer H. Show goers will also see how other exhibitors are embracing color and pattern this year through various designs.
Back to Nature: Use of Natural Materials
Throughout the show visitors will notice multiple exhibitors featuring items that highlight the beauty found in natural materials like wood and stone.
Accessible High Design
After visiting design capitals from New York to Tokyo, Designboom’s finely curated pop-up shop makes its Canadian debut featuring works by emerging designers from around the world. Designboom Mart offers high-profile design in a familiar street market style setting. More than 200 design objects, small furniture items and lighting projects (prototypes and/or limited edition pieces) will be on display, each created by a different international design professional. Visitors can purchase intelligent, useful and quirky pieces for a symbolic price between $1 - $100. The sales from these affordable pieces help fund the designers’ trip to Toronto and also provide an international showcase opportunity otherwise unavailable to young designers.
Craft Redefined
IDS visitor will see craftsmanship, rooted in both Canadian and international cultural influences, refined to create unique contemporary pieces that still allude to the historical traditions from the city or country of inspiration.
Inspired Work Spaces
Technological advances coupled with the rapid adoption of mobile technology mean, for many people, a permanent office space has been rendered obsolete. Two features at IDS explore inspired work spaces: How Do You Work? presented by Steel Space Productions challenged four design teams to explore the boundaries and balance of work and play by transforming empty shipping containers into modern workspaces. Another IDS feature, WORK.SPACE presented by National Bank, curated by Trend Hunter and designed by Jentry Chin, is a showcase of 23 of the most innovative offices from around the world.
The seminar and lecture series begins on Friday, and is focused on the professional trade with the Azure Trade Talks:
Philippe Malouin—11:00 a.m.
Malouin is an up-and-coming Canadian designer based out of London. He uses an experimental approach to design, constantly looking to discover new manufacturing techniques and ways of using materials, while aiming to keep the final product as simple and minimal as possible.
Jerszy Seymour—1:00 p.m.
A designer’s designer, Seymour has created an eccentric and edgy body of work. Uninterested in definitions, he crosses boundaries, producing interiors, architecture, fashion, and products with ease and abandon. His work is completely avante garde, continuously challenges the fundamentals, and embraces the places where design is going. Jerszy uses his work to explore materials and forms, and takes us with him on the journey. Unpretentious, his work is open to everyone and pushes the boundaries of authority/anti-authority.
Sato
Oki Sato—3:00 p.m.
Sato is the head designer for Japanese design firm Nendo. The goal of Nendo is to reconstitute the everyday by transforming it into something that is easy to understand. Nendo believes there are many small moments of surprise hidden in everyday life, and they want those who encounter their designs to intuitively feel those moments of surprise.
Jürgen Mayer H.—5:00 p.m.
A German architect and artist, Mayer H.’s work is full of ideas made into forms. A product of some of the top schools, including The Cooper Union and Princeton University, he focuses on the intersections of architecture: the grey zones where architecture blurs into art, embraces technology and new materials, and excites visitors to be inspired by the built environment.
Trade Seminars (Room 201D)
9:00 a.m.—Industry Color Forecast for 2013—Presented by Para Paints. Speaker: Jo Alcorn.
11:00 a.m.—Renovation Boot Camp: Kitchen ...Profit is Not a Swear Word. Presented by NKBA. Speaker: Robin Siegerman.
1:00 p.m.—Designing Your Business Presented by National Bank. Speakers: Prinicipals of Igloodgn.
3:00 p.m.—Lighting for Tomorrow: Sustainable and Sexy. Speaker: Rhomney Forbes- Gray.
5:00 p.m.—The Art of Collection Presented by AGO. Speakers: Elizabeth Petrova, Alex D’Arcy, Janna Walters.
The seminars and talks continue on Saturday and Sunday, geared towards the consumer.
Globe Style Talks on Saturday, Jan. 26:
Lemieux
Christiane Lemieux in Conversation with Diedre Kelly—12:00 p.m.
Lemieux revolutionized the textiles market when she launched her innovative company DwellStudio in 1999. Confident and bold, her work breaks the rigidity of modernism with luxurious details and beauty. DwellStudio is a fresh voice in the interiors world, moving beyond pure aesthetics. Her unique sense of color and love of old-world details quickly set DwellStudio apart from other brands.
Douglas Coupland in conversation with Danny Sinopoli—2:00 p.m.
Coupland is unafraid to embrace a range of creative outlets to express his ideas. Well-known as a novelist, his visual art, installations and design projects have earned him considerable status as a true visionary and groundbreaker. His first novel, the international bestseller Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, changed our vocabulary and ushered in a new way to understand our culture and how we navigate through it. He has continued to disrupt and offer new perspectives through all of his subsequent work.
John Gidding—4:00 p.m.
Gidding is a designer and TV host who shares his expertise with legions of viewers of the popular HGTV series Designed to Sell and Curb Appeal: The Block. His portfolio includes work on the Brooklyn Bridge Park, Union Square in New York City, the campus plan for Carnegie Mellon University and a pavilion for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
Seminars (Room 201D)
11:00 a.m.—Color and Style Trends 2013 Presented by Para Paints. Speaker: May.
1:00 p.m.—The Art of Collection. Speakers: Petrova, D’Arcy and Walters.
3:00 p.m.—High Low Design - Presented by National Bank. Speaker: Jill Greaves.
5:00 p.m.—Increasing the Value of your Property. Speaker: Samantha Sanella.
House & Home Sunday, Jan. 27:
Lynda Reeves and Bonnie Brooks—12:00 p.m.
House & Home icon Reeves will sit down with Hudson’s Bay Company president Brooks, the driving force behind department store’s recent revitalization and recent honoured as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women.
Mark Challen and Brian Gluckstein—1:30 p.m.
House & Home Media VP Challen chats with internationally acclaimed Canadian interior designer Gluckstein, founder of design studio and home décor accessories brand Gluckstein Home.
Suzanne Dimma and Tommy Smythe—3:00 p.m.
House & Home magazine editor-in-chief Dimma leads a talk with Smythe, associate designer with Sarah Richardson Design and HGTV personality.
This year’s featured exhibits include:
Studio North
This show-within-a-show features exciting new products by over 60 rising talents from across Canada. Guests are invited to wander through the gallery-like setting to see the next big thing in Canadian and global design, from such pracitioners as Montreal textile studio Fibre en Lumiere, Vancouver industrial design firm Flavour Furniture and Toronto sustainable designer Lori Harrison.
Proto Type
This curated showcase of emerging designers seeking manufacturing partners is a great place to discover never-before-seen products by the next generation.
Blu Dot Auction
At this year’s charity auction, show goers can bid on one of 20 Blue Dot Real Good chairs digitally reimagined by artists, fashion designers, furniture studios and graphic designers, including: Gary Taxali, Moimoi Design, Burton Kramer, Oeuffice, Doublenaut, WeKillYou, Charles Pacther, Marian Bantjes and others. All proceeds will benefit ONEXONE children’s foundation.
As Luck Would Have It by Willy Chyr
Chicago multimedia artist Chyr opens the show with his off-the-rails entrance exhibit—an intricate balloon display that with a dash of spontaneity, walks the line between science and art.
Modern Kids
Children’s environments—nurseries, bedrooms, playrooms, even classrooms—are the next big market for designers and product manufacturers. This showcase features sustainable furniture and toys that foster creativity and healthy play. Exhibitors include Gautier Kids, Simply Green Baby, LaVie Orange, Monte Design, Playable Studio, Stokke, Three Pears and Tiptoe Rugs.
For more information on the seminars and lecture series, exhibitions and for a full list of exhibitors, click here.
