sneezes

wow, i was all geared up for that enormous venue and i came down with a case of the flu. it took me 2 days to think about writing this post and another 2.5 to actually write it, my brain was definitely foggy. it was terrible .. the flu not the show. but a hit of hot yoga last night to cure four days of 'oh my gosh, i need to lay down...everything is spinning. nope, nauseous, definitely nauseous- oh righ and i have a 3yr old to take care of' .....and i'm feeling at least 85% better.
the point - right, the interior design show 2006, hmm, pink very pink. big show for toronto design culture [no where near the size of IDEX or NEOCON in chicago]. kitchens, bathrooms, lighting, closets - nothing super cutting edge in my opinion. but then again, i just may be a bit over exposed to deisgn elements these days. 'kit 24' house was large in size and its space age prefab concept was 'karim rashid'. big. plastic. bright. eye catcher you ask? um, only due to size, hot pink, electric green and due in part to some very generous large sponsors. the only drama was the bubble gum pink isle that led to the big white 'dome-ship-a-ma-call-it'. you might have thought the poorly body painted ladies may have distracted you from the vast space surrounding his showcase but they didn't. it definitely drew a crowd but i'm not sure that the dialogue and discussion it created was about 'kit 24'.
everyone worked hard to make the the show happen, trust me i know. to be honest my favorite part is where our own canadian artisans are showcasing in an area called studio north. commission pieces are huge jobs and right now everyone in architecture and interiors are working with some new 'up and comer' in ceramics, fabric, fashion, furniture or graphics.
and question: hugo boss? to sponsor a booth - maybe but the main stage? i'm sorry, being a designer myself and one with taste [hello look at my blog?]: i never wear hugo, please explain to me again why hugo would be the first choice to plaster everywhere? not exactly the caliber of fashion design i would mix with modern design and architecture - i mean we have gucci, prada and louis vuitton stores here. personally a sponsorship by bmw, mercedes...even caban would have made more sense.

from me to you: to all the artisans that i interviewed and posted, i'm sorry we never met - the flu got me it wasn't you. i look forward to meeting you and plese keep in touch.

in reply to 'ladybird' you rock and so does toronto! i could never admit to my movie choices either but at this point in my life i say 'ah, what the heck lettem know'. and koodos to your blog, i'll be reading. good luck on ebay! keep an eye on my site for a future link to yours and other toronto blogs.

i will be back to regular posting as of now, stay tuned.....

my son wants the world to know that his favorite number is no. 03. [he typed the number]

joel yatscoff

joel yatscoff grew-up in beaumont, a french community in alberta, canada and graduated at university of alberta in edmonton with his bachelor of design with distinction specializing in engineering, business and marketing. joel was recognized nationally and internationally throughout his post-secondary studies for his distinctive design solutions. these awards included two honours in successive years by the japanese eyewear design competition "opus design award" and in a collaborative entry (with greg ball) had their submission picked for production.

frame martini glass, joel yatscoff, pressed glass for bombay sapphire glass design competition 2006

joel was selected from a field of over 400 to work as an intern at karim rashid inc. in new york and later relocated to toronto to work with industrial design consultants miles keller design associates [MKDA]. most recently, joel is debuting Bow, a landscape-based coffee table at the 2006 toronto interior design show. the prototype may be interpreted as reflection of the expansive bow river found in the prairies of alberta and saskatchewan. the river's purity is mimicked as its path rambles throughout the flat landscape. yatscoff's design perspective is symbolic of the river as an aerial view, one idea that hopefully will progress into a collection of tables reflecting rivers from each major north american city.

bow coffee table, joel yatscoff, powder coated steel, extruded aluminum 2004 [photography by doug hall]

catch him at the upcoming interior design show 2006, studio north as 1 of 12 designers in a juried section called ‘prototype’. you can find more information on joel yatscoff and contact him right here.

poliform|hugo boss

hot, hot, hot......i have a hunch [wink, wink] that the booth by the boys from interior elements will exude some serious style. they have something going on over there at the little design show that previews tonight - it includes a stint from bizzazza, poliform + hugo boss. don't miss it, its sure to knock your socks off.

[p.s. interior elements website is down for a while, so you'll just have to read about them for now.]

john glendinning

Shift, john glendinning, 24” x 10” x 7” elm, milk paint

furniture designer john glendinning’s meticulously crafted furniture and accessories could be interpreted as a modern arrangement of varying degrees and direction. a true hands-on craftsman, his complex pieces explore surface transition and the visual relationships between all of their individual wood components. his impressive collection reveals an interesting characteristic that exposes structural connections as organic forms, therefore creating an appearance of components branching out of one another.

occasional table, john glendinning 48x 16x14 imbuya

john an accomplished furniture craftsman has received a number of awards and grants and was educated at our very own sheridan college school of craft and Design [SOCAD] in oakville, ontario and previously at conestoga college kitchener, ontario. he currently resides and produces his sturdy furniture objects out of beautiful materials in montreal, quebec.

surf, john jlendinning, 10” x 3” x 2.5” assorted woods, limited production

you can find more information on john glendinning and contact him right here. If you have a moment, catch him at the upcoming interior design show 2006, studio north, booth SN01 and in the future he can be found participating in these other fine upcoming events ICFF international contemporary furniture fair may 20-23 NYC and "Designed for Multiples by the Furniture Society, and Fragments" @ cafe gallery projects london, southwark park london, UK, june/july 2006.

objects in clay

Lumps, ken gangbar, porcelain outdoor installation 2005

challenge is welcomed by toronto artist ken gangbar; he has an honest passion for quality, design excellence, and detail in his ceramic sculptural work. a ceramic artist since 1991, his works are distinctly contemporary with a dash of simple luxury and rich textures.

vertebrae detail, ken gangbar, porcelain outdoor installation 2005

the unique sculptures he creates are sensual organic forms without being overly decorative. sectional elements are combined by shape and form to explore natural textures inviting the viewer to touch and discover. ken’s trademark look mixes simple form with subtle pattern and has evolved into a successful career as his works repeatedly appear in high profile magazines throughout toronto. and he continues to work closely with designers, architects, restaurateurs, private clients and corporations to create an array of playful modern accessories. some have been commissioned by restaurants about town – rain, susur and xacutti to name a few. most recently he completed a commission of 19 original sculptures for yabu pushelberg and their client the four season's hotel in hong kong.

interior design show 2006, ken gangbar, works in progress

whether it is a commission for an architectural screen, a landscape element, a lobby sculpture, a custom restaurant table service or an individual accessory his work is crafted by hand at his liberty village studio. he will be showcasing his most recent ceramic works at the interior design show 2006; which will include two wall installations, a bright idea, a wet innovation, and a 'you must touch' section. catch him in the studio north section booth number SN 07. For more information email Ken Gangbar.

method flare

love them. absolutely love them. method brand products for your home. i have been using them for over a year now. everytime i get the chance to hit target in the grand ol' USA - its like christmas. it seems every time i go over the border, method launchs something new or its an incredible deal. and those scents - so fresh. now method launchs 'air care' in all you favorite method aromas- smart.
but why i'm really posting ...um... hello? karim rashid designs thier packaging.....since 2002. i adore the little plug in capsule. you be the judge, check it out here.

and ....pSSST! to all torontonians - get your paws on some method products via shoppers drugmart. 'your uber cool home is a reflection of who you are and how you want to live, method knows that you want to live clean'.

designer superstars

a quick one for today, here's a few canadian industrial designers for your browsing pleasure. all to be showcasing at the ID show this upcoming weekend. have a great day.

derek mcleod: 2004 OCAD graduate + fellow torontonian
check out his low slat chair - [ i think his website is down]

mathew kroeker: based out of winnipeg manitoba + currently developing products for canadian furniture 'hauses' palliser furniture + EQ3
check out: splinter bench

caroline beale: handcrafted glass + based out of prevost quebec
check out: accessible through tableware, jewellery and interior decoration elements

brothers dressler: showcasing at koma designs in toronto too + more torontonians
check out:'onedge series'

aniko meszaros: art through science, a multidisciplinary design studio the works through commision + collaboration
check out: the objects that enlighten the auras of tactility. [odd website, but just keep clicking you will be able to explore their world]

bookhou design

i’m a personal fan of bookhou design, especially of the impressive wallet series by arounna khounnoraj. the design studio was established by toronto designers john booth and arounna khounnoraj to showcase their individual and collaborative works. john received his art education from queens university and also received a degree in architecture from the university of toronto. his current works explore simple form with a focus on structure in both furniture and painting. arounna is a graduate from the ontario college of art and has a B.F.A from the nova scotia college of art and design and finished with an M.F.A from the university of waterloo. both of her mediums explore pattern and image and she divides her time between elegant textile design and sophisticated artwork which explores sculpture, drawing and printmaking. you be the judge, their works are available for purchase on-line and furniture products are made to order.

steam bent no.01 table john booth steambent ash made to order

paper wall forms arounna khounnoraj hand sewn paper and copper 2004

hair cubes arounna khounnoraj hand printed hair image on linen with polyester filling edition of 27 [I'm partial to this one]

Their design studio is located in the distillery district, case goods building - studio 211, 55 Mill St., Toronto or email either john or arounna for commissions or design consultations. Bookhou Design will be participating in the interior design show 2006 on february 23-26, 2006 national trade centre, exhibition place, toronto, ontario come visit them at 'studio north' booth #SN45

gau designs: montreal

thought you guys might like to chew on this for a while, these guys are coming to toronto this week along with the others i will be posting about all week long. enjoy!

since its inception in june 1999 montreal’s gau designs is a multi disciplinary design consulting firm that can create projects, follow it into production and procure final delivery. their progressive and unique resume lists limited series editing, furniture design, styling and shape development including object design for limited or mass production. not only that, they can provide research and development, architectural design services for interiors + exteriors, and commercial photography. gau designs has participated in a number of SIDIM exhibitions + received an award of excellent at SIDIM 2005 – for their new product ‘the wireless bench table’. the group has even been worthy of a couple of grants from the ministry of economical development and the ministry of industry and commerce.
gau designs MU table designer jean-michel gauvreau + sidney kristienson materials: sealed natural or stained hardwood or aluminum + transparent glass. when seen from above the four identical stackable pieces form a square and is a complete self-supporting structure. presented at SIDIM 2000, salon domicilia montreal 2003, 2004 new england home show, 2004 scottsdale home and garden show and salon habitation 2004.

gau designs DZETA table designer jean-michel gauvreau materials: sealed natural or stained hardwood and transparent glass. is an interesting contrast between the woods warm colours and glass. award of excellence SIDIM 2002. see the website for superb detail shots.


gau designs ZEN GARDEN SINK designer jean-michel gauvreau and luke-etienne gagnon materials: polished or matte sealed concrete in black, gray, natural or white is poetic and displays a clear sense of purpose. the garden space can function also as a storage area. different configurations can be found on their website.

their catalog of works is innovative and showcases a line of contemporary furniture components. contact jean-michel gauverau for more information or catch them at the interior design show 2006 in the studio north section at booth number SN37.

pascale girardin

montreal’s pascale girardin is a concordia fine arts alumni from studio arts (BFA 91) who, for the past few years, has been exploring the architectural space. pascale’s installations are motivated by pure forms; her innovative concepts are characteristic with rhythmic patterns and textured surfaces. although monochromatic, natural elements always seem to find their way into pascal’s intimate designs. even her most original designs echo a delicate balance between form and function. you can find some of her recent handiwork at montreal's celebrated toqué restaurant, chicago's new china grill restaurant in the hard rock hotel; toronto's gallery-boutique hollace cluny; le germain hotel in montreal; boutique bô in paris and in nobu restaurants in new york, las vegas and miami.

a material like clay is vulnerable and flexible at the same time; the inherent properties of the medium produce one-of-a-kind authentic pieces for Pascale. her materials of choice: earthenware, semi-sandstone, semi-porcelain all help create a slew of services offering architectural ceramics, porcelain curtains, accessories of decoration. Pascale’s works are inspired by the effortless beauty found in nature; each object is made with a great respect to the medium and its tradition.

pascale is now working on various projects with well-established interior design firms in toronto such as yabu pushelberg, bh design consultants inc. and II by IV. be sure to visit her in studio north booth number SN17 at the interior design show 2006.

madbunne sale

our friends over at dream caffeine are having a sale on select shirts + blankets for your mini ones. make it snappy, the sale on those gorgeous urban designs ends february 28th, 2006.

we love them - their link is on our weblog ....and you should lov'em too!
[if you don't remember we have the caterpillar train long sleeve + 3 madbunne posters]

cheap cherry blossom

chew on this for a while. i felt bad, i couldn't leave you hangin' that long.


outside in shade lamp $24.99 US urban outfitters blue or pink. [base sold seperately]

for my one and only fan + commenter justyna - yes, we have a neocon here in toronto too - here's a hint: register early online for free [free meaning you have to go on the designated trade day]. then make up a company name - no one checks. i've never personally attended the enormous multilevel chicago show but here in toronto at IDEX NEO CON + the INTERIOR DESIGN SHOW you don't have to show any documentation, register online + your passes come in the mail. trust me i signed my son up who was 1 - 12 at the time as the designbungalow 'dog walker'.

hola! ***UPDATED

hey guys, i will be posting later today as i have to babysit the cutest little guy [my girlfriends babe] for the better part of the afternoon. considering i was up till 2:30am.....making my son his stupid ugly creature no. 02. - aka 'romeo', i better get a move on - don't want to be late.
oh, by the way - stupid ugly creature no. 01 - aka 'valentino' was given to my magnificent son on valentines day by me and of course.....valentino needed a friend. i'll post pictures of our new little creatures tonight.

and yes 'valentino', pronounced 'bal-an-tee-mo' + 'romeo' pronounced 'woe-mee-woe' have to go everywhere we go at the moment. have a fab day.

INTRODUCING VALENTINO + ROMEO [VALENTINO IS THE ONE WITH THE CORAL COLOURED EYES + LONG EARS]
large + small creatures are $25.00 plus shipping and handling. colours vary, shoot me an email with your colour prefrence, size, with ears or not. i will accomodate as best as possible, add -ons [ie. bones, teeth, tails, extra ears or eyes] are a $5.00 up charge as they are all hand sewn. need a better picture, email me and i will send you one. cash and money orders in canadian funds only.

missoni

see what happens when one of the world's most colorful fashion designer teams up with the new MINI? [i dominate winter in my own peeperwhite mini cooper -in black patent leather stiletto heels + whip]

family matriarch rosita missoni’s famous way with colour has turned ordinary home objects into 'must have' lavish lux lifestyle gear. here's a little info: ottavio and rosita are known around the world as fashion artisans because they modernized their business by dreaming up vivid multicolored designs, mostly influenced by folk art. at first it was the pattern of stripes, the easiest design that could be made with their knit. these days missoni employs about 200 people at the sumirago headquarters in the province of varese. they produce up to twenty different fabrics, including wool, cotton, linen, rayon and silk all in 40 different colours for each of their collections. the clothing line ranges from sweaters to skirts, dresses and jackets. ottavio missoni has also expanded from clothes to tapestries and carpets. even with their rapid development and their growing global sales, the missoni’s have kept their traditional inspirations and maintained quality an essential priority. ottavio and rosita have three children, all of which have united to manage the family business. With the arrival of computer technology who knows what the younger missoni generation has in store for the future.

over time missoni has endorsed licensing agreements with companies manufacturing rugs, tableware and household linen along with collaborating with fiat on car interiors. most recently missoni brought its ‘cult ojects’ together under a separate brand, with rosita in full control- missioni home.

at kartell, philippe starck’s mademoiselle chair is being shown covered in vivid optic missoni fabric. it’s just another bright spot for the missoni home collection, a group including the bedding, pillows, towels and rugs you might expect form the textile gurus, even items like candles, dishware, chairs and ottomans.

the italian fashion house presented its first tableware collection, which will be distributed by the richard ginori group. the new china collection, inspired by missoni's spring ready-to-wear lines, will integrate the company's luxurious home collection. dishwares with retail prices in the U.S. ranging from $10 to $27, are accented by warm greens, blues, and violets, with a predominance of stripes, curves and stylized flowers. the collection will hit stores worldwide around the fall and will be available in four different versions: margherita, with platinum rims and warm tones; timoteo, with rhomboid porcelain dishes; bianconero, with black and white curves and flowers; and, finally, jennifer, with colored stripes and curves. [jennifer is my pick.]

graphic design redefines bedtime. give your room a modern makeover with missoni home collection gabriel signature geometric prints. bold multicolor zig-zags meet saturated solids for a look that’s cutting-edge style and luxurious. collection includes duvet, sham and two accent pillows. shown with gilberto coverlet and ginny sheets.

and in the future...the italian design house will join forces with hotel group rezidor SAS and launch a new lifestyle hotel brand. the group has agreed to a worldwide licensing agreement to develop and operate the brand under the name ‘hotel missoni’. rezidor will open three properties by 2007 and plans to have 30 sites either open or under development by 2010. city-centre locations and resort destinations are being sought in the UK, mainland europe, russia, turkey, dubai and other parts of the middle east.

missoni home, the premier italian design firm, has opened its first showroom in canada at 1400 castlefield avenue in toronto, just west of caledonia. castlefield is located between lawrence avenue and eglinton avenue, west of dufferin. you can catch a glimpse of missoni at the up coming interior design show 2006 feb 23-26th here in toronto.

baccarat: then + now

baccarat is an ancient firm, but being french and all, they're also very, very modern but before we go on lets brush up on some history, shall we:

past: baccarat was established way back in 1764 when ruler king louis XV of france gave bishop de montmorency-laval of metz permission to found a glassworks in the village of baccarat located in lorraine in eastern france. in 1816 the first crystal oven went into operation at baccarat, until then the glassworks only produced windowpanes, mirrors + stem ware. 1948 creation of the american subsidiary baccarat inc + the opening of a wholesale shop + retail boutique in new york. 1972 [great year!], since then many french, foreign designer’s + artist’s have worked with baccarat including salvador dali, cesar + robert rigot. in 1982, a new in house designer joined the team: thomas bastide. since the 1990’s, occasional co-operation with outside designers has been on the rise with andre putman with the 'pampilles' line, patrice butler with a new approach to lighting fixtures, thierry lecoule with the 'lyre' furniture and more recently jean-marie massaud, jean boggio, mathias and american designer barbara barry. followed by much more…we skip + hop to 2003 when baccarat relocates to a legendary place situated at 11 place des etats unis in paris – where phillipe stark was carried away with the idea of developing the magnificent project. of course monsieur starck was given carte blanche [… lucky duck!] and developed an extravagant scheme of wonderment + surprise for this luxury line. the mansion accommodates the baccarat headquarter’s, boutique, gallery museum, restaurant + original grande ballroom.

present: 'the addams Family look' or the 'darkside' – you decide …a collection designed by phillippe stark- distinctive and provocative phillipe starck tempts us to explore the darkest side of nature – the source of crystal’s brilliance – with his new darkside collection. combining tradition with poetic provocation, stark transforms 'harcourt', the baccarat’s iconic pattern, into a cult object. all components in the fascinating collection are numbered and signed by the artist. the 'Un Parfait' set features one perfect black crystal goblet and five others, each with a subtle flaw and engraved with the word 'imparfait' and a first-aid cross. obviously it is the most radiant crystal collection of the year, Philippe Starck's 'darkside' range for baccarat is just what you'd expect from the contentious designer. 625 madison avenue, new york, ny baccarat.com. $

the baccarat crystal table, part of philippe starck's 'darkside' anthology, gives the louis XVI style a glittering, modern expression. available in three sizes, it has a mirrored glass top that rests on an aluminum frame, which, in turn, is dazzlingly encased in fluted Baccarat crystal. its feet are also aluminum. 625 madison avenue, new york, ny baccarat.com.

dark seduction. baccarat zenith chandelier + shades $67 500.00 US $450.00 shipping. baccarat zenith two-light wall sconce $ 5000.00 US plus $125.00 shipping. baccarat.com

dark temptation. baccarat highball, black $480.00 US ships directly from baccarat.baccarat.com [WANT. MUST HAVE. HYPNOTIZED BY IS PURE FORM. MUST HAVE SIX - SCREW IT AT THAT PRICE MAKE IT 12]

classic. baccarat eye votive $210.00 US. baccarat.com

other baccarat bling:

baccarat eclipse cuff eclipse cuff clear crystal $595.00 US. baccarat sherazade necklace crystal + sterling silver $2660.00. baccarat tentation necklace onyx, rutile stone + sterling silver $1410.00 US. baccarat galet cuff onyx cuff $370.00 US. baccarat galet ring onyx ring $225.00 US. all is available via neiman marcus and soon lighting to be available at [*wink] in toronto canada too – i’ll be sure to let you know when and where, i promise.

other recent news ....

UNICEF crystal snowflake famed lighting designer ingo maurer and baccarat aid UNICEF shine on the world by creating a show stopper chandelier - the worlds largest outdoor chandelier in november 2005. its enormous 16 foot + 12 000 glittering crystals graced the intersection of fifth ave + 57th street in manhatten. light by my favorite actress madame sarah jessica parker - uber cool.

[and don’t worry - the fakes are coming, inexpensive knock-offs of baccarat's crystal black chandelier will soon be found at big box stores across the country.]

5 days and counting...

okie dokie, i think that i have summed up all the valentine's ideas possible for you design savy lovers out there. i have lists + lists but i must take a break + focus on design for a bit. if you haven't come up with anything uber cool by now, just email me and i'll post what you may be looking for. haven't sorted out the truly luxious spa, buff + puff, hotel get away + are in toronto,montreal, vancover, calgary ...somewhere in canada?!?! give me a holla' + i will give you some ideas to swoop him or her away - like you should!
it's valentine's for goodness sakes ...show them how much you care - yes it does matter, even if you bring home a rose from the corner store, it matters. [but don't so that, you can do better!].

be back soon, me and the little one are gonna break the rules + nibble on some dark 'chocolat' before diner [ green + black's to be exact - only the best organic when it comes to chocolate- god knows we are on a budget but must splurge on chocolate, always]. later........

FYI - punky pink leather heart pin by ashley lett, available at made you look in toronto $20.00