IDS07 | pottery gangbar

the latest and greatest from mr gangbar himself. if you missed him at the annual interior design show in toronto..........get a load of this:

[i really dig this wall application - IDS booth 2007, ken gangbar]

p.s. zee ken gangbar website is being reworked at the moment, we'll keep you posted.

IDS07 toronto | nuit blanche

le nuit blanche. not sure that it was as glittery as they wanted the white gala to be [it's a convention center after all] but the turn out was big. after all that can be said about design.... it's really all about the dollars and cents at these things. lots of line ups for everything you name it - coats, parking, drinks, food and then the fancy yellow party isn't for everyone after you dish out the dineros for white gala ticket. yet, kudos to the toronto interior design show for using a fashion forward option of brown carpet for 2007. in the past it had been blue and i even think that they tried grey one year but overall the brown was a sure winner, it made you want to stay a little while longer. the show exuded style and the brown grounded all the booths, especially those that scream at you, are too timid or simply over done.

at this point as over exposed as us designers are - i mean do we really need an annual trade show for decor? - isn't it just another excuse to get dressed up and have a drink every year. this year i mingled and chatted, i wasn't able to hit any of the talks but i hear the speakers were top notch. i was a little disappointed in the teeny kids section especially since buying your kids bigger, better, over priced paraphernalia is THE hippest trend this year. and yeah, dwell from nyc was there.

as always a winner in my books is the studio north, where local talent has stole the show for at least two years now - go canada! a great visit chatting with the pottery diva herself, mademoiselle pascal giardin from montreal is always so refreshing. she is not only a talented artist but working with her in the past was always so pleasant - really makes you love a project more when there is enthusiasm within the whole team. although i think her piece exhibited in a concept booth wasn't showcased as beautifully as it could have been, clearly not a fault of her own. [yo! be sure to check out this ladies updated website - hot!]. missed mr. gangbar again, seems we will never meet but his installation was great! and john and arouanna of bookhou are another one of my faves. but also check out vancouver's 60 grit design, edmonton's thinkitem [prototype section] and ant-design ID [love the punch press chair], quebec's anton with some zippy clay lights.

then there's the concept spaces, i took a gander at those with a veteran super designer [we both have a couple of IDS booths under our belts, so lets say we are open to ideas yet equally critical at the same time].

concept space theme: come see what the kids are up to 'offspring'

booth 01: a conceptual, airy, great use of artist lilly young and budget conscious - yet it worked no matter how you looked at it.

booth 02: a box..... ****Magnum opus****. and the furniture to die for - most excellent - wouldn't expect anything less from an impeccable showroom - stupendous layout!

and so we move on to booth 03: wowza. now this is what we are talking about people, there is some serious talent happening in every nook and cranny of that showpiece. and the passion from architect donald chong cannot be matched - there was an incredibly enthusiastic story for every inch of wood, glass, art or window. eagerness and sheer passion, a sure love for building beautiful spaces. he made us veterans extremely proud to be standing there listening to an equally proud architect. it was almost if you were in his home. and the execution - perfection, makes it worth even mentioning his name. i need to go back again as i feel i missed something, each trip back will unveil another design detail.

booth 04: the fantasy creation that represented a livable space, i surely appreciate the reference to natures beehive and the modularity works. it's link to urbanization and theory of 'smart growth' is an idea that if studied further may actually work in the far future. you could have shot a movie in it. adaptable design for all....maybe. progressive you might even say.

[rumor on the show floor was that IDS was desperate for commitments and had exhausted the roster of designers in the city so the looked to the 'newbies in need of work'. i don't agree but that's what people were saying. and even if it were true some of the committed players far surpassed any of the visitors expectations]

a quick shout out to the aerialist's, i'm sure we all have seen them before [2 of the ladies are from my hood, up the street actually - dubbed 'girl in the sky']. and the violinist, i've been a fan for years. my little 4 year old is even mesmerised by him.

slid into the press party - watching people from the corner grope, drink, chat it up and boogie was fun. everyone from decorators, media, artists, designers, hairdressers [jie, i wonder who that was? - couldn't resist that one], architects and sales reps hit the bar drinking one after the other. i dug the yellow accent too.

until next year......