Canadian Interiors July August 2011

July/August 2011

Food for thought What’s hot in the kitchen 2 tasty T.O. restaurants A world of textiles in Frankfurt Style and substance in Milan

CanadianInteriorsSDCAd_Layout 1 6/7/11 9:57 AM Page 1

WHAT A DIFFERENCE NADA A C A DOOR MAKES! IN Interior Sliding Door Solutions

W O N

Room Dividers

Closet Doors

Wall Slide Doors

Office Partitions

Toronto Showroom

(Castlefield Design District) 75 Ingram Dr. Toronto, ON M6M 2L7 (416) 637-4620

Perfect for Green Construction Projects

www.slidingdoorco.com

A

m

Get to know the new Amtico International 2011 is an exciting year for Amtico International, as the pioneers of LVT have overhauled their Arteca and Spacia brands.

Get to know the many innovative styles we are introducing to Arteca and all the new designs we are launching under the Spacia brand.

Visit us online at www.artecaflooring.com

Arteca Infinity Spark

© 2011 All Rights Reserved. Global Design Center 11.0179 Shown in Momentum, Ace Dream (AC73) and Ace Hot (AC70).

11.0179 CDN_INT_JulyAug_Roma_03FA 11-06-30 11:51 AM Page 1

roma

™

six matching mesh & fabric colors!

greenguard

ROMA SEATING

.

1.877.446.2251 can

®

certified

1.800.220.1900 usa

thinkglobalstyle.com

July/August 2011

Official publication of the Interior Designers of Canada

27

23

COVER — 20 Ottawa kitchen designed by VoK Design Group. Photo by Marc Fowler / Metropolis Studios

Contents

33 15

FEATURES

Food for Thought IN AN ORDERLY FASHION — 20 Ottawa-based VoK Design Group creates a kitchen that is cool, calm and collected.

By Karolina Olechnowicz

BLAZE OF GLORY — 33 Nothing fires up the imagination and gets the adrenaline going like Milan’s matchless annual extravaganza of design.

By Shauna Levy DEPARTMENTS

NOW WE’RE COOKING — 23 Hot new stuff for the kitchen.

By Michael Totzke

INSIDE — 8

A TALE OF TWO RESTAURANTS — 27 Designed to mirror the distinct food philosophy and personality of their owners instead of broader target group demographics, two new Toronto restaurants appear to be bucking the brand-as-persona trend – let the marketing chips, or pommes frites, fall where they may.

By Leslie C. Smith

SHOW BIZ — 15 Banish the blues Not the colour, but the mood. Although held under the slate-grey skies of Frankfurt in January, Heimtextil 2011 was all about fresh ideas to enliven a room with new wall and window coverings, bedding and home textiles.

By Peter Sobchak

42

WHAT’S UP — 12

WHO’S WHO — 39 LAST WORD — 42 In shapes Alessi’s latest kitchen collection throws a few curves and angles.

By Michael Totzke

Publisher

Martin spreer Editor

Michael totzke Deputy Editor

Peter sobchak Associate Editors

Janet Collins, David Lasker, Rhys Phillips, Leslie C. smith Contributing Writers

shauna Levy, Karolina Olechnowicz Lisa Zambri Advertising Sales

416-510-6766 Circulation Manager

Beata Olechnowicz 416-442-5600, ext. 3543 Reader Services

Liz Callaghan Production

Jessica Jubb 416-510-5194 Senior Publisher

Create Style with QuARTz

tom Arkell

QuARTz shower channels allow the bathroom floor to take on a new dimension to become an integral part of the design. Whatever the look you are trying to achieve, the clean unobtrusive lines of QuARTz shower grates are easily integrated into any bathroom design project. An additional experience can be created with optional lights, taking the design to an even higher art form.

Vice President of Canadian Publishing

Alex Papanou President of Business Information Group

Bruce Creighton Head Office

12 Concorde Place, suite 800 toronto, On M3C 4J2 telephone 416-442-5600 Facsimile 416-510-5140

www.QuARTzbyACO.com (877) 226-4255

Primavera

Doors

Contemporary Primavera doors are available in Teak or Walnut finishes with an

Canadian Interiors magazine is published by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. Tel: 416-442-5600, Fax: 416-510-6875 e-mail: info@canadianinteriors.com website: www.canadianinteriors.com Canadian Interiors publishes seven issues, plus a source guide, per year.

Printed in Canada. The content of this publication is the property of Canadian Interiors and cannot be reproduced without permission from the publisher.

Subscription rates Canada $37.95 per year; plastic wrapped $40.95 per year (plus taxes) U.S.A. $70.95 US per year, Overseas $96.95 US per year.

Back issues Back copies are available for $10 for delivery in Canada, $15 US for delivery in U.S.A. and $20 overseas. Please send payment to Canadian Interiors, 12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2 or order online www.canadianinteriors.com For subscription and back issues inquiries please call 416-442-5600 ext.3543, e-mail: circulation@canadianinteriors.com, or go to our website at: www.canadianinteriors.com Newsstands For information on Canadian Interiors on newsstands in Canada, call 905-619-6565 Canadian Interiors is indexed in the Canadian Magazine Index by Micromedia ProQuest Company, Toronto (www.micromedia.com) and National Archive Publishing Company, Ann Arbor, Michigan (www.napubco.com).

optional vertical opaque glass panel.

Member of Canadian Business Press Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulations

ISSN 1923-3329 (Online) ISSN 0008 - 3887 (Print) H.S.T.#890939689RT0001

Suitable for

Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. Customer Number: 2014319 Canada Post Sales Product Agreement No. 40069240

Residential &

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

Commercial use.

In Canada, contact (403 )229.1900 www.WoodOneUS.com

•S

Art Director

SAN FRANCISCO • SHANGHAI • SINGAPORE

July/August 2011 VOL.48 NO.4

I • NEW YORK • ON • LOS ANGELES • MELBOURNE • MIAM BEIJING • CHICAGO • HONG KONG • LOND GROUP.COM • SYDNEY • WWW.SHAWCONTRACT SAN FRANCISCO • SHANGHAI • SINGAPORE

y Company

Berkshire Hathawa

© 2011 Shaw, A

Inside

Delicious Here’s the thing about restaurants and design. If a restaurant’s food is superb, most of us can overlook even the most egregious design. If the surroundings are stunning and the food subpar? Well, such restaurants put me in mind of Charlie the Tuna, the cartoon mascot for StarKist Tuna. In TV ad after TV ad, tough old Charlie – embracing some kind of perverse death wish – demonstrated his suitability for canning by appearing hip and cultured. Of course this cut no ice with StarKist, not on the lookout for tuna with good taste but rather tuna that tastes good. The result? A note on a fishhook saying “Sorry, Charlie.” A pair of new Toronto restaurants investigated by associate editor Leslie C. Smith in this issue are no Charlies (“A tale of two restaurants,” page 27). At both BLD and Fabbrica – designed to mirror the distinct food philosophy and personality of their owners – the cuisine and design are equally delicious.

Also delicious is the design of a kitchen by Ottawa-based VoK Design Group (“In an orderly fashion,” page 20). If the quality of food prepared here matches the quality of the kitchen, I’d say the owners must be amazing cooks.

In my search for great new stuff for the kitchen over the past few months, I attended a launch of Alessi’s spring/summer 2011 collection at cool Toronto design shop Bergo. I fell hard for the collection. (I also nearly literally fell, slipping not on the proverbial banana peel but on an errant hors d’oeuvre instead.) Rather than having to choose a single item for my roundup of kitchen products (“Now we’re cooking,” page 23), I gathered five of my favourites together for our Last Word (“In shapes,” page 42).

Elsewhere in these pages you’ll find show reports by deputy editor Peter Sobchak (“Banish the blues,” page 15) and Shauna Levy, cofounder of Toronto’s Interior Design Show and vice-president of MMPI Canada (“Blaze of glory,” page 33). Sobchak scoured the halls of Frankfurt’s Heimtextil to find the freshest wall and window coverings, bedding and home textiles. Levy endured the madness – and magic – of Milan’s Salone Internazionale del Mobile to search for style and substance in products, installations and events.

What they found is tasty indeed. c I Michael Totzke mtotzke@canadianinteriors.com

Save up to 30% off with the Designer Rate-Program

58 Berkeley St. Toronto, ON M5A 2W6 187 Highland St. unit #12 Haliburton, ON K0M 1S0 416-628-9966 | www.fiberliving.com

32883_17Gr

WE SHARE YOUR OBSESSION FOR THE RIGHT INGREDIENTS. The GROHE K7: Proof that kitchen necessities aren’t always of the edible kind.

The secret recipe behind the GROHE K7 commercial style kitchen faucet? All the functionality of a professional kitchen tool, delivered in a solid brass body scaled and designed for residential use.

Locking toggle alternates between aerated flow and spray even at very low pressure, spout rotates 360°, and nimble handle provides precise temperature and flow control thanks to the GROHE SilkMove ® cartridge. Pity those who actually believe that quality is a luxury. www.grohe.ca

Learn more about Grohe’s initiative to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation at: www.grohehopeflows.com

32883_17GroheCanInter.indd 1

11-06-24 9:35 AM

What’s Up

JULY-AUG. When IIDEX eyes are smiling The month of September brings a host of design shows, including Toronto’s IIDEX/ NeoCon Canada, the country’s most comprehensive expo and conference for the design, construction and management of the built environment. As well as highlighting new products from a host of exhibitors, this year’s IIDEX edition offers several new attractions.

Hospitality Canada ­– a collaboration between IIDEX and the Interior Designers of Canada (IDC) – is a brand-new show-within-a-show, featuring the latest products and services for interior designers, architects, hoteliers and facility managers specializing in the hospitality industry. A highlight is the launch of the premier enRoute Hotel Design Awards, celebrating the best Canadian-designed hotels around the world; it includes an exhibit as well as an awards ceremony.

Another first for IIDEX: the

12 CANADIAN INTERIORS July/August 2011

IDA (International Design Association) Awards ceremony will be held at IIDEX’s keynote stage for the first time ever. A bi-yearly event, the awards invite design students worldwide to create innovative solutions in furniture design and furniture making. Honoured this year will be four winners, two of whom are local talent.

Also new this year is Chair Hockey, in support of Ronald McDonald House Toronto; originally conceived by Herman Miller, this is a hockey tournament with a twist.

Facing off on ergonomic task chairs, in a special arena at the heart of the show, will be interior designers, architects, facility managers, engineers, and sales and A&D reps – with teams collecting points for meeting fundraising targets and getting the chance to play a celebrity team in a championship showdown.

Returning this year is THINK:Material, one of IIDEX’s most popular features.

The ultimate resource for design professionals to source new, creative and sustainable materials, it includes an exhibit of favourite materials from guest curators II BY IV

Design Associates, the firm based in Toronto.

Always eagerly anticipated is IIDEX’s keynote speakers series. This year’s participants hail from Paris, Berlin, Atlanta Toronto and Montreal.

Delivering the Design keynote are Dominique Jakob and Brendan MacFarlane, the Parisian design duo who have firmly established themselves in the top tier of digitally driven architecture. Best known for the exuberant Orange Cube – a mixed-use building constructed among the once-dreary riverside warehouses of Lyon, France – the partners will present recent and past projects as

seen from their perspective on the inside but understood as a part of a whole.

Delivering the Architecture keynote is Matthias Sauerbruch, the founding director of Berlin-based Sauerbruch Hutton Architecture, known internationally for its serious engagement with issues of sustainability combined with architecture of the highest order. Sauerbruch will show how the persistence of architects and designers to take on pioneering roles in sustainability is bringing us closer to answers we urgently need.

The Hospitality keynote takes the form of a conversation between Isadore Sharp, Clockwise from top left Matthias Sauerbruch, the founding director of Berlin-based Sauerbruch Hutton Architecture (photo

by Kalie Koponen); Sauerbruch Hutton’s KFW Westarkade, an office building and conference centre in Frankfurt, completed last year; Parisian design duo Dominique Jakob and Brendan MacFarlane (photo

by Alexandre Tabaste); Jakob+MacFarlane’s Orange Cube, a mixed-use building in Lyon, France.

the founder of the luxury hotel empire Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts, headquartered in Toronto, and Howard Pharr, the president of architectural firm HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates in Atlanta – moderated by Ilana Weitzman, editor-in-chief of enRoute, Air Canada’s award-winning in-flight magazine, published in Montreal. Together they’ll explore how great hotel design can respond to the unique demands of the modern-day

traveller.

All this plus an official IIDEX bookstore, in collaboration with Swipe Books; a display by the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects; the annual ARIDO Awards – and much more.

Held at Toronto’s Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place, the IIDEX NeoCon expo runs Sept. 22 and 23, while the conference runs from Sept 22 to 24. For more info, visit iidexneocon.com.

Clockwise from top left Howard Pharr, president of HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates, the Atlanta-based architectural firm; Isadore Sharp, founder of the luxury hotel empire Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts, with headquarters in Toronto; the luxurious spa at Four Seasons Seychelles; Ilana Weitzman, editor-in-chief of enRoute magazine (photo

by Malina Corpadean).

CAdInt.July2011_Canadian Interiors SPARK 7/7/11 10:45 AM Page 1

Less+More modern fires

At only 8" deep, the new SPARK Slim 46" saves space yet makes a bold statement. Ease of installation by hanging this direct vent fireplace on the wall adds to its appeal. As the leader in modern design fireplaces, SPARK Modern Fires combines leading-edge technology with beautiful design aesthetics. See our entire range of modern fireplaces at www.sparkfires.com p.866.938.3846

Show Biz PLAY OF LIGHT A Belgium-based printer of wallpaper and curtain fabrics, Masureel has expanded its brand of Khrôma to include four new collections: Catwalk, Sonata, Green and Lumina. As the name suggests, the theme of the latter (shown) is the refraction of light in transparent materials, such as crystal or diamonds, and the shadowy effects created by this, to the point where it is unclear at first if it is a shadow on the wall or the pattern on the wallpaper. khroma.be

Banish the blues Not the colour, but the mood.

Although held under the slate-grey skies of Frankfurt in January, Heimtextil 2011 was all about fresh ideas to enliven a room with new wall and window coverings, bedding and home textiles.

—By Peter Sobchak LET THE SUN SHINE Sun protection manufacturer MHZ Hachtel GmbH unveiled new versions of its Plissee-Vorhänge (literally translated as “pleated curtain”) line at Heimtextil 2011, some with new embroidered patterns and modern designs in clear, translucent and dark materials; others in such new materials as bamboo, paper or wood. An eye-catcher at the Heimtextil booth was a curtain with a clever ausbrenner, or burnout, pattern that oscillates between transparent and opaque materials. mhz.de

HISTORY’S CLOTH To the unaware, the bark of an East African Mutuba fig tree may seem incongruous in a trade show about fabrics. But in fact it is probably the oldest textile in the history of mankind, and was the subject of a special UNESCO World Cultural Heritage showcase at Heimtextil 2011. A processed version on display, called Barktex, is manufactured by Bark Cloth, a German company that partners with organic farmers from Uganda. The material is sustainable (it grows back quickly so trees need not be felled); soft but robust; and looks a lot like organza or leather. It is extremely versatile and can be used to make blinds, textile wallpapers, cushion covers, light screens and awnings, and other products. barkcloth.de

JULY/AUGUST 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 15

RIDE THE WAVE Erfurt & Sohn KG, well known in Germany for its paintable wallcovering products, has launched the new Erfurt Vlies Rauhfaser Classico wall decorative product, which combines woodchip textures with the effect of modern wallpapers in wave and line patterns. The wallpaper can be hung vertically, horizontally or diagonally to create innovative design possibilities.

Free of PVC, fibreglass and solvents, Vlies-Rauhfaser promotes a healthy room climate, while also being hard-wearing, structurally stable and able to bridge cracks. erfurt.com

GET GOING Mr Perswall of Sweden, a specialist in digitally printed wallpaper, launched Destinations, a wallpaper collection inspired by the abstract lines that convey the idea of travel, such as underground labyrinths, skyline sketches, word-find puzzles of famous cities, or road and transit map patterns of both old civilizations and new metropolis cultures like Manhattan’s grid layout (shown). mrperswall.se

SPRING AWAKENING Banishing the winter blahs was the German firm Gardisette, whose booth was overflowing with nine new collections of decorative fabric meant to evoke the energy of spring. Together, the strict graphic fabric Yumi (with striking rectangles set against light accent-coloured fringes) and the voile Yoko (which employs graphic accents in a transparent block stripe) make a fresh duo (shown). gardisette.de

THE EDISON EFFECT Plage France, a pioneer in the niche market of decorative adhesives, had the bright idea, so to speak, to augment its very popular wall stickers with Azaïa, a new line of light-up designs – such as a light bulb (shown); an outline of the Empire State Building; and a montage of London icons enhanced

by LED technology powered either by a rechargeable unit with USB cable or batteries. plage.fr

16 CANADIAN INTERIORS JULY/AUGUST 2011

CI_11-07_3f Process Cya

Burle™ ©modularArts Inc

Wade™ ©modularArts Inc

Quincy™ ©modularArts Inc

modulararts.com / 206.788.4210

CI_11-07_3full.indd 1 Process CyanProcess MagentaProcess YellowProcess Black

6/23/11 1:39 PM

Show Biz FOR GRAND EFFECT The Netherlands-based firm Coulisse B.V. has expanded its window decoration collections with Skiathos XL and Kos XXL. These roller-blind fabrics have a width of 240 cm, wider stripes than those of regular double-roller blind fabrics, perfect for bold statements on larger windows.

The stripes of the XL variety have a height of 25 cm, while the stripes of Kos XXL (shown) measure 40 cm. coulisse.nl

YOUR EPIDERMIS IS SHOWING For six years, Smartfiber AG has been experimenting with bedding and home textiles products that do more than look pretty, but can also regulate body temperatures, repel stains and reduce odours. This year the company launched Smartcel Sensitive, a cellulose-based antibacterial eudermic fiber with trace elements of zinc that supports the skin’s protective functions. It can be incorporated in all kinds of textiles and is even suitable for wool blends. smartfiber.de

A GLOOMINESS DETOX The new print collection of roller blinds for 2011 from Junkers & Müllers focusses on three designs under the title Easy Chic. The themes New Vintage and Elegant Classics are aimed at more subdued sophistication; whereas the Young & Fresh range (shown) targets young (or young-at-heart) customers with a collection of seven new designs in floral, abstract and text prints in vibrant colours, all intended to uplift the disposition of a room’s occupant. jm-techtex.com

CHECKS & BALANCES Höpke updated its JOOP! brand at Heimtextil 2011 with the JOOP! Delicate Pattern collection in four different lines, such as Carreau (shown), which plays off the multifaceted world of checks – for example, chenille checks; folklore checks from the south in their own traditional colours; strictly structured divisions from Scandinavia in slightly cool, chalky colours; and checks in a range of colours in Dover wool felt. hoepke.de

18 CANADIAN INTERIORS JULY/AUGUST 2011

WStudio-M

Designers Walk Bldg 5, 160 Pears Avenue, Suite 310, Toronto 416.929.9290 | 1.888.228.2467 | wstudio.ca

WStudio-MayJuneIssue.indd 1

5/10/11 4:52:54 PM

Food for Thought

In an orderly fashion Ottawa-based VoK Design group creates a kitchen that is cool, calm and collected. —By Karolina Olechnowicz

20 CANADIAN INTERIORS MAy/JuNE 2011

While some create out of chaos, others require everything in its place to get the creative juices flowing – and that includes those who practise the art of cooking. The open-concept kitchen featured here will appeal to cooks who crave calm and order.

It’s essentially a blank canvas within which culinary magic can freely happen.

Approximately 270 square feet in size, the kitchen was designed by Dylan O’Keefe and Thu Vu of VoK Design Group – along with the interiors of the new Ottawa house in which it’s located. “What’s great about this space is that it doesn’t feel like a kitchen,” says O’Keefe. “It’s very light and open.” Large south-facing windows along the back wall let in an abundance of natural light. The design team purposely refrained from incorporating any upper cabinets along this wall. “We have the low base cabinets on the south wall only,” O’Keefe says. “We wanted to leave an unobstructed path for light to enter the space.”

The designers were inspired by mid-century design, in which the beauty of natural materials are celebrated and emphasized through clean, sober lines. The pure white of

the swan cotton quartz Hanstone countertops contrasts dramatically with the heavily grained, horizontal natural walnut of the Downsview Kitchens cabinetry and the dark natural walnut floor.

The kitchen as a whole is seamless to the eye: cabinet hardware tucks in rather than protrudes, and the appliances at first glance are nearly invisible. Even the sink is nestled discretely in the countertop – with only the Tara Logic faucet with accompanying Dornbracht Froffi side spray revealing its hiding place.

The 9-by-4-foot centre island, complemented by the Mater stained white oak and leather bar stools, doubles as an eating area and clever storage hub for the main cooking appliances. Hiding beneath the quartz countertop – but fully accessible and convenient – are the wall oven, speed oven, warming drawer and cooktop, all from Miele Masterchef. Again, to avoid any bulky ceiling elements, the design team opted for a Thermador down-draft vent inside the island.

However careful the cook, everyday messes are inevitable. The workstation along the east wall has a fully functional, sliding frosted-glass panel, which acts as a privacy divider separating the food preparation area from guests’ eyes. The sliding mechanism is exclusive to Downsview, perfected to keep all functional hardware out of sight.

That idea of keeping classic kitchen elements hidden is predominant in this space. VoK Design even incorporated a hidden pantry, around the corner next to the Miele fridge unit on the west wall. In this kitchen, everything is in its place; something’s cooking; and all is right with the world. c I

The pure white of the swan cotton quartz Hanstone countertops contrasts dramatically with the heavily grained, horizontal natural walnut of the Downsview Kitchens cabinetry and the dark natural walnut floor. The kitchen as a whole is seamless to the eye: cabinet hardware tucks in rather than protrudes, and the appliances are nearly invisible.

July/August 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 21

We s t e r n C a n a d a ’ s L a r g e s t S u p p l i e r o f H o m e A p p l i a n c e s

VANCOUVER

VICTORIA

CALGARY N.

COQUITLAM

EDMONTON S.

SASKATOON

KELOWNA

WINNIPEG

NANAIMO

SURREY

CALGARY S.

EDMONTON N.

ABBOTSFORD

RED DEER

REGINA

TORONTO

w w w . c o a s t a p p l i a n c e s . c o m

Food for Thought

Now we’re cooking Hot new stuff for the kitchen

REAL SMOOTH TechLab Italia specializes in the fabrication of kitchen tops made with DuPont Corian. Its Top Bimaterico – a coplanar combination of Corian and stainless steel – comes in a wide range of colours, including a series of white, grey, beige and brown tones. The stainless steel area (available in a range of finishes) seamlessly incorporates the sink and cooktop in one big appliance, without any visible joins. techlabitalia.com bimaterico.com

23 CANADIAN INTERIORS JULY/AUGUST 2011

THROWING A CURVE LaCucinaAlessi by Alessandro Mendini is a complete kitchen product encompassing a full range of furniture and equipment. Mendini used the curved line as his inspiration – and the result is a kitchen that provides the user the feeling of being wrapped in a warm embrace. It’s available in steel (acciaio), shown here; molded glass (vetro); and Laminate (laminato). The furniture and the hoods are produced by Valcucine; the faucets are by Oras. lacucinaalessi.com

—By Michael Totzke

HONEYSUCKLE ROSE New Jersey–based Bendheim has added Pantone’s 2011 Color of the Year – Honeysuckle – to its line of colourcoated glasses. The vibrant pink hue can be bonded to virtually any type of glass; architects and designers can select from a vast range of glass patterns and textures. Bendheim glass is ideal for many applications, from exterior cladding and interior feature walls to backsplashes and countertops. bendheim.com

JULY/AUGUST 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 23

KOHLER: As I See It, #81 in a series “Destination: Guilin, China.

Transportation provided by Kohler.”

SUITE: Escale ® ARTIST: Sanjay Kothari 1- 800 - 4 - KOHLER kohler.com/escaleca

©2011 Kohler Co.

124772_KOHCAN11002_117S.indd 1

6/14/11 6:11 PM

14/11 6:11 PM

Food for Thought

TOUCH OF GLASS Quebec’s ThinkGlass offers maintenance-free glass kitchen countertops that are as tough as they are attractive. Made from 100-per-cent recyclable glass, each countertop is unique. ThinkGlass offers a huge selection of imbedded textures and handpainted colours; customers can select their glass thickness and edge treatments, and even add LED lights to further personalize their design. thinkglass.com

DANISH MODERN Muuto’s Hang Around cooking set (shown) and Toss Around salad servers are by Copenhagen-based KiBiSi, an award-winning firm founded by Bjarke Ingles (BIG), Lars Larsen (Kilo Design) and Jens Martin Skibsted (Skibsted Ideation). According to KiBiSi, “The kitchen utensils combine form, function and craftsmanship. The wooden tools are precisely designed and crafted for a sleek modern look and improved functionality. The slit in the back lets you work freely in the kitchen, while your utensils hang out on your pots or pans.” muuto.com

BAMBOOZLED Based in Chicago, Lenova is a leading manufacturer of sinks. Its bamboo doublebowl apron-front kitchen sink is a beauty – and surprisingly durable. Using a painstaking 13-step process, each Lenova sink is carefully crafted from fully matured Moso Bamboo, which is known for its peak density, colour clarity and sustainability; it is finished with a low-VOC binder and water-resistant top coat.

Generous proportions allow for ample work space. lenovasinks.com

TOUGH CUSTOMER Duravit’s Cassia is a flexible new series of built-in ceramic kitchen sinks, designed by awardwinning Phoenix Design.

Cassia sinks are crafted in DuraCeram, the international company’s proprietary ceramic – recognized for its high-impact resistance. Key features include a fine, all-round profile; a flat, flowing form; and a spacious surface area. The collection is available in three reversible sizes and five colours. duravit.us

INDUCTIVE REASONING Electrolux recently introduced a full-induction cooktop range into its premium major-appliance collection. Says Electrolux’s Stephanie Clarke, “It has surface sensors that automatically detect the placement of magnetic cookware, stimulate the induction field and adapt to the exact size of pot or pan.

This helps the induction elements to transfer heat directly to the cooking utensils, meaning the cooktop stays cooler, making it easier to clean and touch.”

The cooktop is 70 per cent more energy-efficient than gas and 20 per cent more than electric. electrolux.com

JULY/AUGUST 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 25

own tomorrow.

w.

Food for Thought

A tale of two restaurants

BLD Fabbrica

Designed to mirror the distinct food philosophy and personality of their owners instead of broader target group demographics, two new toronto restaurants appear to be bucking the brand-as-persona trend – let the marketing chips, or pommes frites, fall where they may. —By leslie C. smith

Photos: top by Richelle Forsey; bottom by Ben Rahn / A-Frame July/August 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 27

Who’s Who

28 CANADIAN INTERIORS July/August 2011

1 BLD Designed by 1point0 Interior Design

Opposite top Matte white walls, lacy ivory Caprice bar stools and snow-white pressed quartz tables and countertops stand out against the dark gun-metal veneer of the bamboo bar and black bolstered neoprene banquettes. A bamboo lighting bulkhead runs the length of the room; dangling within is a gregarious series of white acrylic mobiles, shooting off shifting iridescent reflections from the overhead PAR20s.

Opposite bottom In the private dining area, hot poppy-red glass room dividers and tufted black leather Philippe Starck Passion chairs play against a cool background of ‘60s music and film clips.

Above Heritage-protected windows offers suitable picture framing for both diners and curious passersby.

Photos by Richelle Forsey

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner/BLD, downtown on Toronto Street, represents Diane Paz and Warren Gyulay’s first design commission after leaving Cecconi Simone in 2010 and going out on their own. It is also the first solo restaurant for owner Lynda Angelucci, a stylish cosmopolitan, lover of fine art, and fan of the gourmet organic repast.

Its site is ideal: an ex-fast-food joint situated in a heritage building, strategically located to attract businesspeople during the day, fun-seekers and a growing number of condo dwellers at night. The front half of the 1,600-square-foot restaurant has been styled in a typical shotgun configuration, reminiscent of Edward Hopper’s renowned “Nighthawks,” his haunting 1942 painting of a Greenwich Village diner. The left side comprises the main restaurant and bar, the right a hostess booth and small private dining room; a passageway slices through the centre, leading to an open kitchen and compact takeout eatery at the back.

Much to everyone’s delight, during the demolition phase four steel pillars and some bracing girders were exposed. These building bones have been left as is, found art that fits in perfectly with the client’s design dictate of “New York loft meets L.A. freshness.” A set of triangular girders in the kitchen area actually acts as a kind of sketched-in doorway between the food prep and cooking stations; in the private dining room, a recess has been cut out of the drywall to suggest a picture frame around a section of dark, heavily riveted steel. Next to this hangs a colourful modern painting, one of several scattered throughout the restaurant and all from the client’s personal collection, a visual admixture part-museum and part-private dwelling that fulfills the client’s desire for an elegant “home away from home.”

Nor does the art of attraction end

there. A study in contrasts – dark and black against white and light – is particularly noticeable in the main restaurant area. Matte white walls, lacy ivory Caprice bar stools and snow-white pressed quartz tables and countertops stand out against the dark gun-metal veneer of the bamboo bar, tufted black leather Passion chairs and black bolstered neoprene banquettes, helping to break up much of the space’s inherent solidity. A bamboo lighting bulkhead runs the length of the room, its dark rectangularity almost mocked by the gregarious series of white acrylic mobiles dangling within, shooting off shifting iridescent reflections from the overhead PAR20s. Poppy-red glass around the hostess booth, echoed across the bar’s back wall, offers a shock of relief.

The impression, whether one is seated in the restaurant or standing outside gawking, is that of being a participant within a painting. BLD’s branding, in its own roundabout way, equates fine artwork with culinary artistry, a celebration of the creative spirit amidst quotidian surroundings. c I

July/August 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 29

Who’s Who

30 CANADIAN INTERIORS July/August 2011

Photos by Ben Rahn / A-Frame

2 Fabbrica Designed by Giannone Petricone Associates

Opposite top left The bar’s wine inventory is controlled via a series of steel storage racks and a rolling loading dock ladder. Opposite top right On warm summer days, the bar-lounge’s 15-foot windows fold open, creating a loggia overlooking the sidewalk patio.

Opposite bottom left A vintage film projector sits beside a steel-plate boiler, turning both dining room patrons and pizza-makers into part of the restaurant’s mise-en-scène. Left Stretching across one wall in the dining room is an enlarged blueprint of Fabbrica’s signature harlequin-diamond facade.

Overhead, Alfa Romeo–red upholstered baffles and unfinished wooden wall louvers keep the acoustics in sound check, while huge umbrella lights form a virtual ceiling a full 10 feet below the real one. Above In the amusingly utilitarian private dining area, workers of the world can unite around a plain refectory table. Purposely cheap slat walls interspersed with cork and plywood panels add to the atmosphere.

Design and real-life partners Ralph Giannone and Pina Petricone were given the enviable if daunting assignment of shaping celebrity chef and TV personality Mark McEwan’s latest restaurant, Fabbrica, located at The Shops at Don Mills, an upscale outdoor mall in northeast Toronto.

A true showman, McEwan was looking for “a lively, entertaining environment where the sous-chefs are only arm’s length from the diners.” As a serious fan of Italian cookery (his latest book, also called Fabbrica, is due in stores this month), McEwan wanted to blend authentic Italian fare with new-world Canadian touches in a space that echoed its name: in English, “fabbrica” means “factory” – a perfect fit for a business where, to use insider parlance, the staff work “the line.”

Taking him at his word, Giannone Petricone gave the high-ceilinged, 6,000-square-foot space a production setting, filling it with such industrial semaphore as a plastic letter-board by the front hostess station; rolled steel lighting grids and storage shelves in the adjacent bar-lounge; rough wooden slats (which double as sound suppressors) lining three walls of the dining room beyond; and, stretching across the fourth wall, an enlarged blueprint of the restaurant’s signature harlequin-diamond facade. Even more workmanlike is the private dining area tucked between the open kitchen servery and functional meat-curing room (a glass-fronted, temperature-controlled locker wherein hang locally sourced prosciutti and salami encrusted with character-imbuing molds). Here, serviceable Thonet chairs surround the literal plain board of a sprucewood refectory table.

Purposely cheap slat walls interspersed with cork and routered plywood panels add to the atmosphere.

The pizza de résistance, however, is the Carrara-marble-topped pizza bar, which

has been thrust like a modern stage into the main dining area, allowing customers to become part of the real-life cooking show. A huge, seven-foot-diameter pizza oven dominates this section, its traditional Neapolitan brick interior clad in a factoryissue, polished steel-plate boiler.

Sitting demurely to one side is a grey-painted movie projector, an allusion to the restaurant’s second motif: Italy’s mid-20th-century renaissance, neatly time-capsuled in such iconic films as La Dolce Vita and Roman Holiday. A certain glamorous incompleteness to the restaurant’s overall design; the lighting grids, unfinished walls and ceiling vault in the bar-lounge; the ready-for-your-close-up umbrella lights that form a virtual ceiling in the dining room; even the utilitarian steel shelving and polished concrete floors throughout – all are references to another kind of production, one familiar to its TV-star owner. Customers are not only invited to be participants in the scene, they also get to experience the digetic, behindthe-scenes elements that go into creating on-camera magic.

“We wanted to compose a series of settings that allowed patrons to be reconceptualized members of the cast in our cinematic food production,” Ralph Giannone revealed during a recent sit-down interview. Beside him, Mark McEwan smiled a trifle indulgently. To him, the design is ingredient-driven, the show’s real star simply the joy of cooking. c I

July/August 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 31

Who’s Who

Blaze of glory Nothing fires up the imagination and gets the adrenaline going like Milan’s matchless annual extravaganza of design.

—By shauna levy there is good reason why over 320,000 people flock to Milan each April for the salone Internazionale del Mobile (a.k.a. I saloni and the Milan Furniture Fair) and Fuori Milano (the accompanying offsite program). It’s as much about inspiration and innovation as it is about expense and utter exhaustion. Each day begins at 9 a.m. with a double espresso and ends at 4 a.m. with fragolini cocktails. Restaurant reservations can’t be had earlier than 11 p.m.; semi-decent hotels start at $400 per night. Conversations are heightened by adrenaline and new products are launched with overflowing champagne. With the likes of Philippe starck, Marcel Wanders and Jean-Marie Massaud rushing from one appointment to the next, star sightings are commonplace. Designer-emblazoned bags are the status symbol du jour, including this year’s tom Dixon neonorange postal bag and the always-coveted Paola lenti fabric bags.

Catering to a jaded audience, no expense is spared. this year, tom Dixon partnered with Blackberry to create a maze-like installation accessorized with his furniture and a 30-foot screen where images from the fair were uploaded by design scouts via a new app for the new Blackberry Playbook. toshiba converted an old courtyard into a raining light show.

A maze of archways encircling a small piazza served as a magnificent backdrop for Baccarat’s Highlights collection, a series of contemporary crystal chandeliers incorporating lED technology, by such designers as Arik levy and Jaime Hayón.

Photo by tom Vack

yet, if it was all show with no substance, the salone wouldn’t be celebrating its 50th anniversary. the fair itself features 2,700 established companies, including industry leaders Poliform, Moroso and Kartell; plus Euroluce, the biannual lighting fair, alternating with Eurocucine. then there are the 200 or so off-site events, where the emerging designer has an opportunity to flaunt his or her design acumen. Previously scattered throughout town, the event venues are now grouped together, making it easier to navigate the unchartered sea of design.

And while the fair may have been set against the backdrop of a struggling economy amid chatter about the divestment of the furniture industry, the Italians showed well. In response to the evolution of offshore reproduction, R&D was highly emphasized. Many manufacturers reworked prototypes and models currently in production, added pieces to existing collections, modified furniture items for outdoor use, and offered newer versions with contained pricing. so whether body-slammed sipping champagne at the launch of the trussardi furniture collection by Michael young, hanging with the cognoscenti at galleria Rossana Orlandi or jostling for a turn at the cappucino bar – and despite how exhausted on the return flight – we leave Milan inspired, our hearts singing.

Who’s Who BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE During the Milan fair, Interni magazine converts the city’s State University into a think tank for design via provocative installations and exhibits. This year’s edition – with the theme of Mutant Architecture and Design – attracted an international roster of architects and designers, including Zaha Hadid, Mario Botta, Snohetta, Richard Meier and Ingo Maurer. Says Mauer of his Ablaze installation, “It was meant to show the gradual transformation of a house burning down in slow-motion; while working on that I decided to focus on the perception.” Like an actual burning fire, Ablaze is as frightening as it is mesmerizing. The house seems to be hoisted hoisted up by a rope. A series of windows reveal a smoking red interior; upon closer inspection, one sees a mirrored spherical object oscillating slowly from one side to the other above a glowing green opening.

MAy/JuNE 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 33

2

1

1— YOU’RE WELCOME Moroso introduced the perfectly comfortable Gentry sofa. Available in a variety of fabrics, it’s accessible without sacrificing character and modernity; the curved armrests and large sofa cushions are friendly and welcoming. morosousa.com

2—FAR OUT, MAN Moroso’s Biknit chair and chaise longue are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The enlarged stocking stitch and knitted pattern serves both decorative and functional load-bearing purposes.

Biknit’s intertwined macramé, coupled with the solid dark wood frame, will revive the hippie in anyone. morosousa.com

3—FADE TO WHITE Designed by Milan-based designer Patricia Urquiola for Glas Italia, Faint is a monolithic table in transparent extralight glass with a tempered top and legs.

At one end, the table starts in transparent white and starts to gradually fade until it’s only clear transparent glass at the opposite end. glasitalia.it 4—PURE & SIMPLE Pritzker Prize winner (2008) Jean Nouvel is, by his own definition, “not a designer, but an architect who designs”; he further explains that “design objects are the inhabitants of architecture.” His Simplissimo series of seating and footstools for Ligne Roset is elegant and refined in a shade of black, personally selected by

3

4

34 CANADIAN INTERIORS July/August 2011

him. Each piece is upholstered in a scuba fabric giving a peach-skin feel and a matte appearance. ligneroset.com 5—CAPED CRUSADER Located this year in the Versace Theatre (where the venerable label holds its seasonal couture shows), hot U.K.-based Established & Sons didn’t shy away from the theatricality of the space with close to a dozen new products taking centre stage on risers surrounded by mirrored walls.

Cape, by Konstantin Grcic, is an upholstered sofa with an overlay cover. Reminiscent of seasonal house closures, the covered sofa has a casual yet luxurious feeling. Available in a multitude of fabrics and colours, it can be changed up with each new season. establishedandsons.com

Who’s Who

6

5

6—AIR SUPPLY Designed by Claesson Koivisto Rune for Paola Lenti, and initially launched in 2009, the Haven series for interior and exterior environments received a welcome addition this year with high-backrest armchairs (shown), a two-seater sofa and sunbed.

The slender yet sturdy, specially designed, tubular metal structure form is covered with Rete, a Paola Lenti signature techno-weave fabric, which is elastic yet resistant and permeable to air and water.

Apart from giving support to the back, it adapts to the non-uniform seat shape and has a semi-transparent character, providing multiple seating positions; it also allows air to pass through it – making it perfect for outdoor lounging. paolalenti.com

7—TUFTY TIME, THE SEQUEL Based on the success of its iconic Tufty Time sofa by Patricia Urquiola, B&B Italia launched Tufty Too. Available in raw cotton and denim, it’s also a relaxed sofa, with subtle stitching details creating a tailored effect. The added bonus is that due to new upholstery approaches, Tufty Too is available at a more affordable level than its predecessor. bebitalia.it

details like stitching and buttons, the overall effect was sensual and refined. poliformusa.com

8—JEAN-MARIE’S BLUES Always a mob scene, the Poliform stand this year had a refreshingly young and energetic feeling to it. This was mainly due to the new Scandinavian-inspired upholstery additions – Ventura Lounge – designed by French designer Jean-Marie Massaud. Seen mostly in blues and with

8 7

July/August 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 35

2

1

1—FLUTTER BY German lighting wizard Ingo Maurer continues to be fascinated with the lightbulb, and handcraftsmanship is the ultimate luxury in his JB Schmetterling (J.B. Butterfly) light fixture. A mouthblown bulb is encased within a Teflon band (made via rapid prototyping) around which individually handpainted butterflies flutter. ingomaurer.com 2—WANDERS’ METAMORPOHOSIS At Euroluce, FLOS once again made strides with over a dozen new products – all using LED technology. Chrysalis, standing over six feet high, is a vase/light source made in “cocoon resin” by Marcel Wanders. True to Wanders’ child-like sense of fantasy and wonderment, he

poetically explains, “The way a chrysalis hosts the metamorphosis of a caterpillar changing into a butterfly – in the same way this magic vase, out of nothing, grows its fabulous flowers of light.” flos.com

3—IN LEAF Inspired by the Heracleum plant (a.k.a. the less appetizing Hogweed), the magical Heracleum light fixture is by Dutch designer Bertjan Pot, for Moooi. The inventive Pot is best known for the spherical LED Random light, also for Moooi, as well as the Heatwave rococo radiator for Jaga – both of which rocked the design world. The Hercaleum resembles a splattering of ephemeral mistletoe dangling from a series of unraveling rope.

3

36 CANADIAN INTERIORS July/August 2011

The LED “leaves” can be rotated and are intertwined via coated, conductive layered wires, giving a magical and airy effect. moooi.com

4—NICE & KNOTTY U.S.-based lighting manufacturer Roll & Hill made its European debut in one of the offsite venues, Zona Tortona. In addition to prototypes by Jason Miller, R&H also showed Knotty Bubbles, a light by Lindsey Adelman, made of hand-blown glass globes tied together with knotted rope.

The handcraftsmanship ensures that each sculptural piece is unique. rollandhill.com 4

On-Line registration Commences July 26, 2011

Don’t miss the Launch of Hospitality Canada at IIDeX 2011

exposiTion

September 22 – 23, 2011 conference

September 22 – 24, 2011 DIRect eNeRgY ceNtRe, toRoNto

materials that make You think! www.thinkmaterial.ca

We Speak the Language of Design Join the Conversation To download recommended Qr reader, please visiT www.beetagg.com

12 Concorde Place, Suite 800, Toronto, ON M3C 4J2

Subscribe/Renew Today! www.canadianinteriors.com

Please mail or fax your order to 416-510-6875 Name

Title

Company Address City

Prov.

Tel.

Fax

Postal code

E-mail Signature

O Visa

Date

O AMEX

O MC No.

Exp. date

Name on card

Type of business:

O Yes! I would like to subscribe/renew to Canadian Interiors O 1 year O 2 years O 3 years

$37.95 (+GST/HST/QST) $60.95 (+GST/HST/QST) $82.95 (+GST/HST/QST)

O 1 year US $70.95 (US funds)

O 1 years wrapped $40.95 (+GST/HST/QST) O 2 years wrapped $64.95 (+GST/HST/QST) O 3 years wrapped $86.95 (+GST/HST/QST) O 1 year Overseas $96.95 (US funds)

To order on-line go to www.canadianinteriors.com

O Interior Design

O Architecture

O Landscape Design

O Manufacturers & Dealers

O Retail / Showroom

O Student of Design

O Other (please specify___ ____________________________________

Inquiries at circulation@canadianinteriors.com

SUBMIT YOUR BEST WORK TODAY! The DXAs are Canada’s only design competition to judge design by results: balancing function, aesthetics and economic success. A jury of leading business executives, designers and community leaders select winners in 14 categories including architecture, engineering, fashion, graphic design, industrial design, interior design, landscape architecture and urban design.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE September 30, 2011 AWARDS CEREMONY November 22, 2011

DX.ORG/DXA

Who’s Who BENNETT BEACH BASH

1 1

Two years ago, a staffer at Bennett Design Associates was diagnosed with cancer.

This inspired Sue Bennett, ARIDO president-elect and head of her 16-person firm, to initiate the Bennett Beach Bash at the Balmy Beach Club in Toronto’s leafy Beaches neighbourhood, to benefit the Princess Margaret Hospital. “This summer kickoff is the biggest design-industry fundraiser in Toronto,” she says. This past June saw the second Bash, boasting 18 corporate sponsors, 16 beach dodgeball teams and some 500 participants.

1—At the marshmallow dunk: Trigon Construction Management’s Trevor Taylor, senior site supervisor, and Tyler Hougkamp, graphic designer; Stephenie Wong, designer, Williams Craig Design; and Reuben Lopez, estimator, Trigon.

2—Surf’s up for Bennett Design. Front Jill Priestman, resource manager; and Sarah Faith, Cynthia Soda, Kelly Rhyness, Patricia Catherwood, interior designers. Rear Jennifer Torok, director of design, Sue Bennett, founder; Melissa MacIntyre; and Joanna Lucente, interior designer.

2

2

3

ART BY ARIDO DESIGNERS

4

QUADRANGLE’S 25TH Although Corus Quay, the anchor project in the revitalization of Toronto’s East Bayfront, was designed by Diamond and Schmitt Architects, the interior was outfitted by Quadrangle Architects Ltd. And that was a good enough reason for Quadrangle to hold its 25th-anniversary party in the dramatic, five-storey atrium.

The Association of Registered Interior Designers hosted the Art by Designers gala at Denison Gallery in north Toronto, with ARIDO members displaying their original paintings, sculpture and photos.

Tom Harrington, co-host of CBC’s Marketplace, emceed the silent auction; proceeds went to the Inner City Angels charity.

Spring into summer —By David Lasker

1—Architect Farhad Rahbary, principal, Leads Architects; Darryl Balaski, senior team leader, Figure3; and Ferial Rahbari, creative director, FRD Studio.

2—Dianne Soucy, interior designer at Kelly McTernan Lavoie; Debora Abreu, marketing co-ordinator, Interior Designers of Canada (IDC); Lucia DeBiasio, principal, interior design firm LDB Design; Therese Gould, senior designer, Comley Van Brussel Design and Management; Jennifer Daborn, sales assistant, CTI Working Environments; and Sarah Stafford, project designer, Figure3.

3—Marnie Mancini, interior designer and painter; Robin Morrison, fundraiser; and Rachel Doner, art consultant, Denison Gallery.

1

1—The atrium overlooking Lake Ontario.

2—Quadrangle staffers Rick Mugford, architect; Catherine Jackson, architectural technician; Aaron Smith, architect; Maria Castago, admin; and Christina Angelucci, architectural technician.

3—Quadrangle principals Brian Kurtner, Les Klein, Susan Ruptash and Sheldon Levitt.

4—Jeff Montgomery: son-in-law of SkyDome creator Rod Robbie, husband of Quadrangle interior design head Caroline Robbie, and R&B bass player in Catfish Blues Band; interior designer Dolores Pian; architect Rod Robbie; and design journalist Donna-Jean McKinnon.

2

3

MaY/June 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 39

Amtico International The quality and design of Amtico is second to none, feel empowered to create, express and define your vision.

Utilized individually or combined together, you have the potential to create a wonderfully unique environment.

Amtico Infinity Spark 404 267-1900

www.amtico.com

Benjamin Moore & Co. Ltd Green Promise Paints Are Guaranteed to Contain Low or Zero VOCs. The paint industry is filled with definitions of “green paint.” The Green Promise designation is Benjamin Moore’s assurance that its environmentally friendly paints, stains, and other coatings meet - and even exceed - the strictest industry standards and regulations while maintaining the premium level of performance you expect from Benjamin Moore.

800 304-0304 www.benjaminmoore.ca/thenewstandard

CosyFloor Infloor Heating

Ico, your Canadian supplier of Cosyfloor Infloor Heating, available in 24 sizes of heatmat in 110 or 220V for suitable installation into any room size or configuration. Our proven products have the advantage of ease of installation featuring lay flat mesh matting and ultra thin heating cable meaning this product will add only 1/8” to your finished floor level.

877-757-8930 www.icocanada.com

Tuzio Towel Warmers

Ico, your exclusive manufacturer and supplier of a comprehensive range of Tuzio towel warmers. These towel warmers are available for hydronic and electric installation to ensure integration in almost any application.

Choose from a large selection of designs available in chrome, brushed nickel and white for a towel warmer to compliment all room styles and décor.

877-757-8930 www.icocanada.com

Bentley Prince Street

InterfaceFLOR

Introduces Illuminated Linen® - a design capturing the feel of vintage 1940’s fabric.

With a non-directional pattern, Illuminated Linen brings unexpected texture and color to visually represent the cottony essence of cool linen. It will bring peace and tranquility to corporate, hospitality, government and retail settings. This exceptional product is piece-dyed for custom color flexibility and available in broadloom and 3 carpet tile sizes (18x36 in, 24x24 in and 36x36 in) for modular creativity.

The Series™ Collection is a soft spoken sophistication in four styles, 16 colours, simple textures and tailored patterns.

Designed to work in a system, 1000 Series™, 2000 Series™ and 3000 Series™, perfect for open office areas to executive offices and boardrooms. It’s drop dead gorgeous, sustainable and built to last.

866 398-3191 www.interfaceflor.ca

800 423-4709 www.bentleyprincestreet.com

Grohe Faucets The Eurosmart Cosmopolitan line is the latest in a new wave of contemporary designs by Grohe that offers trusted performance, an innovative mounting system that reduces installation time by 40% and purity of design all at an attractive price that merit consideration for your next project.

888 644-7643 www.grohe.ca

professional directory 40 CANADIAN INTERIORS May/June 2011

modularArts®

NEW! InterlockingRock® BuildingBloks™ Modular wall blocks work with standard steel studs to create rock-solid, full-round sculptural walls of any size. Our proprietary InterlockingRock® feature precisely aligns all sides for super fast installation. And as with all our products, you can breathe easy - blocks are composed of cast rock with a lightweight soy-based core, for healthy, fire-safe walls.

206 788-4210 www.modularArts.com

Full Year (8 Issues) $200 per • Single $350 To book your space in the Professional Directory please contact Martin Spreer at mspreer@canadianinteriors.com 416-510-6766

Advertisers Index nora systems, Inc. norament® 925 serra is a high-performance floor covering inspired by the dramatic textures and colors of nature´s landscape, developed with input from architects and designers. The 3.5-millimeter product is suitable for high-traffic areas, offering durability and comfort underfoot. Like all nora flooring, norament 925 serra does not contain PVC. It is also GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certified® and contributes to healthier indoor air.

800 332-NORA

ACO www.QuARTzbyACO.com 6

International Furniture Market (IFM) www.ifm.net.my 10

Amtico www.artecaflooring.com 3

ISA www.havaseat.com 14

Coast Appliances www.coastappliances.com 22

Kohler www.kohler.ca 24

Design Exchange www.dx.org 38

Modular Arts www.modulararts.com 17

Designer’s Choice www.designerschoice.ca 6

Nienkämper www.nienkamper.com 26

Europtimum www.europtimum.com 44

PPG Industries www.ppg.com 9

Fiber Designs www.firberliving.com 8

Shaw Carpet www.shawcontractgroup.com 7

Global Total Office www.thinkglobalstyle.com 4

Sliding Doors Company www.slidingdoorco.com 2

Greenferd www.greenferd.com 8

SOFA International Centre www.visitsofa.com 44

Grohe www.grohe.ca 11

Spark Modern Fires www.sparkmodern.com 13

IIDEX/NeoCon Canada www.iidexneocon.com 37

W Studio www.wstudio.ca 19

www.nora.com/us

SOFA - Source of Furniture & Accessories An essential resource for Design Professionals.

SOFA, Source of Furniture and Accessories, offers 200,000 sq ft of ever changing inventory.

Select the latest products from manufacturers of home furnishings and accessories.

SOFA showrooms bring you the best in accessories, antiques, art, casegoods, fabrics, fixtures, floor coverings, framing, furniture, lighting, rugs, upholstery, wall coverings and window treatments. www.visitsofa.com

Water Matrix

High efficiency, high performance plumbing fixtures. Variety of LEED® applicable designs, technologies, and budget options. Customize further with a choice of colours, round-front or elongated bowls, comfort height seats, or one-piece & low-profile styles.

• Proficiency 3.0 lpf Ultra High Efficiency toilets • Niagara Flapperless leak proof toilets • Matrix Dual Flush toilets • Zero Flush® urinals

800-668-4420 www.watermatrix.com

W Studio The finest hand woven contemporary and traditional carpets made from natural wool, silk and cotton fibers.

Tibetan, contemporary, traditional, persian, oriental and aubusson styles. Visit us at: Designers Walk Bldg 5, 160 Pears Avenue, Suite 310, Toronto, Ontario

To book your ad space in Canadian Interiors please contact Martin Spreer at 416-510-6766

888 228-2467 www.wstudio.ca

www.canadianinteriors.com

May/JUne 2011 CANADIAN INTERIORS 41

Eu

Last Word

In shapes alessi’s latest kitchen collection throws a few curves and angles.

—By Michael Totzke

2

1

3

5

4

1—OH, BABY Design duo Doriana e Massimiliano Fuksas have delivered Baby, which comprises two items: a large citrus basket (shown) and small tealight holder. They are made of two-colour, double-cast porcelain (brown with light blue inside, or white with red inside); their openings are carved by hand.

2—LEAVES & FLOWERS California-based Elena Manferdini, a young Italian architect, has designed Blossom, a fruit

holder that reflects a contemporary reinterpretation of an Arts and Crafts lattice pattern.

The result of a complex production process, Blossom features interlocking flowers, clover and shamrocks. It comes in two versions: mirror-polished 18/10 stainless steel, and stainless steel coloured with white epoxy resin.

3—RAISE A LITTLE HELL Says third-generation owner Alberto Alessi of Karim Rashid’s angular, irregularly shaped fruit holder, citrus

basket and tray,” As soon as I saw them, I spontaneously called them ‘Hellraiser.’”

Bringing to mind a printed circuit board, all three items are available in two versions: 18/10 stainless steel, and stainless steel coloured with grey epoxy resin.

4—ALL DRESSED UP “Today we don’t eat, we dine” is the tagline for Marcel Wanders’ Dressed tableware collection, which blends floral and baroque motifs in basrelief. The zany Dutch design-

er’s first collaboration with Alessi comprises a table set in white porcelain with relief decoration; a cutlery set in 18/10 stainless steel, also with relief decoration; a glass set in crystal; plus coasters, placemats and trays.

5—FOUND ART Lluís Clotet’s Crumpled family of objects feature undulating stainless-steel surfaces full of unpredictable reflections. New pieces for 2011 are the Enriqueta salad serving bowl and the Sumpta centerpiece. c I

EurO Full Page - Aug2010 Final.pdf 1 27/08/2010 2:06:27 PM

30 eMInenT deSIgn hOuSeS undeR One ROOF. ThAT’S SOFABuLOuS. SOFA is 30+ furniture and accessory leaders in 200,000 sq ft of renovated showroom space. dedicated to helping dealers and design professionals grow their businesses, SOFA is your inspiration hotspot.

SOURCE OF FURNITURE ACCESSORIES Open to the trade only Tues.–Thurs. 10–4 n VIP Concierge Appointments: 905 678 5626 SOFA 6900 Airport Rd., Mississauga (inside the International Centre) (minutes away from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport)

visitsofa.com

MeMBeR OF: IdC, ARIdO, CdeCA, IdRC

All Images Photographed at SOFA, nov. 2010