Inspiration | Q&A
YANIC SIMARD ON
CREATING CUSTOM By Elisa Krovblit | Photos Brandon Barre
WHEN YOU HIRE A DESIGNER the
space they create for you is, of course, custom. But the elements in that room — are they a carefully curated collection that will work in your space or are they custom made, just for you? New Condo Guide caught up with celebrity designer Yanic Simard, principal of the award-winning boutique firm Toronto Interior Design Group (tidg.ca), to ask him about custom pieces, and he’s given us some amazing insight into creating the best custom essentials for your home.
New Condo Guide: Why custom? Yanic Simard: My idea of comfort is living in a space that feels right — a personal retreat where you end up at the end of the day, and it just feels good. Going custom is the best way to achieve that.
NCG: Custom can be costly. Are there cost-effective ways to get custom looks? YS: Upholstery. Custom upholstering an entire piece of furniture, such as an armchair or a sofa, can quickly add up. But focusing on something simple, like the seats of dining chairs, can be a small investment with a big payoff. This approach also gives you the opportunity to create a lot of looks that you are unlikely to find in a store, such as matching your drapery to a chair back for a statement that says “custom,” loud and clear. This also provides an opportunity to use a small amount of high-end fabric for accents and apply a plainer and more durable material to high-impact areas, such as the seat, for the best of both worlds (and a balanced budget).
NCG: Are there areas where you more strongly recommend going the custom route? YS: Drapery. As with upholstery, custom draperies can require investing in materials and labour. However, a custom drapery treatment is by far the best way to achieve an elegant look, especially for windows of an unusual size or walls that do not perfectly suit a pre-made panel. This is why custom drapery is generally considered worth the investment. In many cases it is possible to extend a ready-made panel instead of starting from scratch. In much less time than it takes to make a panel from scratch, a seamstress (or skilled DIYer) can cut the bottom of a packaged curtain and attach a panel of a second fabric, creating a perfect length, colour-block statement without the full price tag. NCG: Do you recommend customizing pieces of furniture? YS: Creating a custom piece of furniture for a client is many designers’
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dream, but it can sound more like a nightmare for homeowners. The cost, time, imagination and decisions required can make choosing a custom piece seem overwhelming compared to simply dropping by a store and walking away with a new find.
APR 23 - MAY 7, 2016 | NEW CONDO GUIDE 41
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