IDS 08 Window Competition Winner: MAGIC PONY
Posted on May 12, 2008 by Karen | Comments: 0Categories:Show Updates
Early this year, we challenged a select number of retailers and art galleries with store fronts to create a window in celebration of design. We were excited to see everyone involved rise to the challenge. It was incredible to see so many interesting windows around the city just before the show.
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We’re happy to announce that the winner of this year’s competition is Magic Pony. Magic Pony is an art gallery/boutique specializing in limited edition pieces, located in West Queen West. The winning window was created by Toronto artist and OCAD graduate, Tania Sanhueza. Her work is largely made up of sculpture inspired by the life of the animal and plant world. According to Sanhueza, her “New Year’s” window for Magic Pony was a reflection on the past and a celebration of the overwhelming healing force of nature. She used the mushroom as the ultimate symbol both of decay and restoration, as it transforms the trappings of death into new life.
Runners up of the competition were Petroff Gallery and Urban Barn.
We thank everyone who participated and voted online. We are looking forward to what everyone will do for IDS 09.
Designer Profile: Allan Chan
Posted on Apr 25, 2008 by Karen | Comments: 0Categories:Designer Profiles
What are the 5 things you can’t live without?
Ray Ban aviators, good sushi, my sketchbook, black Converse All Star Chuck Taylor, hockey.
How did you get into design?
Was very into art and drawing in highschool, natural evolution into design. Went to University for it, undergrad in Landscape Architecture and Masters in Architecture
Who or what inspires you?
Adolf Loos, Mies van de Rohe, Rem Koolhaus, Bernard Tschumi, Charles and Ray Eames, Marcel Duchamp, The Futurist manifesto
What do you consider good design?
Good design is something that is thought provoking, changes the way you think, and absolutely functional.
What “trends” are you loving or hating right now?
Loving: Green movement, Attention to colour, Rapid Prototyping
Hating: Knock off furniture, CNC production for the sake of CNC production, Damask patterns everywhere, The return of the acid wash jeans
Are there any other designers that you would love to collaborate with? Who and why?
Tokujin Yoshioka because of his wacky innovative use of industrial materials for installations and furniture, Irwin Hauer if he were still alive because of his mind blowing use of volume and material to create those amazing screens
If you were not a designer, what other profession would you most like to do?
Photography
What advice can you give to any designers out there wanting to start their own thing?
Patience, patience, patience. Make sure you have the right clients to start with, otherwise it’s an uphill battle.
10 Innovative Designers Continue To Make Waves
Posted on Apr 09, 2008 by Karen | Comments: 0Categories:Exhibitor, Magazines
It’s been a couple of months since the show and we’re excited to see that our 10 Innovative Canadian designers continue to receive the recognition that they deserve. Via Rail wrote an extensive article covering all ten designers. You can read the article here.
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In I.D Magazine’s "New & Notable" section of the January/February issue, Ober Arbel’s latest work for Bocci, featuring lighting that resembles barnacles, a complex system that wraps porcelain skin around frosted Pyrex, was mentioned. The same issue also showcased IDS08 Trade Day Speaker, Arne Quinze's colourful office as one of the top 40 most creative spaces around the world.
Innovative Canadian designer, Loyal Loot has also been featured as one of the picks on Domino Magazine’s website for the “Under $100 – Affordable eco-friendly home accessories.” This list was compiled by celebrity design blogger, Grace Booney of Design*Sponge, who has also been named in Time Magazine’s “The Design 100” list who names the people and ideas behind today’s most influential design.
If you are traveling to NY for the ICFF next month, look out for Studio North alumni Rollout Custom Wallpaper, Hut J, Pascale Giardin, Tsunami Glassworks and Geoffrey Lilge who will be making an appearance there.
Suite 22 Interiors Unveils New Showroom
Posted on Mar 27, 2008 by Karen | Comments: 0Categories:Exhibitor, Events
Last Thursday, Suite 22 Interiors unveiled a brand new 6,000 SQ foot showroom. Sprung from a free space made available by family business, SitConf, younger son and owner Robert D’Ulisse recognized a need to cater to young, design savvy, condo dwellers. The showroom provides a beautiful atmosphere that showcases Italian furnishings that are sleek, modern and clean. Multi-functional pieces are designed with the condo-dweller in mind, maximizing on space and design.
What sets Suite 22 Interiors apart is its ability to customize every single piece to cater to an individual’s personal taste. Armed with the capability to customize each piece’s wood finishes and with over 100 different fabrics and leather choices, buyers need not be afraid of seeing the same furniture at their contemporary’s homes. According to D’Ulisse, they are currently upholstering some stools in soccer jersey for a customer whose brothers play soccer for a European team!
Suite 22 Interiors is located at 223 Signet Drive, Suite 2 in Toronto, Ontario.
Designer Profile: Anwar Mukhayesh
Posted on Mar 20, 2008 by Karen | Comments: 0Categories:Designer Profiles
We received quite a number of emails from people who had missed the show and did not get to see our designLive teams in person. Rest assured, you can still get more of your favourite designers by going to our IDS Live site.
We just recently uploaded some new videos with all the design teams talking about their concept spaces. Also, catch Mark Challen's video on the top 5 Trends that he spotted at IDS 08.
Here are Anwar Mukhayesh's answers to our Designer Profile questionnaire. Allen Chan and Matthew Davis' answers will be posted in the weeks to come, so stay tuned.
What are the 5 things you can’t live without?
my phone (blackberry but soon to be iphone), my truck (1985 mercedes gwagen), sunlight, good food & friends
How did you get into design?
studied engineering design and then started my own design company in 1998
Who or what inspires you?
life & possibility inspires me, as well as such people as Stark, Bill Gates, Karim Rashid, etc.
What do you consider good design?
good design is subjective to a degree but must answer some fundamental purpose mixed with an as universally acceptable aesthetic as possible.
What “trends” are you loving or hating right now?
The trend to ‘responsible & sustainable design’, the exploration of new processes and materials as well as alternate sources of energy. I am hating the overly neglectful emphasis by society on consuming. The best trend is the trend towards acknowledging and appreciating design as a fundamental necessity of the future in all aspects of life
Are there any other designers that you would love to collaborate with? Who and why?
Philppe Stark – so I can challenge his ingenuity.
If you were not a designer, what other profession would you most like to do?
Travel writer & photographer
What advice can you give to any designers out there wanting to start their own thing?
Get a good solid education but start your design research and inspiration ASAP, don’t be afraid of risk when it comes to doing your own thing.
On February 22, CDECA (Canadian Decorators' Association) hosted their annual awards party at the Direct Energy Center following Trade Day at IDS 08.
Awards were given out for the following categories - Renovation: Valerie Rowley (1st) and Sara Nadeau (2nd), New Construction: Harvey Winks (1st) and Deborah Casey (2nd), Unlimited Budget: Mairi Vasil (1st) and Gwen Grover (2nd), Interior Decoration Without Construction: Anita Vizzini (1st) and Deborah Casey (2nd), Student: Rebecca Grim (1st) and Renae Sawatzky (2nd).
Congratulations to all the winners!
It's been a couple of weeks since IDS 08. As promised, we have finally managed to update our Facebook and Flickr pages. Below is a video that we used at the entrance for the show to promote designUNLIMITED. If you missed getting a poster while you were at the show and are interested in getting one, we still have a limited number available. Please email us at info@interiordesignshow.com for more info. All proceeds from the sale goes to support Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontiers.
10 Great Years. 10 Great Spaces
Posted on Mar 03, 2008 by Shauna | Comments: 0Categories:Exhibitor, Awards, Show Updates
The 10th annual Interior Design Show, IDS 08 came to a close on Sunday February 24th at 6pm. With record attendance each day, kudos from professional designers, architects and consumers alike…not to mention the scores of “BEST IDS YET” coming from exhibitors ranging from Italian furniture manufacturer Moroso, Toronto furniture retailer Italinteriors, Belgian radiator manufacturer Jaga, Italian kitchen manufacturer Valcucine and their distributor DOM Showrooms, Canadian furniture manufacturer Andrew Richard Designs and from media including Azure, Canadian House & Home and many more…we say thank you to those of you who attended and participated…as well as bring you 10 memorable moments from the 10th anniversary…
Clockwise from left: Staff from Belgian radiator manufacturer,Jaga chisel chocolate (Belgian, of course!), 10 Innovative Canadian Designers Exhibit presented by Audi & Azure; Ani + Lumigrane, winner of "Best Collection" from Studio North exhibit, Moen: Booth Award (Gold) for 200 SQ FT to 400 SQ FT; Mark Baechler (shown above) of Teeple Architects Inc/Willis/ Countours Contertops & Millwork: Booth Award (Silver) for 200 Sq FT to 400 SQ FT, Ministry of The Interior: Booth Award (Gold) for 50 SQ FT to 199 SQ FT; Frame Magazine (Booth designed by OCAD students): Booth Award (Silver) for 50 SQ FT to 199 SQ FT; Judges Tom Dixon (Designer - England), Ben Watson (Moroso USA) and Arne Quinze (Designer - Belgium) have a discussion with Brent Cordener of Luflic: Recipient of Best Prototype Award.
Above: IDS 08 Booth Awards for 401 SQ FT and higher; Montauk: Booth Award (Gold) and Dekla/Scavolini: Booth Award (Silver).
IDS 08 Booth Design Awards were judged by Elizabeth Pagliacolo, Azure's Senior Design Editor, Danny Sinopoli, The Globe and Mail's Style Editor and New York based designer, Larry Laslo. Best Studio North Collection and Best Prototype were judged by British Designer Tom Dixon, Belgian Designer Arne Quinze and Ben Watson or Moroso, USA.
Congratulations to all award winners!
We're down at the show office, in the midst of taking down the show. It is always a bittersweet process. It's been a whole year of planning, three and a half days of great design and energy. And then it's all over.
So far, we've had a tremendous response from our exhibitors, trade and public attendees. We leave you with some pictures from the show but as promised, we will update our Facebook and Flickr accounts in the days to come.
What's next? We start planning for 2009!
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From all of us on the IDS team, thank you so much for attending the show.
We've been very busy here at the Direct Energy Centre, setting up for what we think will be the best IDS show yet. Even though it's been 10 years, we're always amazed to see how an empty show floor is transformed in a mere three days into these amazing spaces.
This year, we've decided to share some of the action that goes behind the making of the show. You'll be able to find IDS and our exclusive "behind the scene" pictures in the next coming days on our Facebook Fan Page and the IDS Flickr Page.
See you at the show!
