northpublik: design above the 44th parallel

Come Up To My Room, 2007

No, we’re not New York, Milan or Cologne, but Toronto has its fair share of artists and  industrial designers, and for one week [ok, a few days] in February, they come together to show the rest of us how it’s done.

The 3 interiors-based shows that converge in the west end of the city give us a nice balance from small indie boutique show, Radiant Dark; to the medium-sized Gladstone show, Come Up To My Room; to the large scale Interior Design Show.

Starting with the more formal, old-school trade show IDS, this show has been around since 1999 and now attracts more than 50,000 visitors to it’s Direct Energy Centre digs. Aisles upon carpeted aisles of small to giant booths, you’ll bear witness to the swankiest wooden flooring, shiniest Swarovski-jewelled lighting and most luxurious bathrooms [most bigger than my living room]. The dizzying array of both local and international designers is enough to make you take a $20 espresso and biscotti break at one of the über-designed rest-stops nestled in between the aisles.

IDS is an event that shows off its money, mixed in with a bit of ponce. No matter what the year, you’ll always see the standard classics sprinkled in, such as an Egg Chair, or Barcelona chaise. Mid-century modern classics seem to be integral characters to this show and have been for some time. Not that this era of furniture isn’t my absolute favourite, but it would be nice to see something completely removed and innovative. I struggle with this show at times for it’s size and display of designers that no longer need to represent. I also have no need to see the new Audi, lovely as it may be, at an interior design event. Yes, there are always lovely full-room displays, but I’m finding that as the show ages, these rooms starting blending into one another.

If you’re going to go, the real treats are the Prototype displays, and the Student projects. Here is where you’ll see raw innovation, unencumbered by budget, committee or marketing restraints. Studio North is another section where you’ll see only Canadian talent, and these three sections are enough to be worth the trip out to the cold CNE grounds.

If you want to schmooze with the big design dogs that are involved with IDS, you can buy a ticket [pricey at $50] for aMuse, the opening night gala. Here’s your chance to pull out the heels and rub elbows with Toronto’s elite designers. Word of advice: have some drinks and be chatty.

Traveling west, the next stop is Come Up To My Room, The Gladstone Hotel’s hip alternative to the Interior Design Show. Now in its sixth year, this show is the anti-IDS. Set up on the second floor of the beautifully restored Gladstone Hotel at the end of the trendy Queen west strip, CUTMR isn’t just a display of designers’ talent, but it’s a bit of an experience as well. Eleven hotel rooms are taken over by selected designers and transformed into displays that you can touch and interact with [unlike IDS, where much of the furniture presented you're not allowed to sit on. It's a furniture show, for Pete's sake].

Also up for viewing are the Public Space Projects that will appear in the Lobby, stairwell, and 2nd floor reception gallery. So between these works and the 11 rooms, you can grab a glass of wine or locally-brewed beer and wander about the restored hardwood [albeit these rooms can get a bit crowded because of their small size], and perhaps have a chat with the designers who are nicely on hand to discuss their work.

It’s certainly a more casual affair than its more established cousin, IDS, but CUTMR fits perfectly within the neighbourhood that is surrounded by indie galleries and cafés, and permits an intimacy that isn’t offered by larger trade shows. What’s great is that the artists selected are all Canadian, and aren’t bogged down by commercial restraints. It’s a highly creative show, and you can truly see the passion that drives them. It’s a show that you can have fun at, and not feel like you need certain credentials just to walk in the door and look.

They’ve also got a free gala party, loveDesign, that happens on the Saturday night. Again, a non-pretentious event where you can mingle and make new friends. The Gladstone has also launched a separate blog for CUTMR, which looks to be a nice resource for all things related.

Third on our design walkabout is Made’s Radiant Dark, the newest kid on the block, and a convenient 5 minute walk down the street from the Gladstone in a restored factory loft. I have yet to make it to this event [this is its second year], but since it’s conveniently located across the parking lot from my studio, I couldn’t pass it up, even if I tried.

Last year’s Radiant Dark attracted over 500 guests, even though it was a debut show, and had to shuffle a bit due to the Queen Street fire. The show is presented by MADE, a retailer nestled on a sketchy-yet-promising stretch of Dundas Street west. Their mandate is to represent Canadian up & coming talent, found and curated by owners Shaun Moore and Julie Nicholson.

This year’s Radiant Dark’s theme, Elegant Corruptions, will represent artists showcasing lighting, textile and furniture design. Nice that there’s another show that highlights purely Canadian talent. I’m looking forward to this one, since it’s new and I’m always up for anything indie.

Each of these shows offer an array of micro-events from seminars, artist talks and sponsored exhibits. Visit their websites for more on each, and I hope to see you there. This is a great way to spend a few days in the west end. IDS can take a lot out of you, just with its size and the amount of walking around [find a place to check your coat or you'll just get hot and pissy like I do], so take heed. Leave your energy for the fun, smaller shows, and if that’s not enough, Queen West has plenty to offer on any given weekend.

photo creds: IDS shots from the IDS website; CUTMR from the Gladstone site; Radiant Dark from mazzie.ca.