King West
1 EQ3
With an economical approach to design,
EQ3 produces intelligently crafted and retro-sleek furniture and accessories. Its latest collection introduces the Replay sofa with configurable seat options, the Arie ottoman and the Chiara Lounge Chair in walnut or black ash. Add geometric accents with Ball lamps in various finishes, storage boxes suitable both for vast libraries and simple arrangements of tchotchkes or the Posey series of pastel ceramic vases in playful forms that will bring fresh energy to any room. 51 HANNA AVE, UNIT #3 416 533 9090 (ALSO: 222 KING ST E 416 815 2002) EQ3.COM
2 Fisker International
Headed by owners with a growing design–build business (they outfitted The Globe and Mail’s new digs), this 220-squaremetre loft is a no-nonsense showroom. Stop here for high-end Italian and Danish furniture and millwork, including seating from Plank and Mater Design, closets and bedroom furnishings from Presotto and kitchens from Cesar, as well as contract furniture from Howe. Also: lighting from heavyweights ILED, tossb and Ma&de. Now open: an affiliated showroom for Internorm’s energy-efficient tilt-and-turn windows at 1445 Courtneypark Drive East, Mississauga. 58 STEWART ST, UNIT #100 INFO@FISKERINTL.COM BY APPT ONLY FISKERINTL.COM
3 Harbourfront Centre Shop
Near the Simcoe Wavedeck is a gift shop that boasts Canadian-made stock and award-winning designs from afar. These include limited-run housewares and collectible jewellery, as well as objets d’art from current and previous artists-inresidence at Harbourfront’s Craft & Design Studio. Favourites include Rekindle’s made-in-toronto muddlers, Stinson Studios’ burl bowls carved in rural Eastern Ontario, Larch Wood’s cutting boards crafted from Cape Breton trees and honey soaps made from the Harbourfront Centre’s own rooftop beehives. Each visit is a tutorial in homegrown design. 235 QUEENS QUAY W 416 973 4993 HARBOURFRONTCENTRE.COM/SHOP
4 Haworth
The dashing task chairs, desk sets and storage options found in this showroom channel the verve of Suits, courtesy of such design stars as Marcel Wanders, Jasper Morrison and Patricia Urquiola. The Italian-designed, U.s.-produced Lotus chair, available in black and vibrant turquoise, and the Poppy dowel chair are guaranteed to liven up any boardroom. Be sure to visit Haworth’s pop-up space at The Omni King Edward Hotel, which will be open until the beginning of summer while the showroom is being updated. 55 UNIVERSITY AVE 416 363 3486 HAWORTH.COM
5 Humanscale
This LEED Gold–winning HQ houses a wealth of ergonomic and responsibly made desk chairs and LED task lamps. Wellness informs the merchandise, too: Quickstand Eco is an easy-to-use accessory that creates an adjustable sit-stand workspace out of any surface, including at home, while Officeiq, an activity tracker integrated into chairs and desks, reminds users when it’s time to move. Also: the streamlined Infinity light uses efficiency-boosting occupancy sensors, while the lobster tail-inspired Trea chair automatically adjusts tensions to accommodate the user. 488 WELLINGTON ST W, 6TH FL 416 979 0470 HUMANSCALE.COM
6 I Have a Crush on You
Owner Amy Kwong jokingly defines her Liberty Village space as “a gift shop, gallery, design studio and sweat shop rolled into one.” Among the unique items in her quirky Smitten Kitten line are luggage tags inspired by vintage baggage claim slips, retro motel keychains named after Toronto neighbourhoods and letterpress cards featuring pop-culture icons. Other fun finds: Matthew Del Degan’s DIY Lovebot, Verameat’s fanciful critter necklaces and a box of “Stop Talking” business cards. 51 JEFFERSON AVE, STE #201 416 880 6369 IHAVEACRUSHONYOU.CA
7 Interface
Long a source for striking and sustainable modular carpet tiles for the A&D community, Interface now serves the public with an open-to-you showroom – a bright, airy space complete with a great view of the city. The textile squares and planks in the glue-free replacement Tactiles can be added without disrupting a layout. We especially love the various texture combinations in the Near & Far collection, as well as the World Woven line’s mix-and-match Skinny Planks and coordinating squares. 134 PETER ST, STE #1602 800 667 0819 INTERFACE.COM
8 Lee Valley Tools
Don’t let the rows of old-school cabinet fixtures and aproned staff fool you – this woodworker favourite has a ton of hardware essentials for the DIY condo set. The
1,860-square-metre space carries high-quality components, including invisible cabinet hinges, soft-close door slides, LED tape lighting and a diverse range of knobs, pulls and handles. Cultivate herbs like a pro with the space-saving Grow-light garden and adjustable stands, or stock up on firewood starters and splitters, even without access to a car. 590 KING ST W 416 366 5959 (ALSO: 1275 MORNINGSIDE AVE 416 286 7574; 167 CHRISLEA RD 905 264 1208) LEEVALLEY.COM
9 Lightform
Once home to the Engelite lamp factory,
LF’S sprawling showroom and warehouse embraces the raw aesthetic of the building’s former tenant. It stocks exciting lighting imports from across North America and Europe, including stunning designs from Foscarini, Moooi, Parachilna and Roll & Hill. Showstoppers include simple, Nordic-inspired pieces from &tradition, the classic-meets-industrial Original BTC line, sculptural pendants from Stickbulb and the wonderfully sparkly Baccarat crystal collection. Flos’s conjoined showroom is dedicated to new and classic icons by the likes of Michael Anastassiades, Jasper Morrison and the Castiglioni brothers. 267 NIAGARA ST 416 745 5656 LIGHTFORM.CA
10 Love Me Do Baby & Maternity
Kids – and new condo communities – grow up so fast, so how perfectly suited is this boutique for all things mom and baby to Liberty Village’s influx of young families? Design-conscious parents will appreciate the award-winning Ubbi diaper pail, the Danish-inspired Tuo Convertible High Chair from Skip Hop and Babymoov’s Hygro+ humidifier – complete with touchscreen, changing colours and an essential-oil diffuser. Little ones will enjoy play mats from Mister Fly, and simple Manhattan Toy’s Mio themed building block sets that can be turned into castles, carriages, even catapults. 50 LYNN WILLIAMS ST, UNIT #2 647 347 7619 LOVEMEDOBABY.COM
11 Sistemalux
Though its usual beat is kitting out institutional and commercial spaces like the Whitney Museum of American Art, Roots and the LCBO, Sistemalux also carries architectural lighting for the home, displayed in a showroom that could fool visitors into thinking they’ve stepped into an art gallery. Italian manufacturer iguzzini uses innovative track systems and sculptural downlights to illuminate without glare, while exterior lighting from Simes lets you light your steps with recessed floor and wall fixtures. 383 ADELAIDE ST W 416 408 3995 SISTEMALUX.COM
12 Spacing Store
Hop on the Spadina streetcar to 401 Richmond to see the ultimate hub for citified design. Rob Croxford’s vintagestyled TTC and tourism posters are stacked alongside contemporary prints, and a wall of subway-stop buttons encourages you to rep your favourite neighbourhood. Pick up raccoon-themed gifts, city-inspired glassware or Love My Local’s Toronto-shaped serving board, then sift through over 100 non-fiction titles about The Six, including Spacing’s own pocket-sized book series and the latest issue of their magazine. 401 RICHMOND ST W 416 644 1017 SPACINGSTORE.CA
13 Steelcase Worklife Center
SWC’S open-concept space presents a plethora of innovative office solutions inspired by residential design. If you’re in the market for task chairs, Gesture adjusts to any posture, while Coalesse’s carbon-fibre Lessthanfive (pounds, that is) chair can be custom-ordered in any Pantone hue. The ergonomic Brody Worklounge offers privacy screens for distraction-free working. New collections include the B-free line of modular furniture and seating and the Steelcase Series 1 chair, customizable with adjustable arms or even a coat hook. 200 KING ST W, STE #2400 416 542 7700 STEELCASE.COM
14 Swipe Design
It would be unfair to call Swipe simply a bookstore given its array of giftable design products for home and office. Scandinavian minimalism is celebrated with ceramic and glass housewares from Marimekko and Iittala, which sit alongside chalkboard cups from Magisso and Areaware’s stacking
pine Blockitecture pieces, adding whimsy to the shelves of architecture and design books. Red Dot Award-winning Secrid wallets with a scan-proof aluminum card protector are available in a range of colours. 401 RICHMOND ST
W 416 363 1332 SWIPE.COM
15 Tokyo Smoke
Founded by Quadrangle Architects’ Lorne Gertner and his son (and former Google exec) Alan, this industrial space is equal parts coffee shop and cannabis-culture boutique. Impulse-buy items cater to your appetite for sleek design: next to such favourites as Fellow’s Duo coffee steeper and ceramic Hario brewers are homewares that add personality. These include Concrete Cat’s Edmonton-made marbleized incense holders and ashtrays, as well as locally produced Tokyo Smoke x Brennan Michael
incenses and candles in such fragrances
as Go, Relax, Relief and Balance. 850B ADELAIDE ST W (ALSO: 874 COLLEGE ST; 668 QUEEN ST W) TOKYOSMOKE.COM
16 Ultra Lighting
Located just below street level at Spadina and Richmond, UL is an eclectic trove of lighting for cost-conscious shoppers. Its eye-catching luminaires include Jonathan Adler’s bamboo-inspired Meurice chandelier and Maxim Lighting’s Saki, a tranquil accent piece that radiates gentle illumination. With a wide range of European-influenced stock from Allegri, Kalco, Arteriors and Eurofase,
UL has something for everyone – and for any lighting situation life throws your way. Watch this space, as the store plans to carry modern furniture in the near future. 129 SPADINA AVE 416 868 9606 (ALSO: 805 DUNDAS ST E 905 272 8766) ULTRALIGHTING.CA
17 Vacuums Plus
“A space entirely devoid of matter,” reads the definition for “vacuum,” but VP is not devoid of anything. This supermarket of residential and commercial vacuum cleaners carries products from Electrolux, Rowenta and Samsung. The pièce de résistance, though, is an ode to Germanengineered innovation: the entire wall dedicated to Miele’s crowd-pleasing suckeruppers. New offerings include Caffitaly coffee machines and Nespresso-compatible coffee pods, as well as Dyson’s robotic vacuums, which make the prospect of cleaning much more appealing. 101 SPADINA AVE 647 748 7587 VACUUMSPLUS.CA
18 West Elm
This Liberty Village outpost emphasizes affordable furniture basics and accoutrements for condo dwellers: clean-lined beds, modular sectionals and storage tables. New items include soft velvet Thea seating, playful USB lamps to keep your electronics fully charged and the Gem Cut Side Table, which makes a statement all on its own. West Elm’s Local initiative asks Toronto designers to hand-pick homegrown items; current selections include handcrafted soap from Skipping Stone and reclaimed-wood coffee tables by Son of a Woodcutter. 109 ATLANTIC AVE 416 537 0110 (ALSO: 2434 YONGE ST) WESTELM.CA