What to buy: Nightstands
showroom. The selection ranges from functional housewares and giftables – Daphne Wang’s abstract graphic ceramics, Julie Moon’s stoneware jewellery pendants, Thomas Aitken’s oversized mugs and Gold & Ginger’s hand-sewn bags – to such conversation pieces as Pitseolak Qimirpik’s Boy with Ipod green serpentine stone carving, Inukshuk carvings and prints from various Inuit and Indigenous artists. 1106 QUEEN ST W 416 921 1721 CRAFTONTARIOSHOP.COM
Cubeshops
Specializing in Japanese housewares and desktop accessories, Cubeshops elevates basic objects into super- kawaii works of art. Appreciate the wonders of botanical life through Usagi no Nedoko’s preserved plants in mini acrylic cubes or Iwashi Kinzokuka’s magnificently detailed metal figures of sea creatures. Terada Mokei creates a tiny world at a 1:100 scale, garnishing coaster edges or greeting cards that unfold to reveal “I’m sorry” messages that will brighten the day of even your grouchiest co-worker. 11 BALDWIN ST 416 260 0710 CUBESHOPS.COM
Drake General Store
DGS’S flagship is the place to stock up on the store’s signature tongue-in-cheek Canadianainspired goods. Among them, check out Arborist’s Mountie-printed beer steins, adult onesies, pop culture pins and vintage-inspired provincial pennants. DGS sells mugs, barware, and cotton waffle-knit throws for curling up and getting cozy. If home goods with an international flair are more your thing, look to Malin+goetz’s candles, quirky ceramic collectables from Studio Arhoj, Marvis toothpaste and Meraki apothecary products. 1151 QUEEN ST W 647 346 0742 ( ALSO: HUDSON’S BAY, 176 YONGE ST, LOWER LEVEL 416 861 6009; HUDSON’S BAY, 44 BLOOR ST E 416 972 3333 X4137; 2607 YONGE ST 416 966 0553; 61 FRONT ST 416 214 6449) DRAKEGENERALSTORE.CA
East Pavilion
After working at design studios in Beijing and Shanghai, architect Lily Huang and interior designer Teresa Leung saw an opportunity to introduce designed-in-china home accents to Canada. Nankeen textiles, seen here in pillow and pouch form, feature a 3000- year-old indigo dying technique from China. For the kitchen, the cast-iron Ding casserole, inspired by ancient bronze cookware, feels perfect for our slow-food loving moment. We promise – this thing will give your Le Creuset a run for its money. EASTPAVILION.CA
Easy Tiger
ET is a haven for sophisticated minimalist housewares from around the world. Hay takes tray service to a new level with its nestled geometric shapes, while Rami Kim’s ceramic hanging face pots “spark joy.” A selection of everyday essentials elevated through luxe materials and savvy design includes plenty of perfect gifts for the designophile: think linen-covered Shinola notebooks, One Sky Turkish hammam towels, Maison Louis Marie perfume oil and Tsubota Pearl lighters in a rainbow of colours. 1447 DUNDAS ST W 647 748 6161 EASYTIGERGOODS.COM
Eclectisaurus
Leslie Zysman’s longstanding Cabbagetown shop carries inventory that highlights art and design from the 1900s to the 1990s. With an emphasis on the postmodern and mid-century modern design movements, Eclectisaurus offers an ever-changing array of items that includes furniture, lighting, art, glass, ceramics, jewellery, textiles and clothing. A recent visit featured the 1970s acid-etched brass furniture of Canadian artist Bernhard Rohne, a 1980s Foscarini Italian glass sconce and a madly mod 1960s set of Finnish drapes. 249 GERRARD ST E 416 934 9009 ECLECTISAURUS.COM
Fabrique 1840
Quebec fashion brand Simons has launched an all-canadian online marketplace with all the hygge and wabi-sabi looks you want. For those with minimalist restraint, check out floating nightstands from Kroft, geometric art prints by Catherine Lavoie and hydroponic cultivation shelves from Îlot to bring nature indoors. “Canadian design needs to be as celebrated as Scandinavian or Japanese design is,” says co-owner and president Peter Simons. After perusing the 50- plus Canuck artisans in this shop, we heartily agree. FABRIQUE1840.COM
The Finnish Place
Devoted to Nordic products for the home, FP boasts Canada’s widest selection of Marimekko merchandise. Shop bags, cushions and bolts of fabric in the company’s brightly coloured prints. The iconic manufacturer celebrates its Oiva tableware’s 10th anniversary by adding hints of gold, and with a new “long live life” pattern of dazzling blooming flowers for dishes and fabric. Iittala resets the table with artful yet functional housewares, including curvy Alvar Aalto glassware reflecting its colour of the year, sea blue. 7670 YONGE ST 416 222 7575 FINNISHPLACE.COM
Gardiner Museum Shop
The museum’s dedication to exhibiting the best in
local and international ceramics continues in the curated objects lining the gift shop’s shelves. Local artists steal the show: potter Jay Burn’s crystalline works, Eiko Maeda’s translucent porcelain bouquet bowls made using a traditional nerikomi technique, and mixed-media artist Gretel Boose’s figurative sculptures exploring human expressions, gestures and mood. In addition to its retail selections, the shop hosts exhibitions featuring the work of top local artists and designers. 111 QUEEN’S PK 416 586 8080 GARDINERMUSEUM.ON.CA
Good Neighbour
Arrayed in a turreted Leslieville cottage, GN’S selection of cool home and lifestyle accessories makes for cheerful shopping. In the recently renovated showroom, you’ll find staples like Herschel bags, Hudson’s Bay blankets and LAFCO candles complemented by locally sourced goods from Drake General Store and Jenny Bird Jewelry. Alongside these classic Canadian essentials is a range of international finds including retro Newgate clocks, art books from Phaidon, and fashion-forward, celebrity-friendly Veja sneakers and Parisian tees from Maison Labiche. 935 QUEEN ST E 647 350 0663 GOODNBR.COM
Grøn + White
Britt Nilsson’s online boutique serves up Scandinavian dinnerware, decor and lighting from Danish brands including Normann Copenhagen, Ferm Living and Menu. Check out portable LED lamps that move from room to room – hygge to go. Equally delightful is the selection from Copenhagen’s Moebe, which reduces objects to their simplest forms, including oak picture frames held by an elastic band and a circular mirror secured by a lightweight wire form. Fab find: haunting blurred portrait prints from Gurilla Art Studio. GRONANDWHITE.COM
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 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 and Larch Wood’s cutting boards crafted from Cape Breton trees. 235 QUEENS QUAY W 416 973 4993 HARBOURFRONTCENTRE.COM/SHOP
Hopson Grace
Floor-to-ceiling displays of tastefully arranged tableware animated by an abundance of dinnerware, barware, crystal, ceramics and decorative items for the home flank the perimeter of this Rosedale boutique. Mud Australia’s pastel glaze ceramics, Richard Ginori’s legendary luxury porcelain and Dibbern’s fine bone china all complement the bronze, leather and blown-glass luminaire that spans the length of the shop. Now open to the public is HG Home, a shoppable second-floor apartment offering bedding, kitchen appliances and even more homewares. 1120 YONGE ST 416 926 1120 HOPSONGRACE.COM
I Have a Crush on You
Owner Amy Kwong jokingly defines her Liberty Village space as “a gift shop, gallery, design studio and sweatshop 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: Verameat’s fanciful critter necklaces, “Stop Talking” business cards, and Pyropet candles including cats, rabbits and birds that burn to reveal a metal skeleton. 51 JEFFERSON AVE, STE # 201 416 880 6369 IHAVEACRUSHONYOU.CA
Iqliving
With enough designer kitchen, bath and storage supplies to outfit an entire condo building, this is the place to find the essential mingling with the totally nonessential. Affordable organizers from Neatfreak will help you control the chaos, as will storage solutions and accessories from Interdesign. Among staples like Rowenta steam irons, Wusthof knives, Simplehuman recycling bins and cookware from Cuisinox, you’ll find such fetching novelties as waffle makers from Breville, sandwich shapers, and multi-setting Vitamix blenders to concoct your favourite smoothies. 542 DANFORTH AVE 416 466 2727 IQLIVING.COM
John Paul and Co.
Armani/casa, Missoni Home and Fendi Casa are just a few of the fashionable luxury furniture brands found inside this multi-level showroom. Among our favourites are the refined curves, cognac-coloured frame and leather-buckle details of Fendi Casa’s Soho sectional and the cylindrical Missoni Home pouf upholstered with the iconic zig-zag Jarris print. The Infinity Blue coffee table by Fendi Casa, with sapphire-hued bevelled glass atop a gunmetal grey frame, is show-stopping. 122-124 AVENUE RD 416 921 7787 JOHNPAUL-CO.COM
Kiondo African Imports
Owner Chris Johnson sources art, artifacts, furniture and textiles from across Africa for an inventory comprising masks from the Republic of the Congo, natural wood stools from Cameroon, feathered headdresses, vintage Baule indigo fabric and Ikat throws. It’s also here that you will find Ethiopian neck rests, beaded crowns, dolls and aprons from Nigeria, patterned baskets from Zimbabwe and wooden dolls from Ghana. Selections range in style and size, guaranteeing multiple ways to add worldly polish to any space. 323 QUEEN ST E 416 533 9959 KIONDO.COM
Labour of Love
There’s something for everyone in this charming yet worldly boutique, from silkscreened prints by Raymond Biesinger of Montreal to architectural jewellery by Pa De Do from Ukraine – all part of an eclectic assortment of gifts and quality paper goods. Multi-functional yet minimalist handmade porcelain from Japan’s Hasami stand out, as do walnut serving trays from Finland’s Tonfisk and apothecary items like playful flasks or Leaves of Trees soaps. 223 CARLTON ST 416 923 8988 THELABOUROFLOVE.CA
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 grand 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. 590 KING ST W 416 366 5959 (ALSO: 1275 MORNINGSIDE AVE, SCARBOROUGH 416 286 7574; 167 CHRISLEA RD, VAUGHAN 905 264 1208) LEEVALLEY.COM
Mi Casa
MC maintains a wide selection of unique lighting, affordable accents, furniture and wall decor. Sculptural design objets and one-of-a-kind mirrors make MC a go-to when seeking that bold showstopper for your space. An abundance of standout pieces includes a new collection of original, locally created artworks, and a selection of high-end French apothecary items and exquisitely scented candles by Christian Tortu. 238 CARLTON ST 416 929 1913 MICASATORONTO.COM
Morba
Indulge in modernist seating, tables and storage inspired by the designs of Saarinen, Eames and Maharam without marring your credit rating. This Queen West staple carries big brand designs and impeccable reproductions of classic furniture, as well as restored antiques and new pieces that hearken back to the art deco period. Overhead, cluster pendants and softball-sized Edison-bulb lamps illuminate an eclectic collection of artwork (think patent drawings and vintage-styled maps). 665 QUEEN ST W 416 364 5144 MORBA.CA
Muji Atrium Flagship
The functional-chic office, bedroom and bathroom accessories found here lack logos, but share a distinctive, instantly recognizable aesthetic. Simple housewares like toothbrush stands and soap dispensers are elevated by astute Japanese design; Muji’s brooms, mops and dustpans are too handsome to hide in the closet. Fan faves include acrylic storage cases, organic cotton bedding in muted, earthy tones and understated porcelain dinnerware sets in white and beige. 595 BAY ST 416 591 2233 ( ALSO: SQUARE ONE SHOPPING CENTRE, 100 CITY CENTRE DR, MISSISSAUGA 905 276 2737; YORKDALE SHOPPING CENTRE, 3401 DUFFERIN ST 416 479 1204; 5000 HWY 7, MARKHAM 905 201 3587; 300 BOROUGH DR, SCARBOROUGH 416 643 0756) MUJI.COM/CA
Neat
Design-obsessed neat freaks and neatnessobsessed design freaks should head to this immaculately ordered (natch!) storage-essentials boutique for everything it takes to achieve their space-management goals. Reclaim valuable square footage with Kartell’s stackable Componibili storage units and declutter your entryway with Umbra’s wall-mounted Lettro organizer. Or, bring some pizzazz to your broom closet with Hasegawa’s Lucano step ladders, available in a variety of cheerful colours. 628 QUEEN ST W 416 368 6328 ( ALSO: 2901 BAYVIEW AVE 416 229 6328) NEATSPACE.CA
Petroff Gallery
Open since 1982, this hybrid gallery has featured visual art and contemporary craft from over 120 Canadian artists. The work of Toronto’s Jeff Goodman Studio is colourful, fluid and organic, with products ranging from lighting sculptures and hand-blown vessels to architectural glass. Photographer Chris Albert’s abstract-realistic images of local landmarks evoke wanderlust, while hand-hammered metal jewellery featuring semi-precious stones, glass, ceramics and vintage finds make for elegant gifts. 1016 EGLINTON AVE W 416 782 1696 PETROFFGALLERY.COM
Pimlico Design Gallery
Tatiana Velasevic’s shop holds a curated selection of
colourful home accents and housewares to brighten living spaces. You’ll find vibrant glassware from Italy, soy candles from Archipelago Botanicals and soft wool blankets from Scotland’s Paulette Rollo. To keep clutter away, handmade African baskets are available in an assortment of shapes and patterns. Not to miss: handcrafted resin bowls and platters from New York and cotton throw blankets from Morocco. 643 DUPONT ST 416 538 0909 PIMLICOGALLERY.COM
ROM Boutique
Rivalling the artifacts inside Daniel Libeskind’s iconic addition, the ROM’S boutique hosts a rotating selection of art-inspired home accessories and books that echo the exhibitions upstairs. Find polished agate plates and a plethora of dinosaur memorabilia alongside Stinson Studios’ Maple nesting bowls and dramatic Vessel burls, derived from a rounded outgrowth on the surface of the tree. Vividly illustrated monographs on Christian Dior, Chinese ancestry and contemporary Indigenous artists are informative and stunning. 100 QUEEN’S PK 416 586 5766 SHOP.ROM.ON.CA
Saudade
In keeping with its name (Portuguese for an intense longing for another person, place or time), this Little Portugal store offers classic and modern housewares and accent pieces imported from the motherland. You’ll find miniature good-luck roosters and other trinkets next to handwoven blankets and baskets, plus an eclectic array of tableware that includes nature-inspired ceramics by Bordallo Pinheiro and hand-painted mugs and bowls from Casa Cubista. 1191 DUNDAS ST W 647 352 1191 SAUDADETORONTO.COM
Scout
Brick walls and antique display tables give Leah Eyles’s shop an old-timey feel, but her selection of Canadian-made home goods is certainly of-the-moment – think Stinson Studios’ live-edged bowls, whimsical throw pillows from Sun + Stars, and Banquet Atelier & Workshop’s Radical Women tea towels featuring the likenesses of feminist icons from Gloria Steinem to Bell Hooks. Impeccably crafted leather goods, delicate handmade jewellery and cheeky greeting cards make for unique gifts. 405 RONCESVALLES AVE 416 546 6922 ( ALSO: 1140 QUEEN ST E 647 748 1140) IHEARTSCOUT.COM
SHOPAGO
Need a Turner print? A Monet? Perhaps something with pop-art flair, like some Andy Warhol paraphernalia? It’s no secret that the AGO should be your first stop. But you’ll also find – alongside the art prints – such stylish gifts and arty housewares as Alessi’s laser-cut steel wine racks and Rekindle’s walnut tealight candleholders. Don’t miss the eclectic kitchen accessories, including a stag’s-head cocktail shaker and Canada-shaped cheese boards from Love My Local. 317 DUNDAS ST W 416 979 6610 SHOP2.AGO.NET
Snob
Owner Denise Zidel sources premium authentic pieces for this African furniture and decor store in her global travels. Egyptian lighting illuminates fascinating vintage Cameroonian family portraits, while the eye can’t help but be drawn to the colourful dyed-feather headdresses on the wall. Makenge baskets and one-of-a-kind petite wooden furniture pieces are store staples that will be focal points in any room. 123 MIRANDA AVE 416 778 8778 SNOBSTUFF.COM
Souvenir
Danielle Suppa and Trisha Lepper’s airy boutique is home to a tasteful assortment of textiles, jewellery and tableware. Their frequently updated selection includes stonewashed cotton blankets from Portugal and ceramics expertly crafted by the likes of Talia Silva, Rachel Saunders and Mérida Anderson in calming neutral palettes. Besides exclusive limited-edition product collaborations with Canadian designers, Souvenir also produces its own expanding line of homewares, candles and fragrances. 1232 COLLEGE ST 647 350 1232 SOUVENIR-STUDIOS.COM
Spacing Store
Hop on the Spadina streetcar to 401 Richmond to see the ultimate hub for citified design. Rob Croxford’s vintage-styled TTC and tourism posters are stacked alongside contemporary prints, while a wall of subway-stop buttons encourages you to rep your favourite neighbourhood. Sift through over 100 non-fiction titles about The Six and pick up raccoon-themed gifts, city-inspired glassware or Love My Local’s Toronto-shaped serving board. 401 RICHMOND ST W 416 644 1017 SPACINGSTORE.CA
Spruce
Kim Alke’s shop is filled with a cheerful array of barware and home accessories from local and foreign sources. A rainbow of stacking wooden parts from German toymaker Grimm is a sophisticated take on children’s blocks, while thoughtful wood and steel accessories from Good Thing add practical appeal. Spruce also carries a small offering of carefully selected vintage art, furniture and accessories, including Alvéole honey and Harbour Goods Co.’s Turkish blankets. 455 PARLIAMENT ST 647 748 4060 SPRUCETORONTO.COM
Studio 1484
A narrow flight of stairs leads visitors to a vast array of decorative tableware, rare ceramics, vintage plastics and art glass. Among the eclectic inventory here are Murano glass vases by Flavio Poli, Flora series glassware by Oiva Toikka for Iittala, Göran Wärff’s leaf series pieces for Kosta Boda and Jens Quistgaard’s teak trays and ice buckets for Dansk. Though specializing in smaller homewares, the shop carries the odd furnishing, and offers custom framing and art restoration services. 1484 QUEEN ST W, 2ND FL 416 534 8471 STUDIO1484.COM
Studio Brillantine
This Parkdale boutique overflows with MOMA design objects and whimsical collectibles from Japan – not to mention an extensive collection of imported home accents from Georg Jensen and Alessi, designed by the likes of Eero Aarnio, Vivienne Westwood, Marcel Wanders and Alfredo Häberli. You’ll also find collectible designer toys from Kidrobot and out-ofproduction Japanese Kaiju vinyl monsters, Aurélien Barbry’s Sky bar collection for Georg Jensen and a variety of Iittala glassware. 1518 QUEEN ST W 416 536 6521 STUDIOBRILLANTINE.COM
Studio Pazo
Besides the city’s largest collection of housewares from Fornasetti, Stelton and Iittala, SP boasts plenty of vintage furniture, playful decor items and European tableware. Familiar classics like Alvar Aalto 60 stools are displayed alongside a diverse range of accoutrements, from glasses to ceramics. Multi-hued wooden trays by Vitra and patterned rugs by Sweden’s Pappelina round out the broadly appealing offerings. 219 QUEEN ST E 416 507 0000 STUDIOPAZO.CA
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
Task
Anne Seally – and her impeccable eye for handcrafted tableware, home goods and gifts – is back, having moved shop from Brooklyn to the Beach. Inside this cozy space is the wide array of rare housewares you’d expect from an experienced New York buyer, including delicate Japanese towels made from organic cotton, tin-plated copper serving trays hand-hammered in Turkey and perfectly formed brass tea scoops. 1915 QUEEN ST E 647 345 3444 TASKNEWYORK.COM
Teatro Verde
TV’S inventory of luxury florals and home decor items is ready to furnish any event, from garden parties to evening cocktails. If its selection of geometric vases in metallic finishes or throw pillows – ranging from botanical-inspired to modern burnout velvet prints – do not convince you, the minimal glass cases displaying striking floral arrangements are sure to impress. A midtown institution for over 20 years, TV also stocks modern and traditional accessories, such as Mason Cash tableware and colourful patchwork throws from India. 55 AVENUE RD 416 966 2227 TEATROVERDE.COM
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 Brennan Michael incenses and candles. 850B ADELAIDE ST W (ALSO: 874 COLLEGE ST; 668 QUEEN ST W) TOKYOSMOKE.COM
Toronto Designers Market
Marcus Kan’s bustling space is home to more than 30 mini-shops specializing in art, fashion and home decor. One of our favourites is run by designer Adam Fullerton, who constructs light fixtures from old bicycle parts. Other must-see items include CNC Cutting’s layered-edge Baltic birch tables; Kristina Kirkwood’s sculptural branch and stone lamps;
and Kay Casey’s locally sourced wood furnishings, among them charming stools crafted from tree stumps and barn beams. 1605 QUEEN ST W 416 616 8545 TORONTODESIGNERSMARKET.COM
The Umbra Store
The iridescent bands that gird Umbra’s flagship store conceal a team hard at work designing the latest and greatest bath hardware and home accessories. Such staples as Karim Rashid’s ergonomic Oh chair are interspersed with the efficient storage solutions and compact household essentials the brand is known for. Check out the Hub collection, an assortment of sleek entryway pieces that includes a decorative storage ladder, an umbrella stand and mirrors with black metal and wood detailing. 165 JOHN ST 416 599 0088 UMBRA.COM
Up to You
Tucked unassumingly above a restaurant in the Beach, and looking like a style-savvy friend’s apartment, UTY deals in designer wares that straddle the line between functional and curious – from plastic Solo cups reimagined as glass goblets to takeout container–inspired pendant lights. Torafu’s air vase, made from paper, can be moulded into a variety of shapes, and Midori’s brass number clips have industrial appeal. 1483 QUEEN ST E 416 778 6487 UPTOYOUTORONTO.COM
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 German-engineered innovation: the entire wall dedicated to Miele’s crowd-pleasing sucker-uppers. Just in: Caffitaly coffee machines and Dyson’s robotic vacuums, which make the prospect of cleaning much more appealing. 101 SPADINA AVE 647 748 7587 VACUUMSPLUS.CA
Vdev
Kudos to Vdev for importing furniture and lighting in Montreal’s boho-chic style to Ossington. The glassed-in storefront features distressed leather sofas and armchairs, brass bar carts and a plethora of pendant lights, from the dip-dyed and woven Cocoon to the industrial, copper-framed Bristol. For those who like their vintage in bulk, there are shelves at the back filled with cocktail glassware and decorative bowls, as well as bins of coat hooks and cabinet knobs. 120 OSSINGTON AVE 647 348 3381 VDEVMAISON.COM
William Ashley China
The illuminated shelves of this crystalline cabinet of curiosities house vessels, porcelain figurines, champagne flutes, table settings, flatware and more, by designers ranging from Donna Karan to Ora Ïto. Staples like Michael Graves’s conical kettle for Alessi, Philippe Starck’s extraterrestrial juicer and Sapper espresso makers mingle with the dissolving landscapes of Hermès’s 24- karat matte gold Voyage en Ikat dinnerware – inspired by a weaving and dyeing technique used to pattern textiles across Asia. 131 BLOOR ST W 416 964 2900 WILLIAMASHLEY.COM
Workshop
This experimental home decor and accessories purveyor carries pieces by professional and emerging designers alike. The fine porcelain handles of ERA’S series of tea and espresso cups – inspired by historic design styles – cradle thermal shock-resistant borosilicate glass vessels and add a splash of humour to the morning grind. Torre & Tagus’s cement-and-steel Framework vase and Jennifer Graham’s monochromatic colour-blocked ceramics make for ideal gifts. WORKSHOPTORONTO.COM
Zebuu
Find unfussy accessories for the home artfully displayed inside this narrow surprise of a boutique. Alongside locally crafted goods including Ontario-made pine ottoman trays, you’ll find Tramontina knives, Portuguese condiment bowls, patterned Moroccan teacups and miniature Vietnamese vases, as well as Brazilian cotton throws in bright, cheery hues, and an assortment of luxe Turkish towels in patterns that range from classic stripes to contemporary geometric motifs. 1265 BLOOR ST W 647 748 1265 ZEBUU.COM
Ziggy’s at Home
Packed with stylish bath and home products, Ziggy’s offers a modern aesthetic with plenty of fun flourishes. Check out Innit Designs’ Acapulco chairs, Umbra’s floating Stealth shelf and Chilewich’s Plynyl woven floor mats – sophisticated, durable and stain- resistant. Other notables include Fatboy beanbag chairs, Amped & Co. flamingoand cactus-shaped neon lighting, and quirky vintage-inspired kitchen accessories from Danica. 794 COLLEGE ST 416 535 8728 ZIGGYSATHOME.COM ++ More design accessories: Advice from a Caterpillar, Boconcept, CB2, Crate & Barrel, Drechsel Studio, Elte, Elte MKT, EQ3, Ginger’s, Hollace Cluny, Memo, Mjölk, Morba, Restoration Hardware, Suite 22, Torp, Urban Mode and West Elm.