Best booth design
Twelve Oaks, a family-owned company and a leading North American designer and manufacturer of top-quality flooring products, received the award for best booth design. The booth included a large, beautifully lit archway carved from wood, which led to an engaging film about sustainable manufacturing. twelveoaks.ca
Obakki
Founded to merge good design and modern philanthropy, Obakki’s goal is to make a change in the world by improving the quality of life for customers, artisans, and the communities in which they live. To date, it has helped more than 3.5 million people. The founders strive to know the origin of products and the impact of our consumption on the environment, and also on the communities and individuals that create them.
Along with a selection of ceramics and homewares, this year at IDS Toronto, Obakki debuted collections from three leaders in contemporary Mexican design: Andrés Guitiérrez, Mariella Motilla and Caralarga.
obakki.com
Cyrc
One of the major themes at IDS 2023 was sustainable design. At Cyrc, plastic waste is turned into unique design objects. The company believes we all must be responsible for a product’s life cycle to achieve true sustainability. To this end, Cyrc ensures the materials in its products never end up as waste in a landfill or in the natural environment. cyrcdesign.com
Coolican & Company
A small-batch furniture design company in Toronto, Coolican & Company marries traditional woodworking techniques with contemporary forms. The result is heirloom-quality furniture that can be enjoyed for a lifetime. It uses only native hardwoods and keeps production local. Everything in its collection is designed and made at its studio near downtown Toronto. coolicanandcompany.com
The Parkside Lounge is made from a sculpted wooden frame and counter-balanced by a textured rope seat and supple leather cushion. The chair is comfortable and elegant, offering plenty of opportunity for a tactile delight.
Urban Barn
Urban Barn showcased its new collaboration with Canadian designer Aly Velji. “The 17-piece collection was inspired by my love of travel, and features furniture and decor inspired by faraway places. The collection incorporates unexpected details that bring a sense of adventure to everyday spaces,” explains Velji. Available in stores and online now.
urbanbarn.com
Flax Home
Empower yourself to create a home that encourages rest and restoration with effortlessly luxurious European linen bedding, bath towels and robes. Flax Home offers thoughtfully designed products created by its three female founders (based in Vancouver, B.C.) and is committed to providing high-quality linen essentials that will have you embracing the home-body life. shopflaxhome.com
Rob Raeside
Glassblower Rob Raeside draws inspiration from classic forms such as spheres, cylinders and cones. For IDS 2023, Raeside tapped into his whimsical side with objects resembling natural forms, such as mushrooms and beehives. robraeside.com
We loved the use of muted colours for this collection.
Cosentino
Previewing for the first time in the Canadian market at IDS, Cosentino’s Dekton Silverkoast collection is inspired by the serene and immense whites of the Pacific, combining California’s most iconic coastline with the beauty of two emblematic marbles: Carrara and Ivory White. The two new white designs are available in either a polished or a velvet finish. Marina, the velvet finish, and Salina, the polished finish, are inspired by the whimsical salt patterns that low tide leaves on the sand and rocks. These delicate white ridges are materialized in an asymmetrical pattern of grey veins on a white base that reinterprets the classic elegance of Carrara marble. cosentino.com