At the annual Interior Design Show (IDS), over 50 of the country’s most creative designers and designer makers will unveil new and custom work in two exciting exhibits totalling 5600 square feet.

Studio North returns for the fifth year, and is an opportunity for established and emerging Canadian designers to launch their innovative, limited-production and custom furniture, lighting, textiles, ceramics and glass.

Now in its third year, Prototype: Design Ideas for the Home presents conceptual and one-off designs by new designers from across Canada and the US.

“Studio North, and Prototype is a place to see unusual and high-quality design from talented makers all under one roof,” says Rachel Gotlieb, coordinator of the two exhibits.

“The scope and breadth of design is quite remarkable. It’s a great way to meet the designers behind the work, as well as see current design trends on a micro-scale. Edgy-eco, neo-antique and Canuck cool are big this year.”

Here are some names to watch out for:

Vancouver based Amy Rosen is one of the new designers to watch and she will exhibit her limited-run furniture, which she makes under the moniker 60 Grit.

Furni from Montréal is an exciting young design studio founded by Devin Barette and Mike Giles that creates whimsical and handsome objects of desire. Their designs for clocks, lighting and accessories are truly original and riff cookie-cutter design.

Robert Smith of Greenmelon Inc. in Ottawa brings fun and playfulness to his new furniture. He presents Sweet Seat, a lollipop chair that is literally made out of candy and Plunk pendant light, so-called because it’s shape and materials are inspired by the children’s game Kerpunk.

Marlene Guenther, newly minted from Nova Scotia College of Art & Design, makes her debut launching a delicate floral lighting collection hand-constructed from felt.

And from Toronto, Vest Collective, the hot design group of Sheridan graduates, will participate in Studio North and release some of their new designs for ceramics and furniture.

Now in its second year at the IDS, Prototype will introduce innovative creations from Canadian designers working with a wide variety of materials and tools.

Tim Antoniuk, a professor of ID at University of Alberta, experiments with new "morphing" capabilities in advanced plastics so that products can be re-formatted into something new after use. He launches Pod, capsule-like tables that can be re-shaped into a new product, such as a bowl or a vase by submerging the plastic in heated water.

Also exploring eco-issues, the Toronto firm Levitt Goodman Architects is introducing Vermicondo, a composter specifically designed for apartment and condo dwellers because it fits in a handsome cabinet suitable for indoors.

Another interesting design trend is neo-antique. Patrick Turner of General Design Associates in Toronto is presenting Oldschootable, a design, which updates fussy granny furniture with slick finishing and hardware.

Winnipeg-based Matthew Kroeker draws on his Mennonite heritage with Saw, a slender table, which he cut and distressed to resemble the old-fashioned utilitarian wooden sawhorse.

In addition to making old new again, Canadian designers such as Andrei Zerebecky and Joel Yatscoff, both active in Toronto, create designs that reference identity and cliché, with their respective Prairie Rug and Pinus Strobus pendant lamp.

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IDS is Canada’s premiere platform for contemporary residential design. It is a 3½-day event where the newest Canadian and international furnishings, fixtures and accessories for the residential market are launched and exhibited.

IDS is attended by a diverse audience of design professionals, discriminating consumers and media. Each of the 50,000 visitors who annually attend, are in the market to source, specify or purchase design products and services.

EVENT SCHEDULE:

Thursday February 22, 2007
7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
IDS07 Opening Night Party

Friday February 23, 2007
9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Trade Day

Saturday February 24, 2007
10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Public Day

Sunday February 25, 2007
10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Public Day 

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