Interior Design Show Toronto

Braving wind chill, plane delays and Toronto road construction The Interior Design Show in Toronto was well worth the trip this January. Puffin Design works directly for and with interior designers and we feel it is very important to be out there seeing what designers are seeing, what the industry is doing, what's hot, what people are playing with.  Frankly the Toronto Interior Design Show was very validating.  Industrial components are appearing in areas of the home that were unusual before.  Kitchens and bathroom fixtures and furniture, lighting and storage units, as well as decorative features. Puffin has some awesome industrial stuff in the works, have we got our juices flowing now!

Here are some shots from inside the show... just some things I thought were cool, along our design tastes.... just to give you an idea of what it's all about, just a taste, a sampler... there was sooooo much!

ON THE CENTER STAGE...

Inspiration........

Patrizia Moroso

 The International Guest of Honor this year was Patrizia Moroso. She is the creative director at Moroso, an Italian design house that has pushed the envelop of design for decades. Hearing her speak about design and the process, especially in her beautiful Italian accented English, was an unexpected highlight for me.  The room was packed and as she got more in the groove of speaking English and let her hands talk, the more expressive she became and we were all en rapt.  Among the topics she covered she spoke about the designers that are working at Moroso and how only a fraction of what they design goes into production, but when it does it may stay in production for 20 or more years.  Their philosophy of experimentation and play with materials and space was inspiring.  Moroso is a family business, started by her parents in the late 40's.  They had to decide whether to stay in Italy or be drawn to Canada by their friends to the land of opportunity.  To choose, they flipped a coin, and stayed in Italy.  She had many slides of her parents and the people they designed with over the years.  Looking back it this was the best time spent in Toronto, it has stayed with me, and I think Patrizia's spirit will too (she had the most amazing socks!)    www.moroso.it. 

These are a couple shots of the Moroso booth.... I sat in more chairs than I took photos of, darn.  They're on the website though.

Thought provoking......

Dennis Askins

Another presenter that I gleaned quite a lot from was Dennis Askin who is a the creative director of interior design for Diesel.  He is creating a collection called 'Successful Living' and working with design houses from all over to create it,  Morosso for example for furniture, and Scavolini for kitchen design.  They even designed a Fiat car and a Moto guzzi motorcycle.  Diesel is an Italian design house, and owned by one man who is still after decades of work is intimately involved in the company.  The Italians have 'it' and they likely always will, works for me!  One of the topics that Dennis spoke about that really struck me is that Diesel is a brand, and as a brand it has to be true to itself.  Designers are free to design whatever they choose, changing what they like, make a new collection, but brand has to be true to what it is, and true to it's followers.... interesting food for thought. Is Puffin Design a brand or ...... 

This is in the collection, I took it from the web, it wasn't quite this cool at the show:

The lights over the island in the photo on the right look like they are shiny silver.  Think of them as the same material that aviator sunglasses are made from.... now the light over the table above is the same material, only this time the light is turned on.  I know - cool!  When the light is off it is like mirrored sunglasses, when on it is glowing amber.  Love this! 

Dennis had a lot to say, a lot that was very applicable to business, a lot of marketing guru wisdom, but most of that is still composting in my cranium, I may speak about it intelligently in about a month, maybe.

I listened to a few other presentations but they were not noteworthy so we'll move on.

Wandering .....

I am a bona fide mountain girl, cities have never really been my thing but they are really growing on me the last couple years, as my eyes see different things and my heart leaps at old brick and giant sculpture, Toronto has some gooooood stuff.  I got lost several times but it was worth it.

Saturday morning wasn't as cold so I explored Olde Town and the Distillery District.  I am sure this place is crawling with people in warmer months but this day in January it was virtually deserted and that made it all the better.  I also met the most unpleasant antique dealer to date and that is saying something - wow. 

 Token Church photo (St. James)

CN Tower by day and by night but these are special because they are from my fabulous hotel room at the Fairmont Royal York - best room service!  Those guys are awesome.  And great location 5 minute walk to the design show, it was cold, that was priceless!

By the way, we're set to exhibit at the Interior Design Show West in Vancouver in September, enough of this lollygagging and rubbernecking - we're on!!! Watch out Vancouver we're coming for you!!!