Call it gentrification or an urban renaissance, traffic is definitely picking up in the once dry and deserted Junction neighbourhood, and Mjölk has neatly positioned itself along this path of renewal. Pronounced “mi-yelk,” this new furniture and home accessory store is housed in a well-worn Victorian with an interior that’s recently been overhauled by Studio Junction – a local firm known for their woodworking skills and tricks with a router. Mjölk opened in December and its owners, John Baker and Juli Daoust, have brought to the city some impressive design products that are notoriously hard to find elsewhere in North America, including simple wooden kitchenwares from Japan’s Kakudo and gorgeous birch bark trays by Showroom Finland. You’ll want them even though you haven’t heard of them yet.

Shop here for: High-end ultra-modern furniture and accessories, mostly from the two capitals of the minimalist world: Scandinavia and Japan. The fluid styling and superbly crafted Extension dinner table by Maruni of Japan (above, $3350) and matching chairs ($1495 each) come in beech and oak. In contrast to these quiet statement pieces are punchy accents, like Hay’s Plopp stool, which looks like inflated plastic but is actually made of sturdy steel ($505).

Best bets: A perfect example of Scandinavian style is the Lamino lounge chair by Swedese ($2885), with its gorgeous sheepskin upholstery. Sleek, but warm and fuzzy too, it’s already an icon in Sweden. For mood lighting, we highly recommend the industrial and illuminated oversized letters of the alphabet – from reclaimed street signs – by Character (starting at $275). – Tory Healy

Photo (previous) by Juli Daoust

As featured in our Spring 2010 issue

MJÖLK

2959 DUNDAS ST W (Map It)
416 551 9853
TUE-SAT 10-6, SUN 12-5

Neighbourhood:

West End

Also listed under:

Design accessories
Furniture - contemporary
Lighting

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