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Feeling the Love for DesignTO

Now in its 10th year, DesignTO’s 10 day–long festival for all things design, has us doling out our “Loves tags” at rapid speed. Join us, won’t you?

By Designlines

Previously known as ToDo, DesignTO celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. The Toronto-wide design festival has pulled no punches for 2020, with 135 events including the Interior Design Show) and installations all over the city, from shop window vignettes to room-filling art projects. There are talks, tours, demonstrations, and product placements everywhere and we’re hitting up as much of the festival as we possibly can. With many of the shows still underway until this Sunday, January 26th, we encourage you to get out there, too, before it all wraps up for another year. Allow our custom-designed “Loves tags” to lead the way: below are just a handful of the events we’ve been to so far, doling out our stamp of approval along the way.

 

Daydream Under the Penny Vine

Injecting subtle colour and an appealing organic form to the streetfront window of local design practice gh3* is glass designer Sylvia Lee’s first foray into lighting products. Titled “Daydream Under the Penny Vine,” the wall-mounted fixture was inspired by one of Lee’s favourite household succulents (the silver coin vine) and obsolete objects (like the humble penny). Illuminated opal glass “leaves” in a palette of delicate pinks and greens sprout from an arrangement of slender copper “branches” in different lengths. Together, the orbs of varying size and shape and the brushed metal stems make a gorgeous visual statement. Sylvia Lee is a glass designer and the creative director of Jeff Goodman Studio.

This installation is on view until February 2 at 55 Ossington Avenue.

 

Tables, Chairs & Other Unrelated Objects 9

It’s always a treat to see what the industrial design students at OCAD University are up to; it’s a glimpse into what they’re being taught and what new ideas are percolating with this group of emerging designers. This piece, entitled “Slice”, by Kajal Asgari, is a prototypical sculptural addition to a home. Made of ash and walnut, the transformational “table” can be used in a variety of ways, depending on how the user positions it. We imagine it would make an interesting addition to a living room or foyer.

This installation is on view until January 26 at 165 Augusta Avenue. 

 

 

 

Themselves

This group exhibition at Stackt Market, curated by Briar Gill and Thomas Kim, puts the spotlight on the recent and highly imaginative work of 13 different makers. While the entire show is great (we could have easily handed out 5 tags), it was the 1.3 metre-tall Calenda Lamp by Rebecca Claire Ford of Rhode Island that first stole our attention. Made of CNC-ed plywood and coated with bright red flocking, the loopy shade truly made us happy. Another object that won out hearts was the Itaewon Chair by Common Accounts (Miles Gertler and Igor Bragado). Made of hollow steel tube, the stool slash table is modelled after roadside barricades that populate the streets of Seoul.

This installation is on view until January 26 at 28 Bathurst Street.

 

 

 

Facets

Located on the ground floor of the beautiful Daniels Spectrum building, this group textile show illustrates the true depth of a seemingly two-dimensional object – the quilt. With patterns often rendered first using complicated algorithms before being sewn with layers of material and seams, these works are truly more than meets the eye. We love Fogo by Andrea Tsang Jackson, a 40 by 50 rendition of the now famous Fogo Island Inn brought to life in linen and cotton.

This installation is on view until January 26 at 585 Dundas Street East.

 

 

Installations by Anony & Castor Design

Two of our favourite local design studios come together under one roof and the brand umbrella that is EQ3. Anony and Castor launched, respectively, a black metal and opal glass lighting collection and an ovoid wall mirror that can be positioned using stone or marble knobs. Both products are now part of EQ3’s product collection and are available in store now.

This installation is on view until January 26 at 222 King Street East.

 

 

 

Aesthete’s Items

A riot of colour and pattern, artist and designer Yaw Tony’s (AI) – Aesthete’s Items installation was born of the idea that beauty should be shared by a community not limited to the appreciation of a select few. The maximalist expression is comprised of silk scarves, pillows, wallpapers and a playfully strung-up upholstered chair, all featuring the artist’s hand-drawn and painted motifs. Vibrant and complex, it’s an arresting display that will likely have people stopping in their tracks to take it all in.

This installation is on view until January 26 at 1010 Queen Street West.

 

I’ve Got a Lot on My Plate

Talk about eye candy! Artist Jacqueline Poirier (AKA The Crazy Plate Lady) presents 24 hand painted porcelain plates. The depictions – of gourmet cuisine from all over the world – are impeccably rendered and will surely charm you, if not make your tummy rumble.

This installation is on view until January 25 at 334 King Street East.

 


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