Trends 2013

A new, enjoyable feature of the IDS in Toronto was Designboom

Mart, a street-market style design bazaar where design talents

showcased and sold their unique items.

It’s the end of January and a fun, busy time for design enthusiasts like myself. Now is when we get to go to the annual Interior Design Show in Toronto, to see what’s new and what's hot in the world of design.

If 2012 was the show of sparkly chandeliers, the 2013 edition took us in the opposite direction, at least as far as lighting goes. No chandeliers were to be seen, instead it was raw, industrial pendants that illuminated our paths. Mixed with cleverly crafted wood furniture and an abundance of textured wall treatments, they were a recurrent theme in the exhibition hall. What else was hot, new and trendy? Let me take you for a walk through some of the other highlights from the show!

Originally only seen in lofts and old warehouse buildings,

the industrial style now seems to take big strides into more

mainstream environments. It has become somewhat of the

go-to solution as designers and homeowners seek objects

that are unexpected, a little edgy and loaded with personality.
These lights are from Eclectic Revival.

The industrial lights at the show had exposed, old-fashioned light bulbs. This feature is an important part of the overall design and makes a statement in itself.

This is how the guys from HGTV's Dirty Business

envision your patio lighting. The absence of shades

enhances the sculptural qualities of these pendants.

Another set of wall sconces from Eclectic Revival.

Cloth-covered pendant wires are definitely hot! The store Morba in Toronto that sells these multi-coloured wires has not been able to keep them on the shelves.

Cloth-covered wires in red and green

add personality and a touch of fun to

these wooden pendants.

 

Hexagon-shaped tiles with their own, individual

patterns make for a "texture-on-texture" surface

which comes alive with the lighting. Tiles from

Spain from the company Mettro. White tiles

dominated at the show...

A common design trick for adding interest and depth to a room is to introduce a textured wall into the space. We've seen layered stone walls and glass mosaic tiles for some time now. This year, individually-patterned, monochromatic tiles; recycled, rough barnwood; and customizable, colourful wallpaper seem more fresh and interesting.

...but I also saw a lot of black, like

these tiles with a rustic appeal. They

make quite a graphic statement with the

white grout.

This black-and-white tiled wall doubles

as a piece of art.

 

Reclaimed barn wood from Surface Innovation.

This is how a custom-made wallpaper could look.

Creative Matters.

Here's another example of a custom wallpaper.

Rollout Design and Mfg. Co. 

You can do this at home! Let a tone-on-tone
rug provide the textured background for your
paintings.

And this is another trick we can try at home,

but on a smaller scale: make sure the space

where you keep your firewood is always filled

to the brim. The displayed wooden ends

provide texture and give the room a cozy

feeling. If you are brave: paint the ends in
different colours, like they've done in this photo!

 

This is an interesting display. Coloured pencils

have been inserted into a peg board to create

this three-dimensional, colourful background.

Just like at last year's show, natural materials such as wood and stone continue to be popular with a growing number of designers. It's an indication that the "back-to-nature" trend, using local resources, is here to stay for still some time. Untreated wood components are often mixed with painted wood surfaces for a playful effect. Functionality and a simple aesthetics with a twist are keywords for this trend.

Night tables from Six Point Un.

A knitted cover keeps the seat warm. Six Point Un.

Floor lamp from Paul Dionne.

Local wood veneer is used for these pendants

from Atelier Cocotte.

Instead of antlers on the wall, try one of these alternatives, made from friendly cardboard, wood and papier mâché:

 

White and black bathroom faucets are becoming increasingly popular. The two faucets below are the results of fashion designer Jason Wu's collaboration with Brizo.



More bathroom trends: wall-mounted sinks. They are especially appropriate when space is tight. The cantilevered shelves continue the suspended theme.

Sink from Wet Style.



 

More photos from the show:

 

Ahh, a corner window, a life-long dream.

A somewhat unorthodox way to make a splash

in your living room.

And here are two great cupboards to keep us organized:

 

 

Which items from the show do you love, and which ones can you do without? Share your thoughts in the comments field!