Fall brings a gamut of new things: pumpkin spice treats, crisp, cool air and plenty of renewed inspiration for the home. After all, its time to cosy up the nest in prep for the cooler weather.
Each year IDSwest gives the public a small glimpse of what’s up and coming in the home and interior design world and this year it was all about unusual combinations and stand out textures. Menswear inspired tweeds and knits, graphic laser cut cabinetry, and plenty of local and reclaimed wood dominated the floor of the Convention Center, where IDSwest was held Sept. 27-30.
Unique laser cut cabinetry by Precisionwerkz Cabinetry.
This year marked the 8th year for the event, which was packed with the usual list of features, including guest speakers, GE Cafe Trade Day, and the young designers “Future Masters” showcase. My favourite feature this year, however, was the addition of “The District”-a gathering of over 50 handmade designers showcasing their home decor, fashion, jewelry and art collections. A truly eclectic and talented group of artisans, The District was a fantastic promotion of smaller, grass-roots designers side by side with the tour-de-force of large-scale home decor specialists. And what a great place to do a little early Christmas shopping! I wish I could say I was organized enough to give this thought more than a fleeting second, but I’m sure plenty of people got a jump-start on their holiday shopping at IDSwest.
Kyla enjoying Van Gogh Design’s big comfy chair!
One of the things that I truly appreciate about IDSwest is that it’s really a great show for both professionals and enthusiasts. Walking the show floor provides endless inspiration for home owners, and also provides a great platform for the pros to connect, check out the trends and touch base with new suppliers and showrooms. For someone who loves a great interior, the show is really a must-see. With expected attendance set to hit around 30 000 this year, IDSwest continues to provide a growing platform for young designers to mix with seasoned pros, local showrooms to display their fresh finds and the home design industry to debut innovating products and styles.
Inform Interior’s Bocci Bar.
And as I mentioned before, this years trends rely heavily on textures. We saw plenty of reclaimed woods, sleek bright acrylics and thick wools and knits. Exhibitors such as Calligaris, Mint Interiors and Urban Barn all combined plush, rich textures with high gloss modern pops-creating tonnes of drama and visual appeal. It was all about the mix and match this year-like pairing modern white kitchens with reclaimed wood accents, which was showcased beautifully in a collaboration from AyA Kitchens and Kelly Deck Design.
Style Garage’s clever mix of wood and clear acrylic.
One of my favourites, Stylegarage, took up the trend by combining the hip acrylic Gus Modern Timber Table with their own Douglas Chuck table, creating a cool mix of styles and textures. Precisionwerkz Architectural Woodwork and Cabinetry had a stand out booth, showcasing their various designs for truly unique cabinets-providing plenty of pattern to jazz up plain white cabinetry.
Urban Barn’s Marina Pouf.
On the colour front things seem to be finally pulling away from the neon trends, which I’m afraid I’m not all that sad to see disappear, and refocusing more on a primary palette. Furniture giant Inform Interiors used primaries to define their huge display area, and Mirolin presented a crazy collection of colourful acrylic tub surrounds. Colour was anchored with a heavy dose of neutrals, more specifically greys-which provide a fantastic “grounding” element to any space. Patina’d metals, iron work, charcoal fabrics and concrete were strongly represented side by side with coloured glass, lacquered touches and bold paint.
Mirolin’s vibrant acrylic tub surround.
My visit to IDSwest both started and finished in “The District” where I explored artisans from near and far. Stand outs in The One of Kind District included Identity Apparel‘s reclaimed wool pillows, screen printed with fun designs, The Found and The Freed’s classic vintage finds and Nicole Tarasick Studio’s cheeky airport code pillows. I simply adore seeing so much talent in one place.
Vintage wool pillows screen printed by Identity Apparel.
Did you get a chance to attend IDSWest 2012? Share your thoughts with us!
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