IDS Report

Happy Monday everyone!

Last Thursday was trade day at the Interior Design Show and it was by far the busiest one I’ve been to in many years.  This is a good thing because not only was it bustling with industry professionals, the displays were fantastic.  New product was everywhere and the special exhibit “Sibling Revelry” was exceptional.

Here are my faves from that exhibit:

Sarah Richardson and Theo Richardson – although they have successfully created their own design identities, they worked together to create 3 rooms that focussed on the primary hues.

Tommy and Sarah.

Brothers Dressler –  Jason and Lars have for the first time created a complete living space with all of their amazing designs. I loved the new bed and the orange sofa!

Glenn and David Dixon – with style and fashion oozing from this pair, it’s no wonder the space was so fabulous!  Remember my search for the Ultimate Sectional?  Well I think I’ve found it!

Stay tuned as I reveal more about the show over the coming weeks.

Cheers!

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Interior Design Show Preview

Happy Monday!

Heads up!  You have less than 2 weeks to plan your IDS experience.

The Interior Design Show is coming to the Metro Convention Centre on from January 27th to 30th.  Here’s the breakdown:

Thursday night is the Opening Party.  Always a fun event with performers, entertainment and lots of food and drink.  You’ll have an opportunity to chat with your favourite celebrity designers.  For the price of $55 in advance, you can’t go wrong.

Friday all day is trade day.  This is the day I’ll be going of course.

Saturday and Sunday is the public viewing.

Remember last year’s Conversations in Design: A World Without Oil?  Well, this year the theme is Crowdsourcing, Creativity and Community.  This series should be very interesting with such speakers as Douglas Coupland, Author, Filmmaker  and Hunter Tura from Bruce Mau Design.  If you’re in the design industry, this should not be missed.

This year’s Sibling Revelry display will feature my favourite furniture craftsmen Brothers Dressler, as well as others sibling designers.

Studio North, is a section which displays up and coming designers.  Always an exciting section to catch a new product or designer on the way up.

This is the show where you get to see the newest and most innovative products being launched.  Time to get inspired.

Don’t miss it. Get your tickets now!

Cheers!

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Cool People -The Brothers Dressler

If we are going through a major shift in the way we consume, then I compare this shift to what the Arts and Crafts Movement was to the industrial era. A backlash of sorts, that in the UK started with William Morris and landed in the US with Gustav Stickley and the Craftsman Workshops.  So profound an effect Craftsman was to the North American way of life, that to this day, over 100 years later, we have erected museums and auctioned off Craftsman pieces like they were very rare pieces of art.

Pay very close attention to the Brothers Dressler.  They are the modern day Stickley.

Like Gustav, Jason and Lars Dressler are committed to keeping their shop “Guild-like”- small, where creativity is exceptional and quality is impeccable. The one difference that in my eyes makes them even better is that the Brothers Dressler are passionate about reusing, recycling and producing consciously.  High Five!

On the day of my interview with Jason and Lars, they were so busy, and although they wanted to reschedule, they very graciously allowed me to take up most of their morning.  And really, between you and me, I could have stayed there longer.  It reminded me of hanging out in my father’s workshop.  I so get it when guys want to spend hours at the hardware store.

Jason and Lars have so much on the go right now.  They completed the offices at the Brickworks with reclaimed materials from the site.  They just finished making a huge Branches Chandelier, a beautiful central harvest table made of reclaimed elm and other pieces for the recently opened Boehmer restaurant in Toronto.  They created the award given to Bruce Mau at the Design Exchange. The list goes on and on. Click here for info on their recent works.

Follow me, on my visit!

The best part is that although they love doing custom projects, they have standardized production of certain pieces, so that you and I can buy them too!

This is where you have to pay attention.  Owning one of the Brothers Dressler pieces today will very well make you a wealthy collector in the future.

Plan on attending the Sibling Revelry exhibit at IDS on January 29th because Jason and Lars will be creating their best work ever!  No pressure guys..

Check out their work at BrothersDressler.com and see where you can buy one of their pieces.

Cheers!

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