Table of contents for Issue 2, 2023 in DESIGNLINES

A-Team Matthew Hague Matthew Hague is a graduate of the University of Waterloo School of Architecture who has written about design, interiors and architecture for many of Canada’s top publications, including Toronto Life, the Globe and Mail, Azure and, of course, Designlines. When it comes to home renovations, Hague considers no design feature to be more impactful than a big, bright, south-facing window. In this issue Hague chronicles a unique, SoCal-inspired reno of a 1970s home in Mississauga. Find it on page 59. Deborah Wang Deborah Wang is an architect, designer and curator. Alongside her role as Artistic Director of the non-profit DesignTO Festival, she recently launched her own multidisciplinary design studio. Her vision for Toronto’s future is one with more critical design beyond the status quo. In this issue…

STRIPPED Among the many one-of-a-kind objects in Leslieville’s Mararamiro, this unglazed sculpture by local ceramicist Angela Cho proves the beauty of handmade vessels – even in their most raw and natural state. $1,150, at Mararamiro. FREESTANDING In collaboration with industrial designer Diego Olivero, the Black Circles Floor Sculpture measures 41 inches tall, making it a standout feature for minimalist living rooms and workspaces. $224, at West Elm. NATURAL FORMS In her DesignTO debut, artist Elena Mahno showcased a collection of ceramic vessels inspired by organic feminine silhouettes. While the festival may be over, this unique art piece makes a great collectible for your home gallery. Pricing upon request, through Elena Mahno. SOUTHERN CHARM The Danzante textile table sculpture hails from the workshop of female artisans in Querétaro, Mexico, and is made…

The new owners of this house first reached out to architect Brenda Izen after seeing one of her previous renovation projects – a century-old, two-storey, red-brick detached with a hipped roof. They, too, had recently bought a two-storey, detached, red-brick house, also a century old, also with a hipped roof, in Wychwood. Izen’s prior work hit all the right notes for the couple. The revamped interior was modern through and through, but the exterior maintained its original pitched roof, while making room for innovation with a striking flat-roof portico. Think: the little red schoolhouse spends a semester in Oslo. “They saw [the other reno] and thought they wanted that exact thing,” says Izen. “But we don’t like replicating. We like to reinvent the wheel on every project.” This home had…

Entrepreneur Randall Papineau lives in Mississauga, but his newly renovated home evokes Southern California, where he often travels. Throughout the 3,000-square-foot space, sand, sage and sunset tones pop against a neutral palette. “I often feel like I’m my best self when I’m down south, on the coast,” says Papineau. “It’s so beautiful, I wanted my place to reflect that.” After Papineau bought the house in 2022, he easily found the right designer – Marcus Iafrate, founder of Conik Studios. Papineau had long admired Iafrate’s work on Instagram, particularly the warm-modern mix of clean lines and punchy colours. The hard part was, sadly, the house itself. “I’ve rarely seen a place in such bad shape,” says Papineau. “It was incredibly dirty,” adds Iafrate. “I've rarely seen a place in such bad…

The Adelaide Project Here’s something a little different: innovative luminaires in a lovingly restored and fully furnished heritage home where consumers and industry pros alike can explore functional vignettes of architectural and decorative lighting. Good ideas abound: Nod suspension lights by XAL in the bedroom create a variety of moods thanks to a rotatable head and changeable height; in the living room, the fabric diffuser of the celestial Manto suspension lamp by Axolight provides the perfect balance of illumination and ambiance. 509 ADELAIDE ST W 416 538 6548 BY APPT ONLY THEADELAIDEPROJECT.COM AM Studio AM’s versatile custom lighting studio is home to intricate and imaginative fixtures handmade in Toronto. The gallery is aglow with Swarovski crystal, metal, and glass fused, blown and drawn into dramatic sculptural forms. Find shapely porcelain…

Of the moment In walking this city, I have come to see what we value in terms of design, how we push forward. It’s also been eye-opening to see our urban landscape through another person’s lens. For this issue, I walked with artist Martin Reis around Queen West, where he added his own stamp with stickers and miniatures he affixes to posts with the purpose of delighting passersby, and adding colour to this often-grey town. As a metaphor, his work is ideal for our annual renovation issue, as he continues the European tradition of street artists there “mending” walls with Lego. The work is beautiful, colourful and poignant — Lego as a building block is universal in its language. Photographer Arash Moallemi shot the story (pg. 82) on film (the…

STATEMENT PIECE The wall-mounted Branch Shelving System by Gus Modern is a minimalist and modern bookshelf option made of solid wood with metal hardware. The adjustable shelves can be configured to make the most of your space. $2,590, at Simons OUTSIDE THE BOX Colourful tempered glass boxes differentiate the Quantum bookcase by Glas Italia from anything you’ve seen before. Designed by Piero Lissoni, this timeless piece has the staying power and appeal for generations to come. $14,765, at Kiosk TALL ORDER Natural oak forms a tall, clean frame for spacious shelving in the Harrow Bookcase. Its ’70s-inspired arch peaks at nearly seven feet tall and offers timeless appeal in a sleek black finish. $1,965, at Mkt LIGHT READING French designer Jean Louis Iratzoki brings a playful twist to the open shelving concept with…

When architect Noam Hazan purchased a 1950s red-brick bungalow in a North Toronto neighbourhood, it looked like it hadn’t ever been renovated. He lived there for seven months with his wife Eden and two children, Benson, 6, and Bailey, 4, before embarking on the project. After a few touch-ups, and a concerted effort to remove some mid-century mustiness, the British-born architect knew this true relic carried the potential to realize his dream home and course-correct his trajectory. “I started it whilst running an automated retail start-up,” recalls Hazan, who took a two-year hiatus from the architecture industry. “I knew I wanted to pivot back to architecture, and I wanted this to be the standout show home for potential future clients.” With an affinity for Modernist design, strongly influenced by his…

As Toronto renovations go, this one stands out. In 2019, homeowners Matt Kingston and Michelle Bilodeau weren’t looking to move, but the opportunity to purchase a detached house with great bones on a quiet street was too good to pass up. Located in Little Portugal, near the Cadbury Factory, this ambitious full-gut renovation gave the couple the opportunity to customize a house for their family of three and sizable art collection. Designed by David Carrothers of Carrothers and Associates, and built by Damien Dupuis of Craftsman Modern, the renovation was a true collaboration with the homeowners. “It was a good match, where everyone was experienced in the process,” says Dupuis. The vision was clear from the beginning, decisions were made deftly, and they collectively weathered challenging circumstances. We all know…

1925Workbench A true love of craft – for solid wood and traditional techniques – is on full display at 1925, with its studio in the front, workshop in the back. The specialty: handcrafted solid wooden doors and furniture, panel and glass doors, and hand-welded metal. Highlights include patented single-track bypass barn-door hardware (made in Canada), walnut slab doors with transom-like cut-outs and nearly five-metre-tall rolling or hook ladders. 198 30TH ST, ETOBICOKE 416 878 1869 BY APPT ONLY 1925WORKBENCH.COM ADH Fine Hardware ADH offers tried-and-true solutions – in traditional and contemporary styles – from Baldwin, Emtek and Rocky Mountain. Unlock your creative side with stylish jewelled knobs by Matthew Studios, leather loop straps by Scrim or custom forged bronze handles by Hamilton Sinkler. Or go the minimalist route: tiny knurled…

From wall dividers in the shape of cityscapes to cloud-like ceiling fixtures, Ayrsonics brings beautiful design to sound control. The manufacturer has reimagined soundproofing with its high-quality, custom acoustic materials in innovative forms. Among its most prized products is EzoBord, a raw, sound absorbing material made of 100% PET plastic. Engineered using bespoke print capabilities to create intricate designs and a wide range of colour choices, EzoBord merges visual interest and high functionality. By adding depth and texture to a space, this innovative material confronts design through touch, sight and sound. When augmented as acoustical netting, a series of interlocking and precision-cut louvres are designed to rest on top of modular wall systems or to be suspended from ceilings, creating an encapsulating atmosphere enhanced by embedded lighting. AYRSONICS.COM…

To her more than 500,000 YouTube subscribers, Alexandra Gater is not merely another content creator, she’s the inspiration behind every decorative cabinet knob and statement wall in their homes. Gater’s playful and trend-driven DIY hacks cater to renters in small living quarters – encouraging them to shape-shift their homes into personalized pads. “I felt there was a gap in the world of home decor and understood the importance of making your space feel like your own,” she says. “It inspired my entire career.” We caught up with Gater to discuss the rise of renter-friendly renovations, styling tips and her debut coffee table book, Own Your Space, hitting store shelves April 25. Why do you think more renters are investing into their homes today? Millennials are renting for much longer than…

Vaarnii This Finnish design company produces brutalist-inspired objects made of domestic pine, which, in lighting, creates a gentle glow reminiscent of balmy summer days. 1003 Hans Pendant. $2,040, at Klaus. Cyrc In the pursuit of circular design, this Montreal-based studio manufactures beautiful 3D-printed objects made of recycled food packaging waste. Conan Vase. $140, at 313 Design Market. Kyle Parent Evident in his commission for Ace Hotel Toronto, mother-taught textile artist Kyle Parent produces quilts that read more like art than bedding. Toronto Quilt. Approx. $480, at Atelier Ace.…

Rise and Shine Made of thermal shock–resistant borosilicate glass, the Pour Over Carafe by Yield allows for easy handling and superior heat retention. Not to mention, its emerald hue makes a modish display piece on countertops. $110, at Easy Tiger Goods. Fruit Full Designed by Ettore Sottsass, the ES15 Sottsass Twergi Centrepiece in Yellow is part of Alessi’s instantly iconic Values collection. At its base, a dash of yellow enhances the lime wood’s naturally sunny undertones. $440, at Studio Brillantine. Keep It Classico From slicing a pizza to chopping fresh herbs, the Alpen 8″ Italiano Classico kitchen scissors offer a luxurious and ergonomic design that’s safer and easier to handle than a knife. Home chefs will especially appreciate the clever centre tool for cracking lobster shells. $109, at Ciselier. Lightly…

“We started out wanting a third-floor master suite with a washroom. Tura provided us with a vision of a full renovation,” says Tricia Holzworth, who lives in this late Victorian bay-and-gable with her husband Scott Daigneault, their two sons, Henry, 14, and Theodore, 8, and a wheaten terrier called Bruno. The idea of renovating the family’s entire 1,830-square-foot residence came easy to architect Tura Cousins Wilson, principal at Studio of Contemporary Architecture (SOCA). “It was clear Tricia and Scott needed more living space to accommodate at-home work, stay-over guests and additional private areas for themselves and the boys,” he says. When the couple bought the home in 2007, its circa-1890 interior was a record of owners past – think a blow-out-the-walls, ’90s kind of reno with a few traditional crown-moulding…

Caesarstone Consult Caesarstone professionals on your desired applications of their proprietary quartz slabs; this global innovator’s Toronto showroom features 62 varieties. Use Piatto’s deep black hues for dramatic kitchen islands and backsplashes. Calacatta’s oversized greige veins traverse a crisp white back-ground, creating that marble-clad spa effect for your bathroom. If the industrial look is your thing, pair Oxidian countertops with gunmetal cabinetry and copper hardware.  350 CALDARI RD, CONCORD 416 479 8400 CAESARSTONE.CA Cambria Gallery Cambria’s Corktown gallery showcases Americanmade natural quartz surfaces in over 160 designs spanning from pale neutrals to rich jewel tones. See the brand’s durable, stain-resistant, maintenance-free lines on display in kitchen and bathroom vignettes. Think beyond countertops and backsplashes to clad walls, fireplaces and shower surrounds. Inject a sense of motion with bold charcoal veins…

“I want to add colour to the city. We have to ask, ‘what do we want our cities to be?’” says multimedia artist Martin Reis. We meet up two Saturdays in a row at Queen and Shaw streets, first to select a good spot for patching a brick wall with Lego, something he does regularly called Dispatch work. “It’s done a lot in Europe and I noticed nobody was doing it here in Toronto,” he says. As we talk, he slaps down a sticker onto a pole to say hello to a fellow street artist and affixes a few of his fascinating miniatures dubbed “Tiny Townies” to posts with push pins, or to walls with super glue. “This one will be good,” he says. “There is a big spot there…