The beginning of the year is always an exciting time for design. Trends forecasted over the past few months are finally being realized, bringing fresh new perspectives to designers and clients alike. The Interior Design Show provides a great opportunity to see what the year has in store for furniture, appliances, materials, and products. The energy on Trades Day is contagious; among the maze of eccentric booths, well-dressed individuals from all over the world, and energetic keynote speakers, it's hard not to feel excited about design.
This year's show featured a number of memorable booths. Ceasarstone, a leading manufacturer of quartz countertops, presented a fantastic collaboration with Spanish designer Jaime Hayon, in which cartoon faces made of stone were placed throughout their expansive exhibition space. The Design Boom Mart, a perennial favourite of mine, showcased talented Canadian designers such as Contour & Co and F&Y design. The star of the show, however, was the exhibit by Partisans. The architecture firm behind the decadent curves of Bar Raval teamed up with LightForm to demonstrate the process behind their whimsical light sculptures. It was amazing to see how they used heat to manipulate the shape and form of the plastic to create a work of art. A few trends I noticed at this year's show included fabric as art, modern classics, and luxe kitchens. The Miele appliances were just stunning.
As always, another great year at IDS. For more design inspiration, check out my recaps of 2014, 2015, and 2016.
