Design secrets: Where the pros shop

Places to shop in Atlantic Canada ATLANTIC CANADAJamie LeBlancDesigner, Designs By 2, OttawaAttica Furnishings St. John's, Nfl d., 2 Freshwater Rd., 709-739-8382; Halifax, 1566 Barrington St., 902-423-2557; www.attica.ca"A posh reputation without the posh prices. Attica Furnishings has an eclectic mix of accessories and furniture."Terra Verde Moncton, N.B., 679 Main St., 506-389-1898. "A must-stop in Moncton, they carry beautifully designed kitchen utensils, pots and crystal, and they have amazing flowers."Room2Remember Fredericton, 494 Queen St., 506-443-9016. "Owners Heather and Malcolm Suttie stock what we all need. You can get everything from nursery products to garden accessories. Places to shop in Quebec QUEBEC Helen RacanelliSTYLE AT HOME Feature Writer, Shopping Etc. Columnist, Toronto La Maison Simons simons.ca for stores. "Head directly to housewares. They have a huge selection of vibrantly coloured linens at bargain prices. Plus, the rug sales are a steal!"Julie CharbonneauDesigner, De Poitiers; Owner, Boutique De Poitiers, MontrealFleures de Juin Montreal, 2507 Notre-Dame W., 514-933-2520. "This flower shop is a secret of designers. The artistic arrangements are to die for."Galerie de Bellefeuille Montreal, 1367 Greene Ave., 514-933-4406; debellefeuille.com. "One of the best places to find Canadian art that's very modern and classic at the same time. Most pieces are actually quite affordable."Nicola MarcStylist, MontrealArthur Quentin 800-303-7513; Montreal, 3960 St. Denis St., 514-843-7513; arthurquentin.com. "An extensive treasure trove of carefully selected dishes, glassware and kitchen items. It's my favourite source for linen tablecloths and stylish tea towels."Celadon Collection Montreal, 186 Peel St., 514-932-3306; celadoncollection.com. "A creative mix of traditional and contemporary pieces. They carry a great selection of lighting and are one of the city's best sources for wall sconces. And Farrow & Ball wallpaper and paint are a must for any home reno project."Les Touilleurs Montreal, 152 Laurier Ave. W., 514-278-0008; lestouilleurs.com. "I love visiting this kitchen shop for its excellent decor and yummy, beautifully photographed free recipe cards." Places to shop in Ontario ONTARIOJamie LeBlanc Designer, Designs By 2, OttawaBlueprint Ottawa, 1301 Wellington St. W., 613-761-1289;Relish Ottawa, 17 Clarence St., 613-562-1555;Rhubarb Ottawa, 279 Richmond Rd., 613-724-2100. "This trio of urban decor stores owned by Jane Berry is the perfect place to find that kitschy oddity guaranteed to make your rooms truly unique. Relish (which Jane co-owns with Patrick Blanar) focuses on condo-size furniture, Blueprint has a more suburban aesthetic, and Rhubarb is the best for accessories."Instile Tile & Design Centre Stittsville, Ont., 50 Iber Rd., 613-836-9500; instile.ca. "Unsurpassed for finds like cascading mixed tiles. Plus, I love the service."Katherine StoneAuthor of Loft Design: Solutions for Creating a Livable Space, TorontoThe Door Store Toronto, 1260 Castlefield Ave., 416-863-1590."Don't let the name fool you -- there's a lot more here than doors! Owner Sam Mirshak travels the world to find distinctive pieces of architectural salvage, making each visit a new adventure, full of inspiration."South Hill Home Toronto, 200 Dupont St., 416-924-7224; southhillhome.com."They carry Bolier furniture -- a line I'm in love with. The pieces are perfectly transitional, with clean, classic lines wrapped up in an impeccable package. The collection works well in both modern and conventional homes."W Studio 888-228-2467; Toronto, 146 Dupont St., 416-929-9290; wstudio.ca."W has a top-notch selection of area rugs and the most knowledgeable staff. Creative director Alan Pourvakil is a master of colour and style. He's developed new designs that are destined to become heirlooms, not trendy throwaways."Anna OlsonHost, Kitchen Equipped, St. Catharines, Ont.Mokuba Toronto, 575 Queen St. W., 416-504-5358."The clean, white store makes the textures and colours of the thousands of ribbons just shine. It's therapeutic to pick out ribbons to decorate pillows and specialty foods."Brett WaltherSTYLE AT HOME Assistant Design Editor, TorontoTeatro Verde 888-483-2876; Toronto, 2901 Bayview Ave., 416-733-4447; 55 Avenue Rd., 416-966-2227; teatroverde.com."Teatro offers spring-fresh accessories, presented in breathtaking displays. Consider yourself warned -- you won't leave without buying something you had no idea you were craving."William Ashley 800-268-1122; Toronto, 55 Bloor St. W., 416-964-2900; Mississauga, Ont., 100 City Centre Dr., 905-566-8500; williamashley.com."The mere thought of establishing a wedding registry at this tabletop mecca gives me the itch to walk down the aisle. With such a vast collection of flatware, dishes and stemware, it's easy to lose yourself in the labyrinthine showroom."Helen RacanelliSTYLE AT HOME Feature Writer, Shopping Etc. Columnist, Toronto Boutique Par Par Toronto, 649 St. Clair Ave. W., 416-657-3333."Store owner Stephanie Benaich is my taste twin -- ultrafeminine picks for dishware, table linens and stationery."Ziggy's at Home Toronto, 794 College St., 416-535-8728."My favourite decor store in Little Italy. Whether it's a Lampe Berger or funky magnets, I always leave with something I love." Places to shop in Western Canada THE PRAIRIES & WESTERN CANADAJamie LeBlancDesigner, Designs By 2, OttawaThese Four Walls Winnipeg, 167 Stafford St., 204-452-5786."The perfect lifestyle store. It's easy to find a cool vase here; the shape, colour and style selection is amazing."Adene LucasDesigner, Accent on Design, CalgaryCountryFurniture Calgary, 738 11th Ave. S.W., 403-515-0011; North Vancouver, B.C., 980 Marine Dr., 604-985-3359; Vancouver, 3097 Granville St., 604-738-6411; countryfurniture.net."This is the place to find affordable prints. They also have a huge selection of wooden tables and hutches, plus distinctive French kitchenware and Canadian-made sofas."SoHo Nada Calgary, 820 11th Ave. S.W., 403-261-0888; sohonada.com."They have beautifully designed furniture and colour-grouped accessories, and the service is always fantastic. The owner, Nada Vignjeviv, always goes that extra step to make sure I find the particular piece I'm looking for." Sarah RichardsonHost, Design Inc., TorontoRubaiyat Calgary, 722 17th Ave. S.W., 403-228-7192."An exceptional mix of handmade decorative objects, interesting outdoor pieces, and one-of-a-kind works by artisans."Liberty Designs 800-599-9289; Vancouver, 1635 Broadway W., 604-682-7499; libertyinside.com."Divine displays make it easy to picture every item in your home. Liberty Design has the little extras that make shopping a joy. The last time I was there, they put out freshly baked cookies -- talk about creature comforts!"Céline PitreDesigner, Céline Interiors, Vancouver Atkinson's 800-803-0233; Vancouver, 1501 West Sixth Ave., 604-736-3378; atkinsons.ca. "Diane Atkinson's depth of knowledge from products to etiquette is a comfort. Her selection is incredible, too. Whether I'm looking to outfit a home from scratch or choosing a key piece of linen or china, I'm certain to find just the right thing."Creekside Tile Company Vancouver, 161 West Second Ave., 604-876-4900; creeksidetile.com. "A small but growing company with a stock of Canadian and international products. I especially love their resin, metallic and glass tiles." Places to shop nationwide NATIONALAdene LucasDesigner, Accent on Design, Calgary Pier 1 Imports 800-245-4595 for stores; pier1.com."Great for fillers. Large glazed pottery, resin bamboo vases and unique mosaic tables are perfect for those spots that need a little something. Pier 1 will also carry all purchases to your car -- ideal after a hard day of shopping."Colin McAllister & Justin RyanHosts, How Not To Decorate, Toronto EQ3, eq3.com for stores. "Well known to anyone who likes designer style on a budget, this clever retailer has it totally sussed. EQ3 is a first-stop shop when we need to watch our cash while still adding dash."Anna OlsonHost, Kitchen Equipped, St. Catharines, Ont.Williams-Sonoma Toronto, 100 Bloor St. W., 416-962-9455; Calgary, Chinook Centre, 6455 Macleod Trail S.W., 403-410-9191; williams-sonoma.ca for more stores."I use a great deal of cookie cutters, and Williams-Sonoma introduces a fun, new line every season that I just must have. Plus, they always carry the latest colours in Le Creuset pots and KitchenAid stand mixers."