Interior Design Show 2010: What’s hot!

Since 1998, the Toronto-based Interior Design Show has been the highlight of Canada’s contemporary design scene. Besides showcasing the newest and most innovative new products from Canada and abroad, this year’s IDS 10 promises to delight design aficionados with inspirational exhibits, an A-list speaker’s series featuring the world’s most influential architects and designers, and a spotlight on that most Canadian of buildings – the bunky!

Read on for what’s hot at this year’s show. Then head over to Toronto’s Metro Convention Centre on January 23 or 24, 2010 to take it in first-hand.

What to catch
With 50,000 visitors expected over IDS10’s four-day run (only two of which are open to the public), knowing what to make a beeline for is key! Here’s what you won’t want to miss:

IKEA Entrance Exhibit
See what Canadian artists Christian Giroux and Daniel Young created using repurposed IKEA products. Who knows – you may be inspired to do your own creative recycling at home afterwards!

Space Concepts: The Ultimate Space
Four teams of top Canadian talent were given carte blanche to design their “ultimate” luxury space. Stylist and journalist Arren Williams (a past Style At Home contributor); architect Drew Mandel; Jason MacIssaac, owner of Toronto’s modern-furniture gallery Ministry of the Interior; nightclub owner Charles Khabouth; and interior design firm Munge Leung all show what can be done when vision and design desire hook up.

Studio North
100 per cent Canadian, this exhibit showcases furniture, lighting and accessories from homegrown talent including hot furniture meisters Brothers Dessler.

Antique Urban Homes Go Modern
If you love big-city century homes, but are at a loss as to how to renovate yours in a contemporary vein, don’t miss Ingrid Abramovitch’s scheduled talk on Saturday, January 23. Abramovitch is a top design journalist, former editor at Martha Stewart Living magazine, and author of Restoring A House In The City. She’ll be giving attendees the lowdown on the hottest (and smartest!) trends in restoring urbane townhouses and row houses.

5 Small Rooms
Shed. Bunky. Outdoor pod. Freestanding outdoor mini-rooms are the next big thing in backyards. See what five inspiring designers, decorators and stylists did with a standard 100-square-foot wood shed – and think about what you could do in your outdoor space. After all, in Ontario, you can construct a 100-square-foot freestanding unit without a building permit!

Keep reading for top design products to check out at the show!