The Retail Duo carved out some time to attend the Interior Design Show (IDS) – Toronto. Making its return to in person events this marked a big step forward for the local design industry. Although it was a noticeably smaller show, there were still some great highlights. Here, The Retail Duo breaks down some of their fab finds and other interesting observations.
Miele
Always a leader in appliances and cutting edge technology the Miele booth showcases top of the line products (hello ultimate wine fridge) Personally we were a bit shocked to see little development in terms of at home or commercial space needs for vertical gardens and refrigeration.
Hush Acoustics
The Duo has been searching for acoustic panels while dabbling in the Office Space and this booth did not disappoint. The variety of their product design was truly astounding and their assortment and consideration for the need of flexible solutions was amazing. They will be on speed dial!
Skopos
Wallpaper and paint colour are in general fairly simple and cost effective solutions that can bring impact at a fast pace. This suppler offers an incredible assortment of patterns, styles, and materials that will make sourcing a dream. Hello Ted Baker prints!
Green Theory
As biophellia continues to be top of mind and plant life is on everyone’s radar these flexible, modular solutions naturally (see what we did there) caught our attention. Especially unique are the ECHO, reversible triangular planters / side tables /benches. We love when one product can provide you with several options of use.
Ceasarstone X Alessandro Munge
Naturally an experiential, interactive space always takes the bonus points in any conference or show setting these days. Although it was a small installation it captured attention and appealed to the senses. The use and mix of materials, culminating in a small hospitality type space entertained guests. A large silver, reflective surface in the centre portion reminded guests of ‘the bean’ in Chicago and of course provided Instagramable moments.
hollis+morris
Lighting is the “cherry on top of the sundae” in any environment. With our focus being in retail we cannot express the importance of this. More and more lighting becomes such an eye catching element and we love when a piece can be a jaw dropping focal point. Enter the piece featured above. This flexible solutions allows the designer to integrate lights from the floor as well as the ceiling. Different combinations make this a dream to work with. Definitely bookmarked on The Duo’s wish list.
Diverse Content
The speaker line up at the show was jam packed with interesting and thought provoking topics, and the stadium in the centre of the trade show floor sparked curiosity. We particularly loved the diverse representation of designers and content. IDS always seems to be on top of the who's who and the what's what of the industry. We particularly loved the presentation Why we must recast "Modern" design's meaning in 2022 - and beyond featuring Dori Tunstall, David Fortin and Even Jerry. The Retail Duo have always thought that our designs need to have more diverse and inclusive forms and aesthetics. We are making it our goal this year too reach out to our communities around our projects to include local artisans and designers. This will hopefully create a path for diverse designers to enter and flourish in the retail and commercial design industry.
Conferences still have a big place and contribution to the industry, however, we need these moments to be more inclusive, experiential, innovative, and memorable to make an impact.
You've got to WOW us!
We love the one-stop-shop sourcing aspect of the IDS show - it surely makes our jobs a lot easier to have everyone all in one place at the same time. We loved bumping into people we know or have worked with in the past, and favourite suppliers. It was so great catching up after all these years. We can tell that all conferences this past year have been hit hard by the pandemic. Budgets, timelines, and uncertainties regarding safety have clearly changed the way we present ourselves and our products during these events. Conferences still have a big place and contribution to the industry, however, we need these moments to be more inclusive, experiential, innovative, and memorable to make an impact.