Highlights from IDS Vancouver 2016

A look at five designers who made waves at Vancouver's annual interior design show.

IDS (Interior Design Show) Vancouver is a design fair showcasing the latest in furniture, lighting, flooring, and décor. Running from September 22 to 25, the 2016 Show featured work from over two hundred Canadian and international designers. The show presents a mix of modern and classic design, luxury and artisanal pieces, industry icons and emerging artists. It offers a great snapshot at what's new in contemporary interior design.

If you missed it, here are five features worth looking out for.


Living Divani 

The Frog armchair by Living Divani was designed in 1995 by Piero Lissoni. To mark the iconic chair’s 20th anniversary, Living Divani launched two new models. One, the ‘Carbon Frog,’ features a black carbon fiber frame with a nylon weave. It’s remarkably light. Yet, its low-slung, wide base provides stability. The second, ‘Cellulosa Frog,’ features a woven two-thread cellulose cord over an elegant, white painted steel frame. 

The two models were displayed alongside their predecessors in a retrospective presented by Livingspace, a modern Vancouver furniture store. 

The 'Carbon Frog' armchair by Living Divani. With a carbon fibre frame and a nylon woven seat, it's remarkably light.

The 'Carbon Frog' armchair by Living Divani. With a carbon fibre frame and a nylon woven seat, it's remarkably light.

Detail of the 'Cellulosa Frog' armchair, which features a woven two-thread cellulose cord over a painted steel frame.

Detail of the 'Cellulosa Frog' armchair, which features a woven two-thread cellulose cord over a painted steel frame.

Montauk

The Montreal-based sofa company Montauk presented their very popular ‘Jane’ model, an ultra-thick, modern sofa composed of modular units that allow for multiple configurations. It’s available in custom fabrics and finishes and, like all of Montauk’s sofas, is handmade at their Montreal factory. It is a beautiful, timeless design, and (possibly) the most comfortable sofa ever. Win/win.

The modular Jane sofa by Montauk allows for multiple configurations.

The modular Jane sofa by Montauk allows for multiple configurations.

Dahlhaus 

Dalhaus is the studio practice of Vancouver ceramic artist and painter Heather Braun Dahl. Her handmade ceramic objects are rugged yet sophisticated. At this year’s exhibition, Dahl displayed a series of speckled stoneware cups, teapots, and vessels in a two-tone colourway of pastels and off-white. From past seasons, check out her soft stripes, herringbone, and floral patterns at dahlhausart.com.

Ceramic stoneware tea set by Vancouver's Dahlhaus.

Ceramic stoneware tea set by Vancouver's Dahlhaus.

Blue Caribou 

New to the scene was the playful and unique Blue Caribou. This south Okanagan design studio creates geometric, powder-coated, steel plant stands in a variety of sizes and formats — an excellent solution for the plant that requires its own corner suite. 

Steel plantware by Blue Caribou: the Oliver (left) and the Tofino (right).

Steel plantware by Blue Caribou: the Oliver (left) and the Tofino (right).

Vantot 

For the past two years, IDS Vancouver has shone a spotlight on the design of an international city. This year the focus was on Eindhoven. Curated by Design Milk, the ‘Dutch Exchange: Eindhoven’ series presented an impressive collection of the city’s most innovative product designers. 

At the forefront is VANTOT collective, a duo of Design Academy Eindhoven graduates, with their collection of avant-garde lighting and table designs. Their ‘Exploded View’ pendants cleverly manipulate light by moving the light source closer or further away from the shade. There are three lamps in this series: Cumulus, which uses layering effects to dim the light; Eclipse, which blocks the light; and Lunar, which plays with reflection. 

The Exploded View light series by VANTOT manipulates light by adjusting the distance of the light source.

The Exploded View light series by VANTOT manipulates light by adjusting the distance of the light source.

Jill Southern
Jill Southern is a designer, art director, and design writer in the Pacific Northwest. -> jillsouthern.ca

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