Eight highlights from the biggest week in Canadian design
From a psychedelic Moooi installation and a Coors beer spoof at IDS Toronto to a stylish display of Montreal talent in a Corso Italia basement, here are the standouts from the late January design events in Toronto.
Despite sub-zero temperatures, thousands of people made the trip to see trade show IDS Toronto and the hundreds of events that make up the city-wide Design TO festival.
With a focus on Canadian design, we looked at new releases of commercial projects, prototypes and collectible pieces across the events.
Read on for Dezeen's highlights from Toronto's January design fairs:
Out of Office by Ste Marie and Moooi
Dutch furniture company Moooi worked with legendary Vancouver design studio Ste Marie to create a booth within IDS Toronto's curated office exhibition, which was cleverly titled Out of Office as a nod to the middle three letters of the brand's name.
Its exterior was clad in classic office mineral fibre panels, but the inside was given a psychedelic treatment. The space was upholstered with Moooi Fluid fabric, featured a metal-wrapped planter, and four of Ron Gilad's Dear Ingo Chandeliers.
Tiered seating was accented by speakers, while features reminiscent of HVAC ventilation shafts held retro TVs running AI videos of conceptual Moooi furniture come to life, such as the life-size horse lamp by Swedish studio Front.
Tape curated by Jamie Wolfond
Curated by designer Jamie Wolfond and his team, which operates 8x7 out of a space adjacent to his workshop, Tape showcased a range of pieces that celebrated different forms of the universal, yet often-overlooked, adhesive.
Stand-out pieces included the Working Condition lamp by Copenhagen-based Canadian designer Persia Mckinney Duncan that showcased glass pieces held together by duct tape as an exploration of the "space between repair and ornament".
Local MSDS Studio's Tape Vessels featured vase-like objects wrapped in aluminium-foil tape, while Wolfond himself experimented with drywall joint tape as a medium for 2D perspectival art.
Home deCoors by Coors Light
The Canadian arm of beer brand Coors Light put on an irreverent exhibition on the IDS Toronto showroom floor.
For the installation, 30-count cases of beer were displayed among contemporary design objects, serving a variety of functions, from console to coffee table, and lampstand. An accompanying pamphlet showed the "range" – a list of decor categories, above which were repeated images of the case of beer.
Pot-Au-Feu by Ensemble
Roving Montreal design collective Ensemble, led by designers Anaïe Dufresne and Nicholas Sangaré, is quickly becoming one of the most exciting showcases during DesignTO, if not in all of Canada. This year, the team returned to a basement gallery in the outskirts of the city, cladding the walls and floors with wood veneer and fabrics.
Some big-name Montreal lighting studios, such as D'armes and Lambert et Fils showed pieces, with D'armes co-founder Alex Joncas showing some of his personal work. Stand-out pieces included a collection of all-leather tables with removable tops by Séjour Studio, new rubber collections from Atelier Fomenta, and a metal chair by Les objets Raymond Raymond.
Atriani Interiors
Following its Best Booth Award at IDS Toronto 2025, Canadian design studio Atriani Interiors worked with local interior designer Mila Yudina to create a booth at this year's event featuring the luxurious decor the company is known for.
At the centre of the booth, though, were the lacquered Ottagono Coffee Table, a four-piece set. According to the company, the piece represents the "new direction and vision" for the brand.
Shell stool by Maxwell Sims
Local designer Maxwell Sims showcased his Shell stool at the Prototype section of IDS Toronto, which showcases work from early-career designers.
Shell consists of three parts that can be easily assembled and disassembled. For the project, Sims wanted to try and shape bent aluminium in a way similar to plastic stools, "preserving the visual simplicity of the stool while resolving the connection of parts as simply as possible".
Ourse
Located prominently at the top of the entry programme at IDS Toronto was the debut collection of Canadian furniture brand Ourse. The collection included mostly wood furniture and decor designed by Canadian design names such as Jake Oliveria Studio, Thom Fougere, MSDS Studio, Nicole Marion, and Small Medium Large.
The furniture is made from Canadian wood. According to Fougere, it provides a "platform to express a distinctly Canadian point of view, grounded in local making, material knowledge, and restraint". It reflected a sentiment expressed to Dezeen several times over the week – Canadians are seeking to design and consume locally, given the US's ongoing tariff threats on Canadian imports, including wood and furniture.
Coolican & Company
Local manufacturer Coolican & Company showcased several of its wood-based furniture with new products, including the Asquith table series as well as an iteration of its Calla woven benches upholstered with fabric upcycled from the Paris fashion industry.
The company, which prioritises sustainable wood manufacturing, won a sustainability award for its IDS Toronto booth.
IDS Toronto ran from 22-25 January 2026; DesignTO is on show from 23 January to 1 February in locations across the city. For more installations, talks and fairs in architecture and design visit Dezeen Events Guide.
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