IDS Toronto 2023: Inside the Interior Design Extravaganza

TORONTO—IDS Toronto—formally known as Interior Design Show Toronto—took place Jan. 19-22 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC). The four-day event was an amalgamation of what’s new and noteworthy in interior design, and 2023’s iteration was the first show that was back to regularly scheduled programming since the onset of the pandemic.

The convention center welcomed 42,000 visitors and 200 exhibitors. Among them, sustainability was (unsurprisingly) a hot topic.

“There was a great selection of companies innovating with circular materials, including furniture made from discarded fishing nets, chopsticks, and plastic bottles,” Will Sorrell, IDS’ national director, told BizBash.This year, IDS Toronto featured the inaugural Moving Parts exhibit, courtesy of Will Sorrell, IDS’ national director, as well as Joanne Lam, the co-founder of Toronto-based architecture and interior design studio Picnic Design. The exhibit highlighted the importance of sustainability in interior design.Photo: Courtesy of IDS TorontoChopValue participated in Moving Parts and showcased its work station made entirely out of recycled chopsticks.Photo: Courtesy of IDS Toronto

Humanscale also showcased its recycled furniture as part of Moving Parts, and the display included chairs made of 10 pounds of upcycled ocean plastic.Photo: Courtesy of IDS TorontoSorrell was referring to Moving Parts, an on-site exhibition courtesy of Sorrell himself, as well as Joanne Lam, the co-founder of Toronto-based architecture and interior design studio Picnic Design. ChopValue’s corner of the exhibit piqued interests. The company operates off the motto “once a chopstick—now a statement,” and the sentiment was brought to life with a workstation made of recycled chopsticks. Adjacent signage communicated that “ChopValue has recycled 50 million chopsticks to date.”

Humanscale also showcased its recycled furniture as part of Moving Parts, and the display included chairs made of 10 pounds of upcycled ocean plastic. Also notable was Cyrc’s lounge area, where everything was 3D printed using recycled plastic; and EQ3’s teakwood stools, which were made using a combination of tree stumps from trees used to build houses and reclaimed teakwood from unused housing units.

The trade show floor spanned 100,000 square feet, Sorrell said, noting that the booth by “TwelveOaks flooring, designed by SDI design” was a standout for its “beautiful job of showcasing the product and creating an experience.” The TwelveOaks booth—which won the 2023 Best Booth Design award—turned its flooring samples into an entryway with stylish cutouts that had passersby snapping photos left and right.

The Prototyope exhibit is where next-generation designers get to show off their designers. This year, these colorful—and playfully named—"Puppy Stools" were on display.Photo: Courtesy of IDS TorontoAnother popular corner of the exhibit space was occupied by Prototype, a display showcasing the work of next-gen interior designers. Each year, up-and-coming designers are able to submit their designs to be judged by a panel of experts in the field, who then select which designs get to appear as part of Prototype, and thus showcased to IDS’ audience of esteemed architects, interior designers, media, and other potential clientele. 

Also at Prototype were colorful wall plates, sure to add some fun and flair to your everyday light switch.Photo: Courtesy of IDS TorontoEach year, the feature is famed among IDS Toronto attendees for its innovation and forward-thinking designs—and this year was no different. On display were colorful wall plates, sure to add some fun and flair to your everyday light switch, as well as the playfully named “Puppy Stools,” a checkerboard-patterned table, and more.

In an area dubbed “The District,” guests “could shop from design-led retailers,” Sorrell explained. Benjamin Moore was one of those vendors. The paint company had its 2023 color trends on display with oversized swatches in blue hues, in colors named “Starry Night” and “North Sea Green,” as well as warmer tones like “Raspberry Blush” and “Cinnamon.” IDS’ presenting partner, Miele, hosted coffee and cooking demos in its booth to show off its kitchen appliances.Photo: Courtesy of IDS Toronto

Also on-site was luxury kitchen and bath fixture company House of Rohl with a stunning powder room vignette; Staples Canada, which introduced its new height-adjustable desk; and IDS’ presenting partner, Miele, which hosted coffee and cooking demos in its booth to show off its kitchen appliances. 

Aside from a plethora of design concepts to explore, there were more than 40 education sessions that spanned topics like business, climate change, social responsibility, tech trends, and more.

It was starkly evident that sustainability and technology are intertwined in interior design—and here to stay. As far as what can go? Sorrell said: “Low-quality copies that are not designed to last. For a couple of decades now, we’ve had every design piece copied and sold for 20% of the price of the original. But you get what you pay for, and these knock-offs quickly become landfill. I hope what’s happened during the pandemic—people thinking about and investing in quality, long-lasting products—will continue.”Also on-site was luxury kitchen and bath fixture company House of Rohl with a stunning powder room vignette.Photo: Courtesy of IDS TorontoStaples Canada introduced its new height-adjustable desk—called Longevity—at the trade show.Photo: Courtesy of IDS Toronto