Celebrating Global Design: Canada
Earlier this year we took you around the country in a column focused on celebrating the different regions of the United States. Through a series of interviews, creatives taught us how local culture and traditions affect the look of homes in their respective regions. It was fascinating.
The column was so eye-opening that over the next couple of months we’ll be expanding our horizons. This winter and spring we’re going to be highlighting how people around the globe infuse their country’s personal flair into their spaces. We’ll be hearing from creative types in Germany, France, Australia and more!
The first stop on our worldwide trek is Canada. With a reputation for being a cold and wintry wonderland, this country north of the United States is home to some of the world’s most beautiful landscapes. So we weren’t surprised when the locals told us about the many ways the weather and wild vistas influence the look of Canadian homes. It doesn’t stop there though. Scroll down to hear more about how this country’s look and feel have influenced regional design and left a permanent mark on its citizens’ personal style. Enjoy! —Garrett
Local pride lives here on Hollie Pocsai and Mike Jerome’s sofa. The pillow on the right is a hand-embroidered and hand-dyed antique that was made to celebrate the coronation of Canada’s head of state Queen Elizabeth II. The other pillow from Jenna Rose illustrates a typical row of houses in Hamilton, Canada.
Amy Carrillo’s condo brings Canada’s wildlife indoors.
Aly Velji owns an interior design firm in Calgary, AB.
Aly and his partner Jason added this deck to their backyard in Calgary, AB so when good weather rolls around – which isn’t often – they can soak up every minute of it.
Potter Tara Love and her wife – yoga instructor Caitlin – live in Ontario.
The floor of Caitlin Hutt Love’s yoga studio in Dorset, Ontario is made up of shipping crates. Her wife Tara had perviously used the crates to transport her handmade pottery here from India.
Founder of Contrabotanic, Amanda Perumal makes felt plants for those who don’t have a green thumb and/or for people who live in homes that don’t get much sun – a common problem in wintry Toronto. Her portrait was taken by Ria Elciario.
Many Canadian homeowners love reinventing pieces, and Chrissy Poitras and Kyle Topping from Ontario’s Prince Edward County are no exception. After an extensive search for the perfect bathroom countertop, they stumbled upon this vintage Singer sewing table that happened to be the perfect size for their sink.
Indigo Arrows by Destiny Lynn Seymour is a collection of home goods inspired by her heritage. Portrait by Alan Greyeyes.
Sarah Alchmist and her husband Presley renovated their Ontario home’s kitchen with the goal of echoing the rustic tones and coziness of the surrounding forest.
Aurora James was born in Toronto. She currently lives in NYC, and is the creative director of Brother Vellies.
Ariel Garneau – founder of PMQ for Two – lives just outside Fredericton, NB.
Ariel’s maximalist hand – which has been put to use in her rental on the Canadian Forces Base just outside Fredericton, NB – proves that abundant pattern and color can quickly transform bland spaces.
Ontario-based decorator Vanessa Francis.
Ontario is a melting pot, and many homeowners living there design their spaces to honor these varied cultural backgrounds. The artwork in decorator Vanessa Francis’ kitchen nods to her Indian heritage.
Design duo Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan renovated this cottage from top to bottom and made sure to maximize the space’s spectacular view of the Canadian wilderness.
Vancouver-based stylist and photographer Brittany Shmyr.
“I love bringing natural elements into my home. I attached cedar plywood from The Home Depot to the wall behind my bed, and it instantly added a warm, cozy feeling to the bedroom. Most days, it’s really hard to get out of bed!” Brittany Shmyr says.
Toronto-based artist, educator and home-renovator Holly Wheatcroft.
Holly wanted a rug but wasn’t keen on the idea of having to clean crumbs and leftovers out of it after meals, so she painted this floor pink. Now all she has to do is a quick sweep. The wooden chairs were found on the street, and Holly had a friend “cut them down to make them look more modern,” before painting them black.
It’s great learning about different influences. I’d love to see a country in the Middle East!
Enjoyed this. I would love to see another installment of Canada with representation from SK, MB, NWT, NU and more from BC and the Maritimes!