Canadian Couture

Canadians are going into nesting mode when it comes to design decisions. Once upon a time, the best design and products had to be sourced south of the border or internationally, but these days the trend is to keep it local and find made-in-Canada products.

Karen Punia, principal owner of 4living, says this trend is partly a reflection of the global economic situation. “People are opting for made-in-Canada products supporting local manufacturers, designers and retailers,” says Punia, who has also noticed similar patriotic trends in countries across Europe.

The upside of a global economic downturn is a closer, more interactive relationship with the people who actually build the pieces you purchase. “It’s couture furniture — handmade and without mass production or big assembly lines,” Punia says. “It’s a lot easier to customize with a Canadian manufacturer.”

This trend is not all about economics, though — there are also a growing number of local designers creating interesting and innovative pieces. This past spring, Calgary designers Laura Fenniak and John Greg Ball curated the art and industrial design exhibit, Made in the West, featuring the talents of 29 regional designers and artists.

More than just being locally made, many pieces were locally inspired, with items ranging from Calgarian Joel Tobman’s table made from reclaimed hockey sticks and arena glass to Vancouver’s Omer Arbel’s barnacle-inspired pendant lamps made from porcelain and blown Pyrex glass.

The exhibit represented a small sample of the future of decor sourced from our home and native land.

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Canadian Couture

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