Toronto’s January design calendar — anchored by DesignTO and the Interior Design Show — is showing a clear shift: homes and hospitality spaces that dial back technology in favour of craft, Canadian materials and human connection. Designers say that economic and cultural uncertainty has refocused attention on tactile workmanship and local supply chains.
The trend is both aesthetic and practical. Exhibitors at weeklong events are promoting hand‑made furniture, locally produced lighting and interiors that encourage gatherings rather than screen time. Speakers and makers also see trade and logistics issues shaping business decisions this year.
Fewer screens, more studio work
Several designers attending DesignTO report clients asking for fewer TVs, fewer charging stations and fewer visible electronics. The shift is framed as a desire for less distraction and more shared time in the home, and it is changing how designers specify layouts and technology.
Lately, we’ve been seeing a number of our residential clients, and even hospitality clients, wanting less tech in their spaces: fewer charging stations, fewer TVs and less electronics overall. I think people are craving less distraction and more connection.
Mason Studio
That hunger for connection also appears in makers’ practices. Furniture makers and small studios are emphasising manual skills and long-term client relationships over social media reach. For some, producing work in a workshop remains central to identity and commercial viability.
Making furniture by hand can seem quaint, but I come from a fine arts background and have always wanted to spend my time in the studio. Your digital skills are important, but so are your manual skills. I hope there will always be a place for craft.
Heidi Earnshaw, Heidi Earnshaw Design
Buying Canadian, building quality
The Buy Canadian sentiment is a recurring theme. Designers and manufacturers point to local woods and skilled makers as competitive advantages that justify higher price points when compared with global mass manufacturers.
My team of 27 craftspeople can’t always compete on price with global mass manufacturers, but we can compete on quality. That’s one reason we’ve continued to grow over the last year, and why I believe there will always be a place for Canadian manufacturing.
Founder, Hollis+Morris
Showrooms and trade fair booths this month lean into provenance: labelling local materials, highlighting workshop processes and promoting Canadian collaborations. For many attendees, seeing a piece in person remains the best way to judge finish, joinery and material depth.
Architecture under constraint
Several architects at DesignTO framed the moment as one for pragmatic optimism. Economic uncertainty can narrow budgets and timelines, but designers say constraints often lead to more thoughtful decisions about materials, sustainability and program.
In times of economic uncertainty, there’s often a fear that architecture will lose ambition. But I believe the role of the architect is to be an optimistic pragmatist. We can always look for opportunities within constraints.
Principal, SOCA Architecture
Many firms are prioritizing projects for arts, cultural and non-profit clients, where design can directly support mandates to educate and engage communities.
Practical pressures: shipping, tariffs and communication
Business realities are altering how Canadian makers operate. Export markets, logistics and postal disruptions are prompting firms to change shipping partners, prepay duties and improve client communications about costs.
With Canada Post on a rolling strike, we’re constantly finding new ways to reach and serve customers, from working with different shipping companies to offering prepaid duties so customers aren’t surprised at the border.
Founders, Chapman & Bose
Clear explanation of higher material or freight costs helps retain trust. Designers say transparency about sourcing and production timelines has become part of the service clients expect.
What to see at DesignTO
- Ensemble: Pot‑au‑feu, a DesignTO group exhibition co‑organised by Nicholas Sangaré showcasing Quebec designers.
- Light Gathering in the Yuàn, a Mason Studio installation that includes an AI rendering and an open house featuring traditional Chinese soup.
- Traces, an exhibition exploring migration and cultural identity, including Dennis Lin’s incense sculpture made from nearly 4,500 semi-burned incense sticks.
- The panel 'Design in Canada now' on Jan. 28 at Hollis+Morris’s Toronto headquarters, hosted by Andrew Sardone. Visit designto.org for tickets and details.
Participants and organisers say in-person exhibitions are still essential for storytelling and relationship building. Designers use show floors to explain craft techniques, surface choices and the cultural context behind work.
For us, it’s really important to show in Toronto. I love meeting people face to face because it gives me a chance to tell the story of the design and build a real connection.
Nicholas Sangaré, Ensemble co-organizer
DesignTO and IDS will not only preview products and projects, they will also reflect a broader shift in how people want to live: quieter rooms, tangible textures and furniture with a clear origin. That combination of craft and local production is shaping design decisions in homes and public spaces for 2026 and beyond.
