Toronto is a town built on diversity, and not only is that noted in our multicultural population, but also our neighbourhoods: they are just as varied and just as interesting as the people who inhabit them.
Whatever it is you fancy — great food, great fashion, great decor — you’ll likely find it, on some little hidden street corner in some little ‘hood.
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For lovers of furniture and design, Castlefield Design District is, well, a certain kind of Valhalla.
Located in a developing industrial area northwest of Dufferin Street and Eglinton, this intersection boasts a series of unique stores and boutiques catering to professional designers or aspiring homemakers looking for that special piece.
Be forewarned: there are a lot of shops here, with a lot of space to peruse their wares, but the walk (and the work) will be worth it.
Elte took over a 100,00-square-foot old warehouse, cementing this location as one of the first luxury furniture stores in Castlefield, and along with that came all the others.
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Here we highlight some of our favourite shops in the district. Just don’t forget your credit card!
Metropolis Living
(Photo courtesy of Metropolis Living via Facebook.com)
A custom workshop and event space with a curated industrial feel, Metropolis Living is the preeminent place for all-things industrial-chic.
Expect plenty of original vintage pieces for the home, along with salvaged metal signage, items and even a few oddities, if that’s your thing.
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They also offer custom furnishings and repurposed signature pieces. It’s worth the stroll through here – you will be fascinated by their inventory.
The Art Shoppe
(Photo courtesy of Art Shoppe via Facebook.com)
One of the country’s largest luxury furniture stores, The Art Shoppe has been around since the mid-1930s, and it's certainly earned the pedigree.
With furnishing collections sourced from across the globe, the sprawling 70,000-square-foot showroom includes everything from fine art, to rugs, accessories, lighting, and even their own upholstery, cabinet and finishing shops.
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Expect white glove service, with unparalleled variety from modern, traditional, mid-century to Art Deco.
Elte Market
(Photo courtesy of Elte Mkt via Facebook.com)
The sister to its bigger brother, Elte, this home goods shop is still in the family: it’s owned by Jamie and Andrew Metrick, whose family has run Elte for over four generations, but the comparisons tend to stop there.
Unlike the more upscale Elte, the Market offers items — found on their yearly buying trips — that are slightly more unusual and against the grain.
If you’re searching for something different or as a great conversation-starter, this is the place to be.
Shelter
Specializing in modern, mid-century and contemporary furnishings and accessories, Shelter’s mantra is that furniture should be beautiful and affordable.
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Offering a straight-forward pricing model and huge selection of everything (from dining room and bedroom sets to rugs and office furniture) buyers will be tempted not only by the value available to them, but also by the sophisticated design.
Kantelberg + Co.
When you walk in the doors of Kantelberg + Co., you immediately sense how owner Jill Kantelberg’s felt inspired by her trips to Cologne and the markets and cathedrals she visited while there.
The shop is renowned for their one-of-a-kind antiques from the 18th and 19th centuries, along with specialty European art and an impressive collection of restored architectural salvage.
Her collections are frequently changed, so if you see something you love, jump on it or it may be gone.
