We’re Still Here!

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Dear Friends and Clients,

We are extending our thoughts to everyone and hope you are all well.

We would like to take the opportunity in this challenging and unprecedented time to let you know that Inform Interiors will be doing our part to slow the Covid-19 virus. As such, our showrooms remain closed to the public and we have reduced our in-showroom staff, with the remaining staff working remotely. We are available from Monday to Friday, 10am – 6pm for all inquiries.

Our online shop is open and running, along with a new live chat option!

The warehouse is fully functional, but there will be no in-home or curbside deliveries at this time. Pick-ups are available from all locations. Please contact your sales rep to coordinate.

Take care and be safe,

Inform Interiors

Ingo Maurer (1932-2019)

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Few people working in the rather serious industry of industrial design have the ability to weave magic through every one of their pieces the way Ingo did. According to his Wikipedia page, he was nicknamed the “poet of light” — a title he certainly lived up to.



 

Rather than working to conceal the light source as most traditional lighting designers do, Ingo’s work has always exposed and underscored the beauty of the basic architecture and technology of lighting itself. His first piece, called Bulb, is a large crystal globe encompassing a smaller one; created in 1966, Bulb is now included in the MoMA permanent collection.

 
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Holiday Gifts

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We invite you to come to our 50 Water Street showroom in Vancouver to see the many beautiful items we have on display for the holiday season. Find the perfect gifts for those on your list and take advantage of our complimentary gift wrapping service which features this year’s limited edition Inform Interiors’ holiday sticker by the renown graphic designer Marian Bantjes.



 
 

E.R. Butler & Co. Candlestick Holders

Intrigued by the classic but delicate shape of a Biedermeier candlestick found at a flea market, and impressed by the precision of nineteenth-century lathe work, Ted Muehling tried to capture these qualities using traditional spinning and casting techniques. Daunted, however, by the cost and labour required to realize them, the pieces remained as prototypes.

Ten years after seeing Ted’s pieces, Rhett Butler of E.R. Butler & Co. suggested that Muehling try a technology which he used to produce his exquisite hardware. Butler’s computerized lathes have given life to the designs. This process allows for precise control of the beautiful curves that make these pieces so elegant.
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Oh my Gaudi!

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Spain is a country that is home to a wealth of design talent — currently and historically. As someone who works within the design industry, I had to visit Gaudi’s masterpieces when I found myself in Barcelona this summer. Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to have visited a very special building — Casa Batlló — multiple times. Each visit felt like a new experience as they have been at different points in my life — high school, university, and now adulthood.

For those who are not familiar with Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926), he was a Spanish architect based in Barcelona in the province of Catalonia. His artistry was one of a kind. Gaudi was strongly influenced by his passions: his work (architecture), nature, and religion. Seven of his works have been declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO: Park Güell, Palau Güell, Casa Milà, Casa Vicens, Sagrada Família, Casa Batlló, and Cripta Güell. All of these are located in Barcelona.
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Planting Trees

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For the month of August, when you purchase any wood product, we will plant a tree in your name in northern British Columbia. The province has established itself as a leader in forest management, implementing stringent forest policies, stewardship programs, and scientific research.

Forests cover two-thirds of B.C. – totalling almost 60 million hectares. In recent years, insect pests and diseases have decimated many of these areas. The dead trees become fuel for wildfires, and in the summer of 2017, we experienced the worst wildfire in our history, with over 1.2 million hectares burned. Our reforestation partners are experts in rehabilitating B.C. forests and ensuring they have a sustainable future.

We are currently exploring the many qualities and beauty of wood. Visit us in-store or check out our blog to learn more about how amazing this material really is.

Meeting Peter Cardew

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The Meeting Table by Peter Cardew Architects, currently on display in our 50 Water Street showroom.

After designing the head office and five stores for the Vancouver-based athleisure company Reigning Champ (2 in Vancouver, 2 in Toronto, 1 in L.A), Royal Architecture Institute of Canada Gold medal-winning architect, Peter Cardew was asked for design suggestions for the company’s library. For this project, Cardew designed a shelving system, a display system, and a Meeting Table which is currently on display in the window of our 50 Water Street showroom.


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Remembering Aalto

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At the invitation of the Finnish design company Artek we recently left Vancouver behind and headed to Helsinki to experience the architecture and history of one of Artek’s founders — Alvar Aalto.

The visit began at the original 1935 Aalto House — the home and office designed by Alvar and his wife Aino. This is a humble and private structure that can easily be missed. Once inside, one can see that the main focal point of the home is its Southern facing side which opens itself up to the sunlight, a key theme in Aalto’s work.
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Japan Handmade 2019

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On June 6th, we welcomed the return of the Japanese Master Craftsmen, Takahiro Yagi of Kaikado (Metal Tea Caddies), Shuji Nakagawa of Nakagawa Mokkougei (Wooden Vessels), Toru Tsuji of Kanaami-Tsuji (Wire Weaving), and Kenya Imanishi of Kagizen Yoshifusa (Confectionary) to speak about their craft and family legacies.