Contrasting regional influences highlight a growing, multicultural design voice that creates a ‘melting pot’ of approaches rather than a single easily recognizable national style

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As the second-largest country in the world by total area, bounded by three oceans and the United States to the south, Canada is a country of contrasting landscapes with its forests, rolling grasslands, mountain ranges, semi-arid terrain, rivers and lakes. For designers, the countrysides, cities and culture provide an endless source of inspiration.

Jim Toy, principal at B.C.-based False Creek Design Group/Ratio Architecture, says colour, geography, population, history and culture all shape Canadian interior design, while contrasting regional influences highlight a growing, multicultural design voice that creates a ‘melting pot’ of approaches rather than a single easily recognizable national style.

The melting pot pulls in attributes from different cultures, says Toy.

“We have so many different approaches. There isn’t one standout in terms of a design movement right now and I don’t think there needs to be because of this wide range that we come from. And I think that’s terribly important to maintain.”

Canadian interior design has been heavily influenced by the U.S. by virtue of its location and size, says Toy.

“But Canadian design has always had what I call more of an unassuming, modest attitude. But now it’s time to go global, and inward,” he says, adding there is currently a missing middle in [Canadian] design — the supply chain.

“We’ve got to act quickly on this if we’re going to be sustainable,” says Toy.

As he contemplates design influences across Canada, Toy also draws on personal experience as a designer who works across the country and has homes in B.C. and Nova Scotia — along with fond memories of the Prairies.

“Being a Prairie boy originally — I was born in Manitoba — the thing that I notice is there seems to be a lot of references, especially through colour, to landscape,” he says.

Maca Atencio, a Venezuelan-born Montreal-based designer, tapped into those references when paint manufacturer Behr asked her to explore Canada not through a map — but through colour. The result is the Great Canadian Colour Story — a collection of five curated colours available exclusively at Home Depot — inspired by the country’s distinct geographical regions.

Atencio notices a growing trend of Canadians embracing bolder colours in interiors, not only on walls but also on furniture, accessories and art, and references ideas like ‘red theory,’ where placing a single red object or pop of the colour in a room is believed to boost mood.

“Little things that are just changing the way we think about how we decorate our houses and using colour is one of them,” she says.

“That’s something that makes me very, very happy and I hope this colour [collection] inspires them even more,” she adds.

Atencio says the hues she chose not only represent landscapes but also evoke emotion and a sense of belonging in interior spaces across the country.

“We wanted to celebrate the landscape of our country. And of course, what makes each region very unique and how people call these different regions home,” she says.

Reflecting on her assignment, Atencio says the challenge was to interpret each region’s unique perspective through colour.

“It was: how can we interpret each of these beautiful and magnificent regions that we have through a unique perspective and a colour? [In] Canada, we have so many natural, incredible resources [an] that was what helped [me] to come up with the inspiration behind each colour,” she says.

“For Atlantic Canada, when you see the greens, it’s like the forest, the ancient notes that you see in the different parts of that region,” she says, explaining her choice of Secret Meadow to represent that region in the collection.

“In Central Canada, the blue to me was a key because we have been shaped by the water. The St. Lawrence, the Great Lakes. It’s part of what makes us, us,” she says adding that inspiration led to choosing Charter Blue for the Great Canadian Colour Story palette, while Harmonious Gold evokes the Prairies and Sea Ice echoes the shades of the North.

“When I visited [the West Coast and] Vancouver, I was just in awe of the biodiversity, the coastal waters and how rich the wildlife is,” she recalls, sharing how she decided on King Salmon, described as an “energetic orange,” to complete the collection.

Wildlife and rich landscapes also inspire Deborah Edwards, design director at Northcott, a Canadian company that designs and distributes cotton fabric.

Quilts, nowadays considered more of an art form than a way to recycle used fabrics, often feature designed blocks of colour and pieces stitched together to tell a story, and Edwards leaned into the country’s colours, stories and culture as inspiration for her fabric designs that are now part of thousands of quilts across the country.

With a career spanning more than four decades in the home decor industry — including 16 years as design director at Northcott — Edwards most enjoys designing quilting fabrics.

“Quilting fabrics have allowed me to explore an extraordinary world of colour, pattern and creativity, where the possibilities truly feel limitless. This freedom to create, innovate and tell stories through design has made this the most inspiring and rewarding chapter of my career,” she says.

One of those stories dates back to Edwards’ early days at Northcott when she met with the then-president of Quilts of Valour (QOV), a non-profit program that provides quilts to injured Canadian Armed Forces members and veterans and realized there was an opportunity to unite her passion for quilting with a meaningful cause. She initiated the idea of creating a fabric collection to honour Canada’s veterans and also support QOV.

The result is the Oh Canada collection, a celebration of Canada’s heritage and national identity, featuring many of the country’s most recognizable symbols, including iconic landmarks, native wildlife, and, of course, the maple leaf.

“Over the years, I have reimagined the maple leaf in a wide variety of scales, styles and colours, allowing it to remain both familiar and fresh within each collection,” says Edwards.

Now entering the 16th edition of the Oh Canada collection Edwards works closely with QOV’s current president, Lisa Compton, to bring each new collection to life.

In addition to the Oh Canada collection Edwards has also designed many other Northcott ranges.

“I have had the privilege of creating several collections featuring the work of Mark Anthony Jacobson, an Indigenous artist based in B.C. His artwork is deeply rooted in Indigenous culture and storytelling, with each piece offering a meaningful perspective on Indigenous life and heritage,” she says.

Many of her designs draw inspiration from the remarkable diversity and natural beauty of the Canadian landscape. Northern Peaks, Deep Blue and Lone Wolf, for example, were specifically inspired by the breathtaking landscapes and distinctive wildlife of B.C., she says.

Several of these collections feature signature panel prints designed to serve as a focal point within a quilt or as a stand-alone wall hanging.

“These panels allow me to capture the essence of the Canadian wilderness while offering quilters a versatile and impactful design element,” adds Edwards.

Impactful design suited to geographical location played a major role during the reno of Jim Toy’s family home in Nova Scotia. Toy took into account the harsh winters and high winds and installed triple-glazed windows, acoustic blackout blinds, resilient commercial vinyl plank flooring instead of hardwood, and restaurant-grade clear sealants on wood millwork to achieve a natural look that is virtually waterproof.

But it was culture that defined the home’s new floorplan.

“Maritimers love congregating in kitchens — they hold what’s called kitchen parties,” says Toy who made sure to include a kitchen large enough to host about eight people to share stories, music and good food.

Ultimately, while colour, history and landscape all play a part in interior design across the country, culture often binds those influences together, reflecting the diverse people and places that make Canada home.