Beyond Aesthetics: Designing for Culture, Family, and Function

Explore the Canadian design aesthetic! From coastal homes and Quebec farmhouses to Prairie modernism, West Coast architecture and the cottages of Ontario and Muskoka, Canadian design is deeply influenced by landscape, climate, craftsmanship and regional identity.

This conversation dives deep into what makes Canadian residential design distinctive, with a particular look at cottage culture as both a design tradition and a way of life. Panelists will consider how designers can preserve the character, memory and simplicity that make these properties meaningful while adapting them for contemporary living. How, as a design community, can we allow the Canadian cottage to evolve without designing away everything that made it special?

Designers from British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec walk into a room and quickly realize they’re not solving the same problems. Climate, construction styles, client expectations, and access to products all shape how projects come together, and what ultimately gets specified.

This candid, fast-paced conversation puts those differences on the table. What works, what doesn’t translate, and where do assumptions fall apart across regions? For designers taking on cross-country projects or looking to expand beyond their local market, it’s a clear, practical look at what changes when you leave your home base, and how to adapt without missing a step.

Designers don’t always agree and that’s what makes this session worth attending! In this fast-paced live debate, top designers go head-to-head on the choices that define every kitchen: appliances, cabinetry, surfaces, lighting, and layouts.

Then the curveballs hit. Budgets get cut. Products get backordered. Contractors push back. Clients suddenly change their minds. Designers must defend, rethink, or completely rebuild their specifications live on stage.

Expect strong opinions, surprise pivots, audience reactions, and plenty of industry truth bombs as design ambition meets real-world constraints. Entertaining and strategic, see how they adapt, problem-solve, and still deliver exceptional spaces under pressure.