When I was photographing at the Interior Design Show this past January, it was a sensory overload of colour, texture, pattern, shape, form and all those good things that make an object beautiful, distinct and unique. It was easy to run around from booth to booth saying "Wow, oh my god, I love that, I want that, that's so cool..." and it's true, there were a lot of amazing products that would have just about anyone drooling over, but as the weekend continued I began to ask myself "What do I actually see being in my home? What suits my tastes, stands out without being overwhelming and will withstand the test of design time?" If you picked the Lady Gaga carpet, you were wrong.
The work of Toronto designer Bettie Cott caught my eye even before I was assigned to photograph it. She was suitably located in the Studio North/Prototype area, which supports Canada's independent design scene and features one-offs and custom collections in a variety of mediums. Her powder-coated aluminum shelves stood out for their simplicity, and cute functionality.
143 Euclid Shelf
These cute shelves had me immediately dreaming up different scenarios of future interior decorating endeavours. They'd be perfect in a bedroom with limited space as a replacement nightstand or adorable in a children's room.
102 Cloverdale Shelf
And quite possibly the best part? These handsome houses also double as bookmarks: your book providing a roof over the this shelf's head.
Bettie also had these stunning necklaces on display, which I now know are not only representative of houses, but also Bettie's logo. I can easily say that I want one. I expressed to Bettie how much I loved her design and that I could indeed see it in my own home one day, which she was grateful to hear. I hope you all enjoy them as much as I do!
Bettie Cott is a Sheridan College Craft & Design graduate and holds a diploma in Manufacturing Engineering Technology. She was the 2010 recipient of the Design*Sponge Scholarship (cool!) as well as the Ontario WoodWorks Merit Award and the Halton Furniture Makers Award.
Ps. City of Craft released their Spring Lookbook on Monday for Saturday's show! Beautifully designed once again by my lovely friend Arounna (have you seen her new pouches?!)
All photos by Becca Gilgan / a good good day
