The Zero Point
1590 Queen East, 416-602-6586, thezeropoint.ca
Homeowners gearing up for summer renovations should first visit this east-end eco destination that takes a holistic, greenwash-free approach to building and decor. The showroom is stocked with kitchen cabinet options, lighting picks, paints and accessories, and on-hand sustainability consultants help you plan ground-up builds or weekend DIY projects in the most earth-friendly way possible. Workshops cover everything from paint techniques to solar power.
Kathryn Gaitens
Ecoexistence
21 Vaughan, unit 103, 416-652-0808, ecoexistence.ca
On a nondescript retail strip just south of St. Clair, Ecoexistence’s Kym Klopp operates her emporium of green home delights. There’s kitchen gear like stackable stainless steel food containers, bamboo cutlery and non-stick, non-toxic cookware toiletries from Ella’s Botanicals and Sigrid Natural and organic sheets, mattresses and comforters sold in collaboration with Organic Lifestyle (organiclifestyle.com), to help you sleep soundly and sustainably.
Michael Watier
Grassroots
408 Bloor West, 416-944-1933 and 372 Danforth, 416-466-2841, grassrootsstore.com
A green living original, Grassroots’ two Toronto locations are loaded with eco design and decor finds. Refinish furniture with a fresh coat of milk paint or accessorize a dining room table with platters made of reclaimed wine barrel planks. Indoor herb and flower planters are great for green types who don’t mind getting their hands dirty, while biodegradable party plates work if you want to be effortlessly earth-friendly. Keep your eco pad looking good with an endless supply of all-natural cleaners.
Michael Watier
SMASH
2880 Dundas West, 416-762-3113, smash.to
Upcycling found furniture is one of the most design-friendly ways to bring eco elements into your home, and no one does salvage like SMASH. Factory stools in various states of decay, wooden type trays perfect for stashing little knick-knacks, and factory carts that add an industrial element to contemporary living room set-ups move fast at this Junction landmark. But there’s always something equally coveted coming up from the basement. Unlike other shops that refinish their vintage stock, though, everything at SMASH is raw, so you don’t have to worry about fresh off-gassing varnish or paint.
Ethan Eisenberg
Red Pegasus
628 College, 416-536-3872, redpegasus.ca
Litte Italy’s Red Pegasus is the neighbourhood’s go-to shop for any sort of card stock and gift buy, but over the past year it’s also been developing an under-the-radar rep for great green home accessories. If you’re looking for local, pick up a set of Bookhou’s printed tea towels or napkins. If upcycled finds are more your style, there are frames made from reclaimed computer motherboards or beer glasses reblown from old Steam Whistle and Mill Street bottles. For the kiddies, pick up a dollhouse of sustainably forested wood and non-toxic paint.
More eco-friendly design destinations
608 DESIGN sixoeight.com
CANADIAN SALVAGED TIMBER 4 Adelaide Place, 905-237-1529, canadiansalvagedtimber.ca
FOREVER INTERIORS 2903 Dundas West, 416-291-2001, foreverinteriors.blogspot.com
ESSENTIA 2180 Queen East, 647-348-0321, myessentia.com
GOODEGG INDUSTRIES goodeggshop.com
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY RESTORE 1120 Caledonia, 416-783-0686, and others, habitat.ca
HARDWARE INTERIORS 760 Queen East, 416-462-3099, hardwareinteriors.com
HASTENS 55 Mill, bldg 8, 416-619-4480, hastens.com
IKEA 15 Provost, 866-889-4532, and others, ikea.ca
MADE 867 Dundas West, 416-607-6384, madedesign.ca
SHELTER 885 Caledonia, 416-783-3333, shelterfurniture.ca
TEAK BOUTIQUE 100 East Mall, #8, 416-346-5119, teakboutique.ca
TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES 362 Danforth, 416-462-9779, and others, tenthousandvillages.ca
URBAN TREE SALVAGE 19A Malley, 647-438-7516, urbantreesalvage.com
