Shopping sure is different these days but doing it locally is more important than ever, and King East furniture stores have the stuff our homes dream of.

I remember strolling around King and Parliament; window shopping, chatting with retailers face-to-face. Soon enough you and I will be back, our shopping bags waving in the air. Until then, don’t give up on your plans to revamp your interior. Get the ball rolling by connecting with King and Parliament showrooms online or by phone. Shopping local has never been more important, and retailers can help you like never before, through virtual consultations, interior planning and demonstrations.

And the goods concentrated at King and Parliament are some of the best in city. This Design District is where luxurious imports meet and mingle with Canadian-made essentials. Peruse this neighbourhood’s top furniture showrooms from home and be ready to arrange curbside pickup (or delivery) as soon as the lockdown lifts. Here are 10 of King East’s top stores for furniture:

BoConcept

If you’re a fanatic for Danish design, well then “honey, you’re home.” As Denmark’s largest furniture manufacturer, you’ll find all your needs covered here, from the outdoors to every room inside. We’re especially fond of the storage solutions. Hot tip: keep an eye out for their floor model sales and consider signing up for a virtual design consultation. See our listing here.

Büro Klaus

Did you know that it was Klaus Nienkämper Sr. that started this Design District? Jump to 2021 and things are quite different. Klaus Jr. runs this stunning showroom which regularly rotates icons from abroad along with the latest from the Nienkämper collection. We’re especially impressed with their lighting collection. See our listing here.

Calligaris

Calligaris is a longtime Italian furniture manufacturer with a whole lot of contemporary funkiness. In fact, if you heard Italian dance music along King East, then it was surely coming from here. While we love the super plush, L-shaped sectionals with built-in storage, it’s the selection of extendable dining tables with visible extension mechanisms (see “Berlin”) that get us excited. This shop regularly has floor model sales. See our listing here.

Design Within Reach

DWR is on a mission, and has been since 1998, to make design accessible. And it does: you can walk out with your modern accessories, lighting and furniture (if it’s on the floor), or have it shipped to your door. The selection is impressive and ranges from contemporary and exclusive-to-DWR brands, DWR’s own line of furniture, and best of all: iconic classics (see the armchairs and loungers here). Take a look at our listing.

Drechsel Studio

This relatively-new-to-King-East shop offers modern fare as well as the unexpected, all from European brands not found elsewhere in the city. So, if you’re looking for something unique from the rarified Friends & Founders, Woud and Sancal, check out Drechsel. It’s hard to choose a favourite category, but we’d say the rugs (by Nanimarquina and Asplund) are pretty phenomenal. See our listing here.

EQ3

And now for some Canadian content. EQ3 is primarily a wood furniture manufacturer based in Winnipeg, and the fact that it also offers a healthy sprinkling of goods from such stalwart modern brands as Humanscale and Marimekko is a big bonus. While we appreciate the selection in the outdoor and office categories, we’d have to say that it’s EQ3’s solid and simple beds that we love best. See our listing here.

ItalInteriors

Be sure to add “visit Italinteriors” to your list of things to do when the lockdown lifts because, if you haven’t been before, you’ve never quite seen a shrine to Italian design quite like this. Recently renovated, the palatial showroom is stunning, with plenty of space to take in the larger-than-life presence of sublime sofas by the likes of Cassina, Living Divani and Flexform. See our listing here.

Kiosk

Kiosk is one of the longest-standing luxury furniture showrooms in Toronto and is unrivalled in many respects. For one, its space (designed in part by Omar Arbel) is an architectural tour de force, and its curation of furnishings – the finest Europe has to offer – is astonishing. This is where to go for your big ticket purchase, like something from B&B Italia, Poltrona Frau or, from Canada, Bocci and Bensen. See our listing here.

Montauk

Time for some more made-in-Canada goodness, brought to you from Montreal. Montauk’s sofas are like no other. In fact, sitting in one is a commitment: so plush and the springs so expertly tied, you’ll never want to stand up. And each one is devilishly handsome to boot. Also not to miss are the heavy-duty, statement-making tables and Valcucine kitchen systems. See our listing here.

Roche Bobois

Last but certainly not least, Roche Bobois is the ultimate showroom for French flair. Sure, you’ll find sophisticated and subdued staple furniture here, but it’s the pieces with panache that will get you in the end. Flouting big-time design collaborations with the likes of Christian Lacroix, Christophe Delcourt and Jean Paul Gaultier, the furniture here is head-turning, including the 60-year-old Mah Jong collection. See our listing here.

THERE’S EVEN MORE IN THIS NEIGHBOURHOOD:

• Closet systems: Poliform and italDESIGN
• Kitchen appliances: Luxe Appliance Studio, JennAir Experience Centre and Sub-Zero, Wolf & Cove
• Kitchen systems: Bulthaup and DOM Interiors
• Flooring: Relative Space
• Rugs: Turco Persian
• Outdoor furniture: Fresh and Jardin de Ville