# Canadian Homeware Exhibits The Work/Life Exhibit is a Part of the Toronto Design Offsite Festival By Riley von Niessen | Published 2018-01-09 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/worklife References: [todesignoffsite](http://todesignoffsite.com/event/worklife/) & [umbra](https://www.umbra.com/) This year's Toronto Design Offsite Festival is set to run from January 15th until the 21st, with a [variety of different events and exhibits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/3daysofdesign-2025) hosted in locations throughout the GTA, such as the Work/Life exhibit in the Umbra Concept Store. The exhibit showcases the work of 10 Canadian designers and studios, including Geof Ramsay, Ange-line Tetrault, MPGMB, Jacob Mailman, F&Y, Area 91, Allstudio, Char Kennedy, and Mercury Bureau. Most specially, the Work/Life exhibits examines how designers have responded to the rise in [compact urban living spaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/apartamento-secreto), citing the fact that just in Toronto, "average condo sizes have shrunk by over 100 square feet over the last ten years." By keeping this in mind, the Work/Life exhibit shows that "boundaries between work, home, and 'life' are hard to define." ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.7/10 - Popularity: 83% | Activity: 21% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) > [Home](https://www.trendhunter.com/home) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Compact Urban Living Design:** The trend of designing for compact urban living and making the most of small spaces is gaining traction, as demonstrated by the Work/Life exhibit's focus on compact living. - **Multi-purpose Furnishings:** The trend to utilize furnishings that serve multiple purposes to maximize limited space is growing, as showcased by the Work/Life exhibit, featuring designers that have responded to the challenge of compact living. - **Sustainable Materials for Urban Living:** The trend towards using sustainable and environmentally responsible materials in urban living spaces is demonstrated by the Work/Life exhibit, highlighting designers committed to responsible production of furnishings for urban living. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Furniture & Home Goods Industry:** The need for functional, multi-purpose furniture and home goods for urban living spaces presents an opportunity for innovation and growth for the furniture industry. - **Architecture & Building Industry:** The demand for sustainable and efficient living spaces in urban areas presents an opportunity for innovation and growth for architects and the building industry. - **Interior Design Industry:** As urban living spaces become more compact, designers will need to develop innovative solutions to create functional yet visually appealing interiors for their clients. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Luxury Design Shows](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/living-luxe-design-show.md) - [Domestic Design Shows](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-objects-we-live-by.md) - [Life Mess-Honoring Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/imperfect-home.md) - [Mid-Century Furniture Exhibits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/intersections-exhibition.md) - [Norwegian Design Shows](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/zeitgeist-20.md) - [Sensory-Focused Furniture Design Exhibits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/time-signature.md) - [Human Connection Design Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/no-discipline.md) - [Minimalist Meaningful Living Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/meaningful-living.md) - [Creation-Centric Light Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/head-hi-show.md)