Commute Design’s Trade Secrets
The hip Junction shop provides chic, cushy decor for the city’s buzziest restaurants
In the early aughts, Commute was the go-to spot for upcycled vintage furnishings. Today, the retailer has evolved beyond its hipster origins into a multidisciplinary design firm that’s synonymous with Toronto’s restaurant scene—they’re responsible for the interiors at Patria, Byblos, Alo and Oretta. Commute’s new Junction storefront features custom-designed modern furniture. Co-owners Hamid Samad and Sara Parisotto encourage customers to inject their own DNA into the furniture. Pieces are either completely bespoke (like a made-to-order dining table with an architectural brass base and a black marble surface) or customizable in terms of size and finishes (an industrial U-shaped light with gold details that can shrink to fit any space).
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Caroline Aksich, a National Magazine Award recipient, is an ex-Montrealer who writes about Toronto’s ever-evolving food scene, real estate and culture for Toronto Life, Fodor’s, Designlines, Canadian Business, Glory Media and Post City. Her work ranges from features on octopus-hunting in the Adriatic to celebrity profiles.