In the Castlefield Design District, north of Toronto’s downtown core, the side entrance to Relative Floors + Walls on Tycos Drive is as unassuming as it gets. But step inside and you are enveloped in a captivating setting with a romantic flair. Designed by New York’s Ringo Studio, beloved for its exuberant shapes and dopamine-friendly palettes, Relative Floors + Walls is a mix of Wonderland and Milan, an interior that rewards meandering through the showroom’s collections.
It begins with a glimpse through a circle cutout in the mauve lime-wash wall behind the reception. Beyond, the interior unfolds as a serendipitous journey: A wall-hugging colonnade of oversized arches presents a series of vignettes featuring daring designs and then leads to an undulating wall showing off elegant, neutral patterns. The central space, meanwhile, allows designers to take a breather: A generous terrazzo-top island on a wide-plank chevron floor invites them to sit down and consider their options, the gallery-like enclosure presenting mood boards of material combinations as inspiration. Throughout, furnishings by Spain’s Andreu World and lighting by Toronto’s Anony complete the scene.
For Tyler Greenberg, Relative’s CEO and Product Manager, the wonders that abound at Relative Floors + Walls are special not only because they are stunning. They are also authentic and manufactured in ways that guarantee they will become more beautiful with wear. In his office, lined in an Edenic mural, he points to one of his company’s subtler offerings: the Laguna tile, in NeoClay, inspired by the waterways of Venice. “The glaze is imperfect in each one, and it’s not meant to be perfect,” he says. “It’s reminiscent of something that would have been made 200 years ago. We want more products that are what they are without trying to hide it.”
For over 50 years, Relative Floor + Walls (formerly Relative Space) has been a go-to purveyor of high-quality and eco-friendly European surfaces. It offers a wide range of exclusive products, from hardwood flooring to tiles, carpets and wallpapers. It’s where you head to specify and customize finishes that have resonance today and will endure into the future. And it’s not just a physical setting — though that is well worth the visit. It’s also an e-commerce platform, newly launched to cater to the GTA and design communities across Canada and the United States.
“Launching e-commerce was the natural step: making it easier to access what architects, designers and homeowners already love. We brought the same care online that we’ve always had in our showrooms: same design, but with more access, more autonomy, more closeness,” explains Naveen Pathak, Digital Architect at Relative Floors + Walls.
Both in the showroom and online, customers will come across product lines that are inspired by nature. Besides Laguna, the latest tile collections include Pigmento, made of recovered and recycled natural stone; and Tera, based on coloured refractory clays. All three exude a quiet, timeless energy – and speak of craft, texture and warmth. They are complemented by a range of Terrazzo offerings in expressive palettes.
“It’s that idea that when you surround yourself with things that are wholesome — because I think there’s nothing more wholesome than nature — you feel a little bit more human. When you step out of bed and you can feel the texture of the wood or terrazzo underneath your feet — there’s something visceral about that connection.” Among the company’s European engineered hardwood collections are the timeless Sumo, Flyt and Chico lines, which guarantee a cozy feel underfoot. They also have a PVC-free resilient option in Xero, which is made of fully recyclable material called Ceramin.
While cultivating a warm interior is first and foremost among the priorities of designers and their clients, Relative Floors + Walls also tantalizes with striking accents, including bold ideas for feature walls. “We try to avoid fashionable things,” Greenberg notes. “We want to sell something that provides a level of permanence, as long as it’s cared for appropriately, something that makes you happy and that you can pass down.”
Whether you’re looking for striking accent walls or elegant surfaces, Relative Floors + Walls will help navigate the process, from sourcing to installation, and help you decide on what you truly want. “When you buy something, you want to consider, what is the genesis of this? What is its purpose? Is it imbued with some meaning?” Greenberg asks. The answer might just be found at Relative Floors + Walls.
This content was published by Azure on behalf of Relative Floors + Walls.
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