Stay for a while

This Toronto furniture shop specializes in collectable vintage finds

With the better part of the past year and a half spent at home, many have taken steps to add character to their dwellings using vintage decor. At Toronto’s Stay Home Furnishings, the focus is on authentic mid-century modern design. “That being said, good design is good design and we don’t discriminate based on when a piece was produced,” says Jullian Sauso-Bawa, who runs the store alongside John Honeyman and Miriam Zittell, the husband and wife co-owners of Morrocan rug shop Mellah, and Sophie Blumenthal.

Operating primarily over Instagram since opening in January, Sauso-Bawa says they’ve had a few exceptional pieces come through their shop, citing an Amanta modular sofa by Mario Bellini for C&B Italia, a rare teak dresser by Grete Jalk for Sibast and a white leather Roche Bobois Mah Jong sofa from the seventies. “That thing was just plain incredible, we still miss having it around,” Sauso-Bawa says.

The only new pieces in store are textiles and decor items supplied by Mellah, including lampshades by Sirius Glassworks. “Other than that, all items in the shop are sourced and vetted to be authentic vintage pieces.”

For those looking to add some vintage flair to their home, Sauso-Bawa recommends doing your research. “The reason these pieces are still around after 40, 50, 60 years is that they were built to last,” he says. “Be comfortable and realistic with your budget and remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. Piece by piece is the way to go.”

Stay Home Furnishings, 1547 Dupont St., Toronto, 416-516-7122, stayhomefurnishings.com.