As the editorial team behind Forma The Magazine, we attend our fair share of industry events. We have to confess, sometimes trade shows can feel repetitive—a sea of standard, uninspiring exposition booths. We arrived expecting more of the same, but what we experienced over the last two days at the Living Luxe Design Show 2026 proved that assumption wrong.
The event kicked off on Thursday with a sold-out opening night party that was nothing short of electric. The space was buzzing with over 4,000 people, live music, incredible food, and a room filled with top-tier designers, architects, and visionaries. If you have any appreciation for luxury design, let us be very clear: you cannot afford to miss this event.
We returned on the second day for the 2026 Exhibitors, arriving two hours before the doors opened to the public—eager to experience the show as our readers would, to witness what the exhibitors were showcasing, and to step into their booths to see firsthand what each company had to offer.
Impossible to miss, the overhead larger-than-life artistic installations—including a magnificent blue jay and a prismatic, glowing butterfly—guided our path.
What you need to know is that there are no "standard booths" here. Every single space is 100% curated. They are immersive, thematic masterpieces that push the absolute limits of luxury design.
Here is a breakdown of what awaits you inside, categorized by the stunning trends we witnessed.
Slabs, Tile & Floor: The Stone Age of Luxury
We stopped in our tracks at the CAVA booth, where a life-sized, intricately detailed motorcycle—carved entirely from solid grey marble—sat beside a bespoke marble cigar lounge. It was a remarkable feat of craftsmanship.
Meanwhile, Cosentino anchored their space with a massive, breathtaking forest-green stone island, topped with vibrant, cascading floral arrangements. The stone and slab work at this show proves that natural materials are the ultimate canvas for luxury.
Kitchen: The Culinary Lounge
The kitchen is no longer just a place to cook; it is a high-fashion lounge. JennAir completely reimagined the space with glowing, backlit Onyx islands, downdraft cooktops built right into the stone, and refrigerators concealed behind monogrammed leather panels.
Another standout was a moody, romantic kitchen setup featuring rich, dark burgundy floral wallpaper paired seamlessly with matte black cabinetry and warm copper fixtures. From "Surf's Up" artificial turf backdrops to grand, glowing stone backsplashes, these kitchens are pure royalty.
Bath: The Wellness Sanctuary
The future of the bathroom is highly personalized wellness. We saw Kohler pushing technological boundaries with multi-sensory digital shower systems, heated smart toilets, and elegant cold plunge ice baths designed for the home.
Visually, the spaces are just as stimulating. One of our favourite displays featured a bold, 3D textured wall of protruding spheres, framing a chic, terracotta-pink freestanding tub. It was minimalist, playful, and undeniably luxurious.
Furniture: Smart Sophistication
Sophistication meets ultimate functionality in the furniture category. We walked through immaculate, dark-wood built-in systems that seamlessly blended home office practicality with plush, inviting lounge seating. The styling is moody, sleek, and designed to make a statement while remaining incredibly comfortable.
Outdoor: Blurring the Lines
Backyard entertaining has received a massive upgrade. Exhibits from Stonelife and Life Living showcased how to bring indoor luxury into the open air.
We saw beautifully constructed outdoor bars, gorgeous landscaping, and incredibly innovative, high-tech patio tables with integrated solar and digital features.
The Designers: Shaping the Future
The talent on display from the designers themselves was palpable. A very special nod goes to Lawrence Park Development, which created a stunning showcase to highlight emerging artists. With a cohesive "Rome" theme, these young designers were given a platform to build out breathtaking vignettes that prove the future of luxury design is in exceptionally capable hands.
A Final Note: The Fashion Show
As a design and architecture magazine, we don't traditionally cover fashion. However, when the Toronto Fashion Academy puts on a runway show of this calibre right in the middle of a design expo, it demands to be talked about. The lines between textile and architecture completely disappeared.
The garments weren't just dresses; they were walking, breathing masterpieces. Models glided gracefully in wearable sculptures—including a colossal, breathtaking golden-feathered headpiece that looked like it belonged in a museum. They wore these pieces not just as clothes, but as pure art.
This article wants to give you a fast view over the event of the month, an event that a lot of people will talk about for many and many days ahead, but we understand perfectly that we can't include everything in a single article.
Our opinion? If you don't have anything better to do this weekend—and trust us, it's very hard to find something more important to do—just stop by, you will not regret it. Our sincere opinion? It is smart, engaging, and relentlessly beautiful. If you are renovating, building, or simply searching for that ultimate spark of inspiration, get your tickets. Prepare to be wowed!
