Artemano: Your New Shopping Destination For Home Decor

Artemano is a modern solid wood furniture retail chain. They are located in big Canadian cities of  Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa and Toronto. Their inspiration came mostly from Asian coutries such as Japan and Thailand. The two co-owners' idea was to use supplies that would fit perfectly in their cam and zen decor collection. To know more about the conception and the story behind it, we interviewed the co-owners and today, we're giving you a summary of our discussion.

How many people will work on a item from its conception to sale?

It's a journey which begins with one visionary who creates an item or collection. Then, a creative team will transform the idea into a technical sketch. A group of artisans or carpenters will build the prototype which then, will wait for approval from our merchandiser based on a combination of "look" and cost. Once the order is placed, there are carpenters, workers who will finish off any details and quality control who inspects the product (in Asia) until the piece is shipped to the logistics center and from there, in stores. There will be a minimum of 15 people involved in its making.

What are the different steps Artemano follow when creating a new piece?

The buying process occurs in 3 overlapping circles:

We brainstorm ideas for new lines of furniture. We sketch them. We build prototypes in our local workshop and determine which materials should be used. We meet with our suppliers to find the perfect match between the sketches and the final product. Out of 30-40 ideas, we end up with 12-15 new items that become pure Artemano designs based on our principles.

In addition, during our travels in Asia, we found existing products that speak Artemano. That is, by using natural materials, simple lines that are contemporary while being timeless. We chose the items that will compliment our existing products - and we then, shape the products based on Artemano's vision.

Finally, our constant hunger for being original, creative and unique drives us to travel and source salvaged, such as finding recycled wood, boat wood, drift wood as well as other materials such as slate, marble, terra cora and glass. Staying in line with nature's gifts allow us to create magic by shaping these materials into functional art otherwise known as Artemano.

What makes artemano different from other homewear stores?

At Artemano, we let nature be our guide and life, our stage. Our mantra : life is short, we spend more time at home than anywhere else, decorate your home in a way that will help you detach from your everyday hassle and you will re-charge your energy to tackle your next day. We learnt over the years that the main ingredient in achieving that relaxing decor is simplicity… when we overcharge our decor, we extend the “overcharge” into our daily life instead of stoping it.
There are 4 "black&white" principles in our decor- we combine light with dark,contemporary and antique…as for our grey principles they are endless -this part is where you can express your creativity.
When we reach that stage in our life, when we can positively influence the quality of life of others… we become magicians. Magic is what makes life exciting, meaningful, and productive. You are part of our magic society, you are the one that provide us with ingredients to create our magic. HOME IS AN ESCAPE…AND WE LOVE CREATING IT.

What made you choose wood as primary material?

Finding ourselves in the midst of a natural habitat and surrounded by what seemed to be an endless amount of trees was special. That’s when our connection with nature was forged. What was really impactful was the enormity of each one of these trees. That was really powerful.
What also amazed us during our travels to Asia was witnessing tree trunks being sun dried along the roads. We were basically witnessing nature shaping nature. Since, we've always been inspired by nature. We won't stop. We keep striving to find new materials that reflect simplicity and minimalism. Although we find beauty in stone, marble, slate, glass and ceramics - the complexity of the wood and its warmth leads the way.

How would you describe the typical Artemano home?

Clients are wowed by our freefrom Suar pieces. Their organic, free-flowing shape and look makes them stand out. None are alike. They each possess distinct live edges, colouring and knots. Each one has its own personality and exudes its own particular magic.

On the other hand we have the contemporary look collections which expresses clean lines and zen. A typical Artemano house will have a combination of very contemporary general design with one "wow" center piece that'll spark a conversation.

Where are all the pieces produced?

Our Thailand-sourced pieces are of the highest quality because they are rooted in nature. Every single one is an original; just like works of art. They are all natural pieces and each one adds its own spark and warmth to a desired ambiance. Most of our sheesham wood (rosewood) collection come from Rajasthan, India. Our recycled wood boat wood and sleeper wood mostly arrives from Java in Indonesia.

Meet both men behind the idea of Artemano: Shimon & Eyal.

See their website right here: artemano.ca.

This article is sponsored by Artemano