the list.
Here and now.
We are exactly one week out from tariff day—at the time of writing this post, the US administration has indicated that 25% tariffs will go live—so to speak—on March 4, 2025.
Since retaliatory Canadian tariffs on US goods entering our market are expected, and it is a reasonable response to the changed relationship, the costs of many building materials, including finishes, fixtures, and furniture, and equipment such as appliances and electronics, will rise.
As this article describing the impact on the construction and design industry notes, it is likely that building projects will be put on hold or cancelled depending on the extent of the cost increase on the overall project budget. From the perspective of a small interior design business, none of this is ideal.
Our supply chains in North America have grown to be interconnected and interdependent to a large degree due to our history of free trade. This is to mutual benefit. I don’t personally want to punish either US suppliers that have invested in making excellent products, or locally owned businesses that have provided these products.
One example would our local Benjamin Moore paint dealer – it is independently owned and operated, employing local workers, and delivering excellent product and expert service.
Another point to consider: For anyone—whether designer or client—working with a general contractor or trades, there is a benefit to talking about how the tariff context affects business processes and supply chain. Many trades have trade accounts with specific suppliers and have deep product knowledge for those companies’ products because they use them all the time.
Therefore, the impact is not just in terms of material costs, but also in terms of how substitutions to the specifications might affect labour/time and quality of work. Switching to an unfamiliar product may affect duration of work, quality of work, and so on, all of which are risks that could be less desirable than accepting a tariff-related cost increase.
However, for residential clients renovating on a modest budget who are doing much of the work themselves, and where a project can’t be phased, delayed, or is already past the point of no return, there will be utility in having a list of domestic product options.
While the costs of the domestic products are likely to rise in time if the trade conflict runs on (supply and demand; market adjustment to higher costs overall), in these early stages domestic products may help with staying on budget, as well as fostering national unity and supporting domestic economy.
About the list.
Canada is home to many talented designers and exceptional fabricators at various price points. Their products merit consideration on their own intrinsic value, never mind the trade conflict.
This is a design + decorating resource for those who prefer to look at a list related to products for interior design rather than search an app or database that includes every kind of product imaginable.
If you’re looking for an extensive resource, try: Made in Ca, Made in Canada Directory, Well Made in Canada, Buy Beaver, O SCANada, and Shop Canadian, and there are any number of social media groups that have popped up over the past month.
The list below is by no means exhaustive or definitive. Nor are these recommendations. I don’t know your project context or needs so would not presume to recommend.
I have included sources at a variety of price points, from mass manufacture to custom made. I have not included the resale market, e.g. Habitat ReStore, architectural clearinghouses, online marketplace sites, or estate sales, but it can be fruitful to look to them for finishes for smaller rooms, salvage cabinetry, and furnishings.
Some of these companies offer a combination of locally and internationally fabricated products, often designed and headquartered in Canada. My feeling about this mix of products is to not let aspirations for buying perfectly Canadian make an enemy of what is still quite good for our domestic culture and economy.
Consider this a starting point to help you keep your interior renovation money at home, so to speak.
Happy shopping, eh?
FF+E x type
Flooring. Carpet. Tile.
Hardwood flooring is well represented here. A very popular type of resilient flooring—LVT—is not. Similarly, it is more challenging to find porcelain and ceramic tile products that are made in Canada, as that product category is frequently imported from Europe, but can be found at major Canadian distributors such as Olympia.
Biyork Canada (LVT)
Black Rock Tile Studio (floor + wall tile)
DuroDesign (hardwood and cork flooring)
Paint + Coatings.
The list below sticks to paint products manufactured in Canada by Canadian companies. But many of the major paint brands do have manufacturing and distribution facilities in Canada and contribute to our economy in a significant way. For a peek into the economic impact of the paint+coatings industry, take a look at this report via the Canadian Paint and Coatings Association.
Cloverdale Paint (primer; interior, exterior; wood stains; varnishes)
Goudey (stains and lacquers)
Home Hardware (BeautiTone Paint)
Homestead House Paint (Milk Paint + Fusion Mineral Paint)
Loop Paints (recycled paint)
MF (100% Quebec-made)
Fixtures — Plumbing.
Riobel (Canadian HQ, global supply chain)
Rubinet Faucet Company
Cabinetry + Countertops
The companies listed below are a combination of pre-fab and custom/in-house fabrication.
Cabico custom cabinetry
EuroStyle (Home Depot, but made in Canada)
Wood Crest (Home Hardware)
Lighting.
Object Interface (lighting + accessories)
Window treatments.
Wallcoverings.
In addition to this list, keep an eye out for independent local makers who offer custom wallpapers through their own workrooms or print on demand services.
Kate Golding (wallpaper)
Levey (Levey Art in-house product is Made in Canada)
Octopus Products (interior decorative surfaces: laminates, paneling)
Technature (acoustic products)
WYNIL (wallpaper)
Fireplaces/Inserts.
Premier Fireplaces and Facings
Mattresses/bedding.
CJ Mulholland Mattress Factory
Obasan (mattresses and bedding)
Furniture.
EQ3 (Cdn company, some made in Canada pieces)
Mark Krebs (designed in Canada rugs)
