Shops We Love: Home Smith

When Jennifer Jackson opened Home Smith just minutes from her Roncesvalles, Toronto, home last winter, she knew her clients would be her friends and neighbors. She knew they’d bring their design ideas and furniture wishes, as well as their strollers, children and pets, to her store. “We’re really focused on the neighborhood,” says Jennifer. “We understand that our homeowners here need durable, kid-friendly, dog-friendly pieces that are within budget, so we help them choose wisely.”

Home Smith — named after Robert Home Smith, the early 20th-century developer who spruced up Toronto streetscapes by creating verdant neighborhoods — is an eclectic mix of timeless furniture, vintage rugs, arresting artwork and of-the-moment accents. Hot offerings include carpets and pillows from Denmark’s Day Birger et Mikkelsen, and handmade Chinese porcelain vases from Middle Kingdom. Jennifer doesn’t think of herself as a designer so much as a treasure hunter. “It’s easy to find expensive beautiful things; I embrace the challenge of finding beautiful things with surprisingly small price tags.”

Located on 309 Roncesvalles Ave., Toronto.