Review of Canadel's Downtown Collection

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When it comes to furnishing a house, everyone looks at what’s trending and what’s in style. From contemporary to industrial to rustic, there are many designs and styles that are popular amongst homeowners.

Though it is nice to stay on-trend, some may want to deviate from the popular styles and change things up. Sometimes, it can be an acquired taste, but other times, it can lead to some fascinating results. 

Oftentimes these unique takes of design can spark new trends in furniture styles, and sometimes they can reignite an old trend that once died out. This is a prime example of how mid-century modern design is currently taking shape in a big way, coming back in popularity after being in the shadow of other styles.

Speaking of mid-century modern, this design style takes center stage among Canadel’s Downtown dining collection. 

Michelle MacLellan, an interior designer at La-Z-Boy Kanata and Canadel expert, says that Canadel’s Downtown dining furniture is “a collection with a cleaner look to it.”

Though this might sound appealing, is the Downtown dining collection right for your dining room?

This article will cover everything you need to know about Canadel’s Downtown collection including unique features, options & customizations, cost, and warranty. 

In This Article…

1. Brief Description of Canadel
2. Downtown Style & Unique Features
3. Downtown Dining Furniture Selection
4. Options & Customizations
5. Cost
6. Warranty
7. Is the Downtown Collection Right for You?

Brief Description of Canadel Custom Dining

Canadel is a Canadian furniture company that specializes in making high-quality and custom-made furniture. They have been in business for over 30 years, perfecting their craft for many to enjoy.

One thing La-Z-Boy customers may not know is that Canadel furniture is a part of our dining selection at La-Z-Boy Ottawa & Kingston, with a flagship Canadel showroom attached to the  La-Z-Boy Kanata showroom. 

Much like La-Z-Boy, Canadel prides itself on selling high-quality furniture. In addition, they provide extensive customization options, made easier with the Canadel UDesign tool, which provides the online customer with over 9 million furniture combinations and options to choose from.

Canadel offers a variety of dining room styles that are characterized by six main collections: Canadel, Champlain, Loft, Gourmet, East Side, and of course, Downtown.

Each collection offers its own unique twist on traditional dining room sets, taking on stylish and eye-catching appearances. Whether you live in a modern downtown flat or a traditional family home, there is a Canadel collection to meet each and every taste or preference.

About Canadel's Downtown Dining Collection

Style & Unique Features

All Canadel Dining Furniture is handcrafted in North America. The Downtown Collection, like all other collections, is custom-made with solid Canadian birch and eco-friendly hevea wood. 

Each piece of dining furniture is properly detailed based on each customer's customization choices, made easier by Canadel’s UDesign tool. 

The Downtown collection bridges the divide between mid-century modern and contemporary to bring clean and simplistic lines in its design. This seamlessly brings old and new styles of furniture into one collection.

Modern and contemporary styles are sometimes hard to combine and keep on-trend, but the Downtown dining furniture has no problem being timeless because of its sophistication and high-quality style.

Some might find this collection similar to Canadel’s Modern style, featured in the flagship collection. However, these collections have a notable difference being Downtown’s hints at mid-century designs. Downtown also has cleaner lines and more colour options available, whereas Canadel Modern has more of a monochromatic look to its design.

Dining Furniture Selection

There are many different dining furniture pieces featured in Canadel’s Downtown collection. Within the collection, Downtown has 8 different styles of seats, as well as 7 tables, 5 stools, 2 benches, and 5 storage units. 

In Canadel’s Top Picks for Downtown, they showcase dynamic furniture, with sharp-edged legs and glass tabletops. There are also curvy seats that can be upholstered or unupholstered.

The main focus of Downtown’s dining tables is the glass tabletops presented in this collection. Other collections from Canadel have glass tabletops as well, but what sets these options apart from the rest is the way it looks with Downtown’s design, according to Michelle.

The curves and angular lines in Downtown’s furniture design make this collection cutting edge, stylistically and literally! The dynamic silhouettes are the reason why this collection hints at a mid-century modern approach. 

Even though the style is subtle, it is noticeable compared to other styles, such as Canadel's aforementioned Modern style.

Options & Customizations

It is important to note that all available options and customizations to the Downtown dining collection can be explored on Canadel’s UDesign tool, which is easily accessible on the Canadel website.

Dining Tables

When it comes to table shape, dining tables from the Downtown collection are limited to either round or rectangular options.

While this shape selection is minimal compared to other Canadel collections, table size is the key focus of a table, and Downtown has plenty of sizing options available.

It is important to note that the round dining table options only come in glass. Some people may not like glass options given that glass table tops can leave fingerprints. However, frosted glass options, such as ice and steel, can hide fingerprints because of the matte finish.

Dining Seats

Dining chairs in Downtown have curvier options than other collections, emphasizing the clean lines this collection presents. There is also an option to add a swivel base if you’re looking for a piece of furniture with more motion. This is also the case for stools.

Similar to dining tables, Downtown buffets have glass top options as well. Further, they have ample storage space so you can add more than just dining room cutlery within the drawers.

Finally, benches only have two options, the first being a small cube-shaped bench and the second being a long bench with a small back on each side.

Aside from these basic customizations, there are a few more notable customization options highlighted below:

Jack-Knife Extensions

Dining tables within the Downtown collection can be upgraded to have a jack-knife extension if users choose to add this. 

Rectangular tables are able to extend on the sides of the table instead of appearing in the middle, giving off the element of surprise that it can extend. East Side’s dining collection also carries this.

Pedestal options do not have self-storing leaves, meaning they cannot extend any further than what is already presented.

Wood Finish, Glass & Upholstery Options

There are many different colours and finish options that the Downtown dining collection offers. 

The Downtown collection has an abundant selection of wood finish colours available, displaying over 50 wood finish colours; the most out of any collection, other than Canadel. 

If you opt for a dining table with a glass top, the glass options include 7 types of clear glass, as well as 6 frosted glass

 options. 

Moreover, upholstered dining seating options, such as chairs, benches, or stools, are offered in a huge array of fabric and velvet options to choose from. Downtown, unlike other dining room collections, does feature leather options, as well as faux-leather options. 

It is important to note that fabric options in Downtown have the opportunity to be quilted or non-quilted. Quilting options accentuate the design of each dining room item and add a nice homemade touch for anyone to admire.

Cost

According to Michelle, dining furniture from the Downtown collection is more on the higher end, in terms of cost. “Especially when you get into the jack-knife extensions,” she says, which almost doubles the initial price.

There is no specific price assigned to any Canadel product until you customize and personalize your chosen furniture. Once you have selected your customization options, a design consultant at the Canadel store will be able to tell you the exact cost of your furniture.

The final cost depends on the materials used within each piece of furniture. All Canadel prices are subject to change depending on the options and customizations you choose.

Warranty

The Downtown Collection is covered by Canadel’s 1-year warranty, which covers the repair or replacement of chair frames, tabletops, fabric tearings, or any unforeseen circumstances that would be covered under Canadel’s warranty. 

Given that each piece of furniture is quality-crafted and built to last a long time, Canadel also offers an extended 5-year warranty plan, at an additional cost. 

This not only goes to further protect your purchase but it is also transferable when you purchase new Canadel Furniture if you are looking to replace old additions.

Is the Downtown Dining Collection Right For You?

The Downtown collection may be described as stylish, but is it the right choice for your dining room? The answer to this depends on your budget, lifestyle, and design preferences.

Though this collection is more expensive than other collections, Michelle still mentions affordable options available in the Downtown collection. “If you go into glass and non-extension tables, I would say it is a reasonable price. However, [Downtown’s] chairs are a little more pricey because they are curvy, which takes more material to make.”

When it comes to style, while Downtown is mid-century modern and contemporary, this collection is still very versatile in its appearance. The neutral colours that Downtown showcases can go with any kind of house with any kind of style–that’s where the contemporary design comes in handy.

The look is what sets this collection apart from the rest. The dynamic and modern design of this dining room set will catch the attention of anyone looking for something new and unique. It will also obviously appeal to anyone looking for mid-century furniture, or to anyone looking for cleaner designs.

Glass tabletops may not be the most suitable if families are looking for more child-friendly options. Instead, this collection might be best for young adults looking for a more fashion-forward look, being able to show off their furniture to many individuals.

What's Next?

After reading this article, you have learned everything you need to know about Canadel’s Downtown Dining Collection. So, why not check it out for yourself? 

Canadel has an intuitive tool to help you discover what each collection has to offer, thanks to their UDesign platform. Make sure to check out the UDesign tool so you can discover Downtown and other Canadel dining room collections in detail.

If you require assistance navigating the UDesign tool, check out this helpful article for a step-by-step tutorial.

La-Z-Boy also offers design assistance on all things Canadel custom design. By visiting an Ottawa or Kingston showroom, or the Canadel Kanata showroom, you can receive one-on-one assistance in selecting and custom designing your Canadel dining furniture. 

You can also book an appointment with our interior design experts for any burning questions you may have. 

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