How a Small Italian Cabinet Brand Became a Major Fixture in Toronto Condos

For better or for worse, Jesse Harris’ endlessly Instagrammable Queen Street West mural – boldly proclaiming “You’ve Changed” in storey-high lettering – has become a motto for Toronto. Indeed, over the last half-decade, the city has been shapeshifting: the Canary District, Junction Triangle and Gerrard East have become neighbourhoods to watch. Housing prices have gotten even hotter, with condos costing as much as single-family homes six years back. New builds continue to sprout up in the core, the ‘burbs and everywhere in between. And many of those glassy condos come bearing stunning kitchens by a brand new to many Torontonians: Trevisana Kitchens & Interiors.

Thus far, their kitchens can largely be found in luxury units – they’ve been featured at Hill & Dale (1027 Yonge St.), 101 St. Clair Luxury Rentals and a Sixteen Degree Studio-designed Leaside home, among many others. But despite Trevisana’s newfound presence and buzz in Toronto, they’re hardly new. In fact, Italian design conoisseurs know them as a 50-year-old cabinet-making business, led by the Ongaro family from Treviso, Italy. Conceived as a small kitchen workshop focused on authentic Italian craftsmanship, Trevisana Kitchens & Interiors has developed into a brand with international reach.

Its approach, says managing director Gian Luigi Ongaro, has shifted over the years. “Our objective is to create a unique space that is reflective of client personality and lifestyle,” he says. “A space that our clients can genuinely feel comfortable in. A space that incorporates beauty, style and functionality.”

So, how did a northern Italian brand end up in, of all places, Toronto? Gian Luigi discovered the city while studying abroad in 2012, and noting the potential for expansion, launched Canadian operations the following year. Along with his business sidekick, Domenico Siniscalco, Trevisana Kitchens & Interiors introduced authentic Italian cabinetry to the local market, while adapting their offerings for the city’s evolving residential spaces. The plan worked, and worked well: in only five years, the brand has 5,000 projects under its belt, working with architects, interior designers and developers to tailor solutions for multi-unit condos, subdivisions and residential projects.

The key to that growth is based on two concepts: First, says Gian Luigi, is “the intelligence of simplification,” with cabinetry built around quality materials, modern designs and coherent functions. Secondly, Trevisana established a local presence, pairing made-in-Italy craftsmanship with the reliability and in-real-life service of local businesses. From its home base in the Castlefield Design District, it provides the human resources and logistical know-how to see projects from their initial stages to the final installations. Just as if, the company says, “we were in Italy.”

“We took the best of our Italian experience and fully adapted it to Canadian lifestyle,” says Gian Luigi. Indeed, you’ve changed, Toronto. But sometimes, it’s for the better. trevisanakitchens.com

This content was created by Designlines on behalf of Trevisana.