September 5, 2011

Say Mi-Yelk!


The fact of the matter is – if I had enough money (as you’re well aware, artists are known for always being in need of cash), I would have cleared out this entire store; I would have bought every single thing without exception. But what were some of the things that captured my heart especially?

The first thing that comes to my attention is the clarity of the lines in all these objects, regardless of whether they were created in Japan or in Scandinavian countries. There are no excesses in these lines. They are absolutely perfect.




The next thing that fascinated me was the sense of humour exhibited by these designers – whether we’re speaking of the bottle opener that is shaped like birds of prey, or the clothes hanger shaped as the same type of bird, with the wings outstretched. Or we could take a look at a flower vase that depicts a family – a mother, a father, and their child. Picture some flowers in the place for their heads, and it’ll put a smile on your face.




An assortment of knives for cheeses. How did I manage to survive without it, I really don’t know. The carefully polished wooden handles are so soft to gaze upon.


Various spoons, the function of which is not entirely clear to me, but seeing as each has its own intricate shape, I would imagine that each also has a designated purpose. It is a mystery to be solved.




This shoe spoon really looks like a minimalist sculpture.


The shadows cast by these owls and brooms are as wonderful as the handmade originals. The same can be said for this set of kitchen brushes.



I know what will be the next item in my collection of cutting boards – this marvel was handmade in Japan out of a walnut tree.


In this store, you will find joy not only in shopping for these wonderful things, but also in chatting with the staff. If you ask a question, be prepared – they will ambush you with a massive amount of fascinating details on the subject of the item at hand. This is known as being passionate for what you do, isn’t it?

The address of the store is -
2959 Dundas Street West Toronto On M6P 1Z2

info@mjolk.ca









45 comments:

  1. Oh WOW I am glad that I was not there with you. I have little money to start with I would have had even less after being there!!!! Fantastic photos. Diane

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  2. You are right about buying them all. They are art first useful second. I would need walls to hang them all!

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  3. Hello Olga:
    As you say, what is there not to like in this entire store? Everything is so wonderfully stylish, cleanly elegant in its form and made from incredibly tactile and beautiful materials. A trolley dash in Toronto.....just a thought!!!

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  4. OMG, I know exactly what you mean. I've been in stores like this before, and I know INSTANTLY I'm in huge trouble. Yes, I'm attracted to everything I see. Great design. Functional, too. The funny thing is . . .
    I know I should leave the store, before I get into trouble . . . and I end up spending an hour, enjoying and absorbing the show. (Like a museum!)

    I was praying and hoping you'd end your post today, by NOT giving the name or location of the store. But no, you went and gave the name, location, address, contact info, the works. Good thing you're in Tornoto!

    I'm kinda glad they let you shoot pics of everything. I've been in shops where it's been a no-no. Thanks for all the eye candy.

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  5. How well do I understand you in this hour. Minimalism is for me the outmost expression, what is not necessary is superfluous, so I am happier the less and less things I need, or so I try :-)

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  6. Je suis d'accord avec toi, Olga. Ce mobilier, ces lignes, apaisent et rendent une atmosphère à la fois chaude, sobre, et pure. Mais je pense que dans le magasin, cette cuisine est beaucoup plus belle que dans la vie réelle, quand on cuisine vraiment. Tu sais, c'est comme dans ces boutiques qui vendent de la laine. Les tons camaïeux donnent une atmosphère formidable, mais toi, quand tu achètes deux pelotes, l'effet retombe. C'est dommage.

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  7. I do so love your eye for photographic shots and design as well as the quality of your photographs. It is always such a pleasure to come to your blog and view your posts. It's lovely to see what captures your heart.

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  8. I also love the clean lines and all these things one would love to own but then I think where to put it lol

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  9. Уууу, сколько минималистов собралось :) Мне тоже нравятся чистый дизайн, если его немного "огламурить" вещичками дизайна "нечистого" :)))

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  10. The Japanese and Scandinavian motif really works well together. Simple and clean. I couldn't think of a better combo especially for a kitchen. This combo would fit well to my partners OCD. =)You take such nice photos!

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  11. I loved the text and the pictures. The clean simplicity.
    Kisses from Brazil

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  12. Oh wow, these works of art are both beautiful and practical, function + beauty. I love the clean lines, the colours and finishes are so tactile ... I think I could quite happily move into the store. :)
    Thank you for sharing, your photographs are beautiful.
    xoxoxo ♡

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  13. This is a wonderful post with wonderful utensils. I avoid such places much as I love looking at the shapes and forms.

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  14. I shudder to think of the prices of those objects. Beautiful they are, and undoubtedly pricey. Not sure about the wooden sink though. Wood and water don't mix well on the whole unless a vast amount of varnish is involved.

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  15. Absolutely! i was in Denmark last month and i saw magic shops with a special design, there for me like museums, i m so glad to find this perfection in your photos!

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  16. Some lovely little things there. Never knew there were so many knives to cut cheese!

    Duncan In Kuantan

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  17. You artists have the perefct eye to spot art! Love these purity and the natural materials!!!

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  18. Oh yes! They are all so beautiful. I felt a thrill run through me as I viewed them. My grandson would adore them and totally rearrange them into a dosplay of his own. This is how he perceives objects - for creating something new.

    Thank you for sharing. I will keep the favourites of these images in my mind.

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  19. Some beautiful pieces there... too nice to use, but rather to display as art :-)

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  20. What lovely objects, like a museum of useful items.

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  21. Оля, полностью разделяю ваш вкус! с удовольствием бы составила вам компанию для похода в такой магазин. Всего не купила бы:), потому как не люблю лишнего, но с выбором терзалась бы.Очень импонирует минимализм Японии и Скандинавии. Досточка оооочень понравилась. Мне трудно найти другой природный материал, который вызывал бы такое внутреннее спокойствие и наслаждение, как светлое дерево.:)

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  22. Hi Diane,
    These kinds of stores can really empty your wallet. It's impossible to handle the temptation :)

    Hi R. Jacob,
    These objects are wonderful to have in your interior, and to use them as well. I'm glad you liked them.

    Hi Jane and Lance Hattatt,
    Just like in the case of stores that sell delicious food, they appear in Toronto, but there's not enough of them for such a big, multicultural city.

    Hi Rick,
    I'm also glad I discovered this store. My eyes get tired of all the ordinary junk; sometimes it's great to find things that are so aesthetically pleasing that using them is pure joy. I can also tell that the quality of the items is very high.

    Hi Pet,
    Since you live in Europe, in a place full of gorgeous things, you must have more chances to find some designer things. We don't exactly have the same luxury :)

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  23. Hi Richard,
    C'est un point très inattendu de vue. Parfois vous achetez quelque chose, mais il ne rentre pas dans le contexte de votre entourage - ou il semble differnent de ce que vous avez imaginé dans le magasin. Vous m'avez surpris avec votre comparaison avec la laine à tricoter.

    Hi Happy Frog and I,
    I really love handmade things that carry a connection to nature and the individuality of the person who made them. I'm glad you liked the post.

    Hi A Lady's Life,
    I have created a theory that it's better to live with fewer things, but to make them special.

    Hi patatinka,
    Очень хочется увидеть пример! Я последнее время очень придирчива в выборе предметов обихода. Страшно разочарована качеством. Хочу вещи, которые хорошо, блогородно старятся. Но такие вещи могут быть только ручной работы.

    Hi Sandy,
    I'm glad you liked these motifs. The design really is simple and clean. But there's another advantage to these things - they tend to age extremely well.

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  24. Hi Gisa,
    Thank you. I'm also delighted by simplicity combined with something extraordinary.

    Hi Dianne,
    I would have lived in such a store myself! Thank you for complimenting my photographs :)

    Hi Adrian,
    I'm glad that these stores at least exist, and that Ikea hasn't filled up our lives to the brink.

    Hi Sarah,
    Pricey indeed! But I have a feeling that these things will serve longer, and age better.

    Hi orfeenix,
    Danish design is well known, and I really love it. Particularly "living design".

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  25. Hi Duncan,
    In an ideal world, each type of cheese would have its own knife :)

    Hi Colores,
    I love natural materials, because I'm a natural girl :)

    Hi aguja,
    It's perfectly understandable that your grandson would want to play with these objects. The shapes are so appealing to each generation in its own way :)

    Hi Nat,
    That's what I told them - it's more of a gallery than a store. So much aesthetic satisfaction!

    Hi lilylovekin,
    It's great that these stores exist at all. Very often, when you visit a museum, you just want to take something for yourself :)

    Hi kopeechki,
    Я в последнее время хочу покупать вещи, которые дают мне надежду на то, что, пользуясь ими, я получу удовольствие не только от дизайна, но и от того как они старятся. У меня есть опыт с прекрасными коллекционными японскими фаянсовыми тарелками, которые не выдержали нашего с ними обращения. Теперь у меня фиксация - хочу пользоваться вещами, которые красиво старятся.

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  26. Me too Olga, I would like to buy all of them! Each of the things is a beautiful artwork!Simply Beauty!!! kisses from Greece.

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  27. I admire objects that are created with purity of line and love... And it looks like this store is filled with them. I'll definitely have to stop by and check it out. Thanks Olga.

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  28. I am now incredibly jealous.

    I love quirky furniture/ornaments, and those are chic and creative.

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  29. Olga,
    Splendid!! I felt tender warmth which only comes from the manmade works made of natural materials. I wish I could have some of them, possibly all of them. Even just touching them, it will be soothing and enrich my daily life.
    I do love this elegant simplicity of each work and I also felt a lot of Japanese fragrance in many of them. Thanks a lot for posting this. Sigh in pleasure.
    Have a great week!
    Best wishes
    Keiko

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  30. I do love the handmade things made by the craftsmanship. I think the most functional things are often made simple. Recently I've tried to refrain from buying not so as to increase personal belongings. However, I tend to go for it when I really get in love with the thing, so, this is the good way for me to save my wallet while enjoying seeing splendid, authentic things. Thank you for this post, Olga. Have happy days ahead.

    Yoko

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  31. this sequence of beautiful pictures reveals its extraordinary taste and technical ability as a photographer!
    A big hug

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  32. Everything is so beautiful and clean...I'd be too scared to touch anything. Lol. I do love these photos. :)

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  33. All of these articles are so interesting...4me, only to be exposed and admire, with sure..;)hugs!

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  34. Hi Sergio,
    Thank you for the kind words :)

    Hi Φανή Παπαγεωργίου, Ζωγράφος,
    I agree that it's beautiful artwork and excellent craftsmanship. Thank you for visiting :)

    Hi Ingrid,
    For me, it's a pleasure to show this shop, because all the objects there are really worthy of being in a crafts museum.

    Hi Nikki,
    I'm glad you like the shop :)

    Hi Randy,
    Indeed - don't you want all those things?

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  35. Hi Lemons Don't Make Lemonade,
    I like the way they thought everything through - in terms of light and the presentations of the things. Makes me want to grab everything :)

    Hi Keiko,
    I really admire the way the things that were made with love tend to age really well after you use them. Recently, I've been looking for them, because I'm tired of ordinary junk you can buy in any store. Thank you for your comment.

    Hi Yoko,
    In modern society, there is a tendency for people to surround themselves with a great deal of objects. I notice it now that I've been looking for a house and visiting various homes. Sometimes they are simply overloaded with stuff. All you need is a few really well-done and fitting things.
    Hope you have happy days as well!

    Hi Antonio,
    Thank you for the compliment. The photos were made under pressure; my husband was waiting for me and I needed to hurry :)

    Hi Jennifer,
    Quite the contrary - I felt like caressing some plate or something :) I'm glad you liked the photos.

    Hi ne mora ne bionda,
    Finally, shops of this kind are emerging in Toronto. This makes me happy.

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  36. Oh my goodness what a wonderful shop, like you love it all.

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  37. Виртуальный шопинг ужасно увлекателен и для кошелька безопасен (если карточку спрятать подальше).
    Как вам удалось там сделать фото, у нас обычно запрещают:)

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  38. Fascinating shop Olga, glad I wasn't there....but being a poor art student I wouldn't have any spare cash anyway! I particularly love the cheese knives. How beautiful they are. I am guessing you are a cheese lover like myself? The smelly, gooey French cheeses are my favourites!

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  39. Hi Lindy,
    I feel like no woman's heart will be left untouched by this shop.

    Hi Olena,
    Виртуальный шоппинг стал для меня тоже опасен, с недавних пор. Книги я в основном заказываю через Интернет. И это большая западня для меня и семейного бюджета.
    У меня была пара случаев с магазинами здесь, которые были против фотграфирования. Но в основном все большие лапочки. Это же реклама.

    Hi Dolly,
    Cheese! The word makes me loose all my willpower. French cheese will be bring me back to life in any case.

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  40. А что стало с фаянсовыми тарелками? Предметы ручной работы могут быть сделаны в любом стиле, так ведь? Если все выдержано в минимальном стиле, то мне становится скучно. Видела несколько очень хороших интерьеров, где при доминирующем минимализме, предметы других стилей "разряжают атмосферу".

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  41. Hi patatinka,
    Старость тарелок не была интересной и достойной. Не смотря на то, что они были коллекционными и была надежда, что они будут выглядеть хотя бы интересно.
    У меня, просто, фаза такая. Мы смотрим дома и видим много-много вещей и предметов. Из-за этого, наверное, мне хочется минимализма в чистом виде. По крайней мере, сейчас.
    Я совершенно согласна, что минималистичные интерьеры в реальной жизни могут напрягать.
    Я была у одной японки, где даже не догадаешься, что в доме есть ребёнок. По моему, это странно. Хотя, признаться, в тот момент меня её зелёно-белый интерьер заворожил.

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