Inglewood deconstructed by designer Amanda Hamilton

AmandaHamilton_FINAL_Color-001B&WAmanda Hamilton can be a bit tricky to shoehorn. Her residential interiors landed her as a One to Watch in our Designers of the Year awards, but she’s just as savvy creating dynamic commercial spaces or designing pillows, table linens or bespoke kimonos. She oversees this expanding empire from her studio in historic Inglewood—home to this small sampling of her fave spots.Knifewear KNIFEWEARKnown for their specialized, premium collection of precision Japanese knives, Knifewear has become an institution for Calgary chefs. Opened in 2008, the shop prides itself in being not only a destination stop but also a hangout for sharp aficionados who appreciate their exclusive lines of “scary sharp” high performance blades. Aiming to offer expert knowledge and after sale support for all of you knife freaks, Knifewear has grown to include five stores across Canada with future plans to open a store in Kyoto, Japan. If you appreciate the tradition, simplicity and elegance inherent in Japanese design as much as I do, then Knifewear will certainly not disappoint.1316 – 9th Avenue SE, 403.514.0577, knifewear.com Kent of Inglewood KENT OF INGLEWOODAs a natural extension to their weirdly eccentric obsession with sharp goods, the owners of Knifewear recently opened Kent of Inglewood. As Canada’s Shave Shop, the store believes that “every man deserves a good axe, a great whiskey, and a perfect shave.” Housing everything from their growing collection of classic shaving gear to all of the goods required for manscaping, Kent of Inglewood is the one stop shop for the modern day Renaissance man. Rumour has it that the boys will be introducing their own collection of booze in the not-so-distant future. Booze, axes and bearded men – yes.1319 – 9th Avenue SE, 403.457.1595, kentofinglewood.com Gravity-Calgary GRAVITY CAFÉTwo and a half years ago, Andy Fennell decided to leave his 9 to 5 desk job to give his life to those rich beans we are all slaves to in the wee hours of the morning. Transcending the traditional coffee house vibe, Gravity Café bridges the gap between day and night by offering a diverse wine and beer collection that appeals to the local community of young artists, freelancers and business people alike. Further, the café offers live music on Friday and Saturday nights with 50% of the proceeds giving back to community based charities like the John Howard Society and Inglewood Child Development Society.909 – 10th Street SE, 403.457.0697, cafegravity.com The Nash THE NASH AND OFF CUT BARThe second concept by Chef Michael Noble, The Nash and Offcut Bar is located in the historic National Hotel. Built in 1907, the three-story building was originally developed to house railway workers and takes its new aesthetic cues from designer Sarah Ward. The L-Shape space is delineated between restaurant and bar, with the dining room feeling fresh, bright and airy and the bar contrasted in rich, dark colours to evoke the feeling of a 1920s prohibition speakeasy. Afternoons spent drinking cocktails on “the dark side” are sure to be drenched in brilliant conversation, if not dripping in bourbon.925 – 11th Street SE, 403.984.3365, thenashyyc.com The UncommonsTHE UNCOMMONSEstablished in 2012, The Uncommons celebrates local and international artisans who produce goods with engaging stories meant to inspire, evoke emotion and meaning in their purpose. Curating design-centric products, the boutique is operated by small collective of designers focused on creating an “immersive experience that promotes exploration, interaction and conversation.” As a bonus, The Uncommons also has an online shop so you can spend those dollars from the comfort of your couch regardless of your location.1325 – 9th Avenue SE, 587.353.9337, theuncommons.ca Junction-9---2JUNCTION 9With a rooftop patio overlooking Calgary’s historic railway and a view of the Calgary skyline, Junction 9 has serious street appeal. Clad with a parametric screen made from 100 year old reclaimed barnwood, designed by MoDA Architecture, the building pays homage to the history of Inglewood while breathing new life into an otherwise dated structure. Holland Design worked alongside Junction 9 to create a space that houses a coffee shop, yoga studio, group and private pilates studios. Fostering strength, health and connectedness, Junction 9 contributes to the community by providing a beautiful space for members to grow physically, mentally and emotionally. 919 – 9th Avenue SE, 403.474.9118, junction9.ca The Livery Shop THE LIVERYLocated next to The Nash, the Livery is housed in a charming red barn that used to keep the horses of the guests staying at the old National Hotel. The heritage building is occupied by Camp Brand Goods and CoutuKitsch and operates as an active studio as well as retail space for both Calgary based brands. Co-Founded in September of 2011 by husband and wife duo, Leslie and Connor Gould, Camp offers high quality fleece that is both hip and comfortable, reflecting the owner’s lifestyles of enjoying the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Sharing the space with creatives Dorian Kitsch and Kofi Oteng of CoutuKitsch, the collection features handcrafted jewelry that merges vintage goods, precious metals and gemstones that are expressed as statement pieces.1130 – 10th Avenue SE, 403.7711, theliveryshop.com Plant PLANTAs the name implies, Plant believes that everyone deserves a little bit of the outdoors indoors. Born and raised in the prairies, the owners understand the importance of bringing something living into interior spaces when we spend so much time in wooly sweaters hiding from our bipolar Calgary climate. Combating “black thumbs,” they aim to provide greens that aren’t overly fussy and are more on the hardy side for easy care. Each plant, most of which are created in-house, is sold with clear instructions on how to maintain your miniature landscapes. In addition to their plants, they have a growing collection of vessels, plant holders as well as a variety of curated vintage goods. Feeling green? Check out Plant’s workshops which cover everything from bee house building to terrariums, making it easy to impress your friends and family.Unit C, 1335 – 9th Avenue SE, 403.462.6230, plantterrariums.ca