ABOUT
Toolbox Contract is a Vancouver-based contract furniture agency and distributor with over 25 years of experience sourcing commercial design solutions for Western Canada’s architects and interior designers. Established by Paul Sjaarda, our boutique agency is a resource for the A&D community, offering a complete portfolio of products for all commercial design needs.
We are the exclusive Western Canada agents for Andreu World, Emeco, Bolon, Turf, Kvadrat and Alea. We also import these brands for projects: &Tradition, Audo, Fredericia, Gubi, Lapalma, Walter K., Wikhahn and Vitra.
Think of our #ToolboxfortheTrade as a resource for A&D specifiers and Dealers looking for practical design solutions for various commercial environments, including corporate, transportation, hospitality, public spaces and institutions. What tools do we offer? Desking, ancillary furniture, flooring and acoustic solutions.
Our Office and Furniture Showcase
We have partnered with Pavilion Cowork on their new Stadium/Beatty Street location, where we provided furniture, acoustics, and flooring solutions. Pavilion’s emphasis on community, hospitality, and premium design aligns closely with our own values—particularly as we see more commercial spaces adopt hospitality-inspired aesthetics.
Outfitting Pavilion’s new space allowed us to create a working model where clients can experience our products in action, not just on display. We also chose Pavilion for our own office.
Paul Sjaarda
Co-Founder & Principal
My passion is helping Architects & Designers source practical design-focused product solutions for their commercial projects. I embrace the parameters designers work with regarding design direction, client budget, and timelines, and I enjoy using my experience and resources to help find appropriate options to complete the intended design.
Over the last 25 years, I have worked on various commercial projects, including office projects like SRAM, DHX Media, Miller Thomson, Capcom, AG Hair and Henriquez Architect’s office. I was inspired to work on public space projects like The Museum of Anthropology, The Royal Alberta Museum, and the New Calgary Central Library, and I enjoyed working on higher education projects like Adler University, UBC, SFU, and the Tsawwassen First Nations Youth Centre. I have also managed large-scale and long-term hotel projects like the Fairmont Pacific Rim and Shangri-La in Vancouver and Toronto. One of the initial reasons that drew me to commercial projects was to be a part of the newest fantastic restaurant projects that I get to visit after they open.
My passion for design has taken me around the globe to visit trade shows like Orgatec, NeoCon, Stockholm Fair and Salone del Mobile in Milan to source the latest design solutions from international factories.
Today, our business Toolbox Contract combines my experience to create a distilled toolbox of practical design-focused product solutions for my clients. The name Toolbox refers to the idea of creating a #ToolboxfortheTrade solutions-based collection that simplifies the selection process for architects & designers.
Tanya Tweten, Co-Founder
Marketing & Communications Manager
For the last 20 years, my career has focused on communicating the stories behind creative individuals and businesses. My experience of working in various industries, including music, film, and television, has led me to my true calling of being an advocate in bridging the gap between the creative and business initiatives. You could say I am a promoter at heart with an entrepreneurial spirit.
As a graduate of the University of Victoria’s (UVic) Public Relations Program, I have had the opportunity to promote talented designers, artists and organizations to achieve local, national and international recognition. In 2006, I began my publicity career promoting actors, musicians and film and TV projects. In 2011, I started my freelance business, Promoter at Heart, to promote interior design.
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work with many talented individuals and firms, including DIALOG, Falken Reynolds Interiors, Brent Comber Originals, Vanglo Sustainable Construction Group, Edit Studios, Gaile Guevara Studio, L A M P (International Lighting Design Competition), v2com newswire, and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) of Vancouver (formerly IESBC).
Today, I am thrilled to be a business owner with my husband Paul Sjaarda and manage the creative direction and communication for our family-run company, Toolbox Contract. My day-to-day business focuses on the creative direction and content for our brand, website and social media channels. My passion is sharing stories about our clients’ projects in the community and our brand partners’ products, new designs and sustainability practices. If you are a client or one of our suppliers with a new story idea, D.M. us at @toolboxcontract – We would love to hear from you!