Review of Canadel's Downtown Collection

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While many homeowners gravitate toward trending design styles like contemporary or rustic, others seek something a little different. Choosing a less common aesthetic can lead to bold, refreshing results, and sometimes even spark new trends.

One style that has made a major comeback is mid-century modern. Known for its clean lines and timeless appeal, it’s become increasingly popular in today’s homes. This revival takes center stage in Canadel’s Downtown Collection, which offers a refined take on the classic look.

According to Michelle MacLellan, interior designer at La-Z-Boy Hunt Club, the Downtown collection is “a collection with a cleaner look to it.” But is it the right fit for your space? In this article, we’ll explore the collection’s standout features, customization options, pricing, and warranty details to help you decide.

Key Takeaways:

• The Downtown Collection blends mid-century modern and contemporary design with clean lines, angular silhouettes, and sophisticated finishes.
• All pieces are handcrafted in North America using Canadian birch and eco-friendly hevea wood, with extensive customization available through Canadel’s UDesign tool.
• The collection features glass tabletops, quilted upholstery options, and dynamic shapes, making it ideal for those seeking a more modern, eye-catching dining room aesthetic.
• Prices are on the higher end, especially with jack-knife extensions, though more affordable options are available with non-extension tables and basic configurations.
• The collection is backed by a 1-year warranty with the option to purchase a 5-year extended protection plan for additional peace of mind.

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?

About Canadel Custom Dining

Established in 1982, Canadel is a Canadian family-owned company that manufactures handcrafted, high-quality, and custom-made dining room furniture. All Canadel products are manufactured in North America and distributed throughout Canada and the United States.

As makers of authentic birch wood dining room sets, Canadel operates with a vision of creating meaningful family heirlooms that will be passed down through generations. 

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

Michelle emphasizes that Canadel's local presence and reputation for longevity are what resonate most with Ottawa buyers. “Our clients want pieces they don’t have to replace. Canadel delivers that kind of confidence.”

Canadel Downtown Style and Unique Features

Handcrafted in North America using solid Canadian birch and eco-friendly hevea wood, the Downtown Collection by Canadel offers a refined balance between mid-century modern and contemporary design. With clean lines, sleek silhouettes, and sculpted details, this collection delivers a timeless yet trend-forward aesthetic that suits a variety of interior styles.

Customization is at the heart of Downtown. Through Canadel’s UDesign tool, customers can personalize every aspect of their dining furniture, from table size and shape to finish, upholstery, and glass options. This flexibility makes it easy to create a dining room that feels curated and unique.

The collection includes Glass tabletops, which are a signature design feature, paired with angular bases and crisp profiles that bring a bold, architectural presence to the space. According to Michelle, she says, “Downtown is a collection with a cleaner look to it, but it doesn’t lose the warmth or personality.”

This is similar to the Modern Collection. However, Downtown stands apart from Canadel’s Modern collection by offering a broader range of colours and subtle nods to mid-century design, such as curved chair backs and tapered legs. The result is a dynamic, versatile collection that appeals to homeowners seeking furniture with both character and clarity.

Canadel Downtown Customization Options

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.

Rectangular tables also have the option to include jack-knife extensions, which extend on the sides of the table instead of in the middle like a traditional self-storing leaf extension.

The Downtown Collection currently features 9 different dining table shape options.

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.

Currently, the Downtown Collection includes 9 chair options, 7 stool options, and 1 bench option.

The dining bench from Canadel’s Downtown Collection includes small angular cushions on each side for extra support for resting your arms or when you want to get up.

Dining Buffets

A buffet may be the perfect way to tie your selection together and turn your dining pieces into a complete dining room. 

The buffets come in various shapes, sizes, and patterns in which the accent colour, body colour, and finish can be customized.

The Canadel Downtown Collection currently features 5 dining buffet options.

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 40 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 3 types of clear glass, as well as 2 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 of Canadel Downtown Dining Furniture

Canadel sits in the premium price category, but this reflects the craftsmanship, customization, and quality of materials. Because each piece is made to order, prices are quoted based on selections. However, the table below offers a helpful reference point based on current starting prices:

*All La-Z-Boy prices listed in this article are subject to change. We aim to update all cost-related articles twice per year. This article was last updated on June 26th, 2025.  Contact your local Ottawa, Gatineau or Kingston location by phone or in person for up-to-date pricing.

Canadel Downtown Collection Warranty

The Canadel Downtown Collection is covered by Canadel’s 1-year warranty, which covers the repair or replacement of chair frames, tabletops, fabric tears, 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?

Now that you have all the information about Canadel's Downtown Dining Collection, why not experience it yourself?

Canadel has an intuitive tool to help you discover what each collection offers, thanks to its UDesign platform. Make sure to check out the UDesign tool so you can discover Canadel, as well as other 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, Gatineau or Kingston 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 design consultants or interior design experts for any burning questions you may have. To learn more about our dining room furniture at La-Z-Boy, check out our Comprehensive Dining Room Buyer’s Guide.

Related Links:

Dining Chairs vs. Dining Benches: Which is Right For You?

What You Need to Know About Glass Round Tables

Custom Furniture at La-Z-Boy: What to Expect