Thinking big has traditionally been the preferred strategy when it comes to architecture and design. Five years out from the global economic collapse and new homes in the United States are being built bigger than ever before, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Luxury fashion labels are posting record-breaking profits and have even diversified with the creation of the new “super-luxury” market. Even Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, that television ode to 1980s excess, is slated to return to the airwaves.

While bigger and better inevitably lead to a certain kind of innovation (What is the best method for attaching thousands of Swarovski crystals to an antique claw-foot tub?), the real vanguard of design over the past few decades has focused on doing more with less. Certainly, that’s one of the central themes of this weekend’s Interior Design Show West (IDSwest), running Thursday to Sunday (September 19 to 22) at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Alongside massive granite kitchens and infinity tubs, IDSwest has also dedicated part of its lineup to more modest ideas and products. In a particularly Vancouver-centric move, the show has teamed up with contractor Alair Homes to present a custom, 516-square-foot laneway house, which will be auctioned off for charity. Of course, nabbing a laneway home doesn’t mean much to someone who doesn’t have a sprawling back yard to put it in.

For design enthusiasts with more modest digs and wallets, IDSwest is bringing back the District, a fashion, art, and housewares market selling affordable, mostly local, handmade décor pieces. With its custom-built display stations (no foldout card tables and mismatched tablecloths here) and invited vendors (not everyone who applies is accepted), the District has repositioned itself as a craft fair that complements the aesthetic of IDSwest itself.

“It’s a higher-end version of your typical artisan’s market,” says event manager Leonie Hoerster, who does double duty as the District’s curator. The result of Hoerster’s extensive experience organizing craft fairs, hours of online research, and the occasional poaching of promising talent from competitors, the District is IDSwest in miniature. “Everything must be unique and have a strong design sensibility,” she says of such collections as Hold Handmade’s vibrant wool-felt bowls and Forest & Waves’ screenprinted and letterpressed fabrics and paper. “It’s all about the cutting edge, without losing that artisanal quality.” Hoerster knows not everyone has five figures to drop on custom cabinetry or a modernist dining table. The District was conceived for those with a depth of design savvy and slightly shallower pockets.

A perfect example of Hoerster’s ideal vendor for the District is first-timer Justina Yang, who creates intricately folded paper furnishings under the name Fiber Lab. The former structural engineer, who folded paper to relieve stress from her demanding career, decided to switch gears two years ago and make hanging lamps, mobiles, and even bow ties full-time in her basement studio at home. Hoerster zeroed in on Yang’s booth at last year’s Great Canadian Craft Fair and offered her a space at the District on the spot. “It was flattering,” Yang remembers of that meeting. “But also, I liked the idea of a market geared towards the industry. It’s not a regular craft fair not only because of who is selling, but also because of who is buying.”