Paintlounge - Toronto West
784 College St. Toronto, ON M6G 1C6
Call for reservations: (416) 900-2644
Today's review is filed under "coffee shops", but this place is so much more than just coffee. If you haven't heard of Paintlounge yet, think cafe meets art studio meets lounge, all rolled into one very fun space. Just show up and the friendly staff will get you set up with everything you need to create your own masterpiece. From paint brushes to paint to albums filled with inspiration, you pay for the canvas ($20-$55) and everything else is included. Staff will also provide you with a private painting lesson, or help you recreate a painting of your choice. The back of the space houses a cafe counter with lots of drinks and yummy snacks to enjoy while you get your paint on - I was especially impressed with their selection of looseleaf tea!
The front door is 36 inches wide without an automatic opener. There's a very small threshold between the sidewalk and the tile floor, but it's less than 1/2 inch high. After entering the front door there is a ton of space to move around, which continues throughout the entire room. Other than a single bar-height table in the front window, Paintlounge doesn't have tables in the traditional sense. Each easel has a small shelf built into it where food and drinks can be placed, but there are also several stools placed around the room that could be used as strategically-placed table surfaces. The floor inclines slightly as you head towards the back counter, but this is a smooth transition and very gradual.
At the back of the space is a single unisex washroom stall with a 34 inch wide doorway. Unfortunately there are no grab bars, but toilet paper, soap, and paper towels are all within easy reach. The sink is 29 inches off the floor and has at least 30 inches of space width-wise.
There's plenty of street parking in front of Paintlounge on College St., but if you don't have luck out front there's a large parking lot at the Metro one block east on College. You can also catch the 506 Carlton streetcar from accessible Queen's Park subway station.