Steven and Chris

Laughter each day keeps the arguments away

Just like Post City, TV design duo Steven and Chris are celebrating 25 amazing years

They’ve hosted some of Toronto’s favourite home decor shows, from Designer Guys to So Chic with Steven and Chris to their current CBC hit show, simply titled Steven and Chris (airing weekdays at 2 p.m.).

It seems like they’ve been handing out tips on how to bring your personal style to your home forever, and Steven Sabados and Chris Hyndman celebrated their silver anniversary this year.

To commemorate the occasion, they reflected back on how they first came into each other’s lives and how they found the success they share today. This design duo, who have called Leslieville home for many years, know what hard work really means, and they found a way to combine both their personal and working relationships to allow them to flourish in both areas.

How they met
Steven: We actually met at a nightclub 26 years ago when our friends introduced us. We’d both had a couple of cocktails.
Chris: I’m not gonna lie: there was a little bit of liquid courage involved!

The first date
Steven: A week after meeting, I took Christopher to a restaurant called Stardust on Parliament Street for our first date. It was a really small and charming place that made amazing souffles.
Chris: I was a naive young guy from Newfoundland who was very impressed by how chic and sophisticated Steven was. And, to be honest, I didn’t have a clue what the hell a souffle even was!

“There was a little bit of liquid courage involved. ”

Their lives now
Chris: Working in TV and having a furniture product line keeps us both incredibly busy, so we’re lucky we get to work together; otherwise, we’d never see each other!
Steven: When we do have time alone, our favourite thing to do is walk our great Dane, Maxi, or spend time with friends or family.

How they work together
Steven: We’ve really learned to compromise, to pick our battles and to always remember to laugh.
Chris: It would be impossible to keep our work relationship separate from our personal relationship. And I agree with Steven, especially about the laughter. Things are never as bad as they seem when you’re able to laugh about it.

Secret for success
Steven: We really do make each other laugh every single day, and that is, at least for us, the thing that has kept us together for so long.

Relationship advice
Chris: After all these years, we’re still learning how to be a better couple, so we’d prefer to keep our advice to paint colours and furniture!

Anniversary celebration 
Chris: We had a little party with our parents because they were so proud of us for being together for that long — or they were shocked, we’re not sure — but it was a very special day.

Article exclusive to STREETS OF TORONTO