Calm. Cool & Collected

Professional and personal life intertwine as a designer sets out to redesign a home for her family.

- WRITTEN BY Meryl Schoenbaum

When taking a home tour, it's always a treat to find out that the featured house belongs to an interior designer who brought their expertise and style to their own home project. This home belongs to Olivia Botrie, creative director of Dart Studio, based in Toronto, Ontario. Olivia and her sister, Jenna Botrie, collaborated on this very special project with the rest of the Dart Studio design team. It involved the transformation of a three-unit rental property into a warm, functional home for Olivia and her family: husband, Tim Dawson; children, Louisa & Toby; and dog, Magnus. Their home is a classic Toronto Edwardian built in 1914.

The design team approached the renovation with a deep respect for the home's historic character, restoring original trim, reintroducing architectural details and incorporating vintage-inspired fixtures, while updating the layout for modern family living. The result is a home that feels classic yet personal to the family.

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES