I discovered Dia though Instagram and it turns out we actually only live a few hours away from one another. If you love vibrant interiors filled with original art, antiques and colourful accessories, then you will enjoy a peek into her family’s home. Some people have a great eye and sense of style. Dia’s an avid thrifter who has transformed her older home into a warm and welcoming space.
“We’ve lived in our current house for 10 months. Our first home was tiny and right downtown, and while it suited our needs at the time, while I was on maternity leave last year we made the decision to move across the city to be closer to family. And it’s funny how having a baby changes things – suddenly being able to walk to cool restaurants and coffee shops weren’t as important as a good school district, proper parking and a backyard! We fell in love with a family-friendly pocket surrounded by parks but still on the subway line in the west end (Etobicoke), not thinking we would ever be able to afford to get in, but thankfully a VERY rough fixer-upper (along with a weird real estate market) changed that. With a green light from my father, who is an architect, we decided to take a chance and embark on our first renovation.”
I love the colour of the front door, not your usual shade.
“When we bought the house, we knew it was in rough shape – there’s a reason nobody else wanted this little ugly duckling! I’m pretty sure most people thought we were nuts. We knew we’d have to do some work on it immediately and our plan was to “clean it up” – do what absolutely had to be done to make it safe and liveable and save our money for a big renovation plus addition down the road. Well… the house had other plans! As soon as we started opening up walls, it was clear that literally nothing was salvageable. You know the expression “good bones”? Our house had the opposite of that – in fact, in some cases, there were no bones at all. Yikes. The original floor plan was a series of small rooms, including a strange oblong kitchen addition that you essentially had to walk around the staircase to access. I worked closely with my dad on the new layout and in addition to blowing out nearly all the walls on the main floor, we ended up deciding to move the staircase, which was a big undertaking but absolutely necessary in order to make the house functional and safe.”
Such a great mix of textures in the entry way. The area carpet and artwork add the perfect amount of colour.
“The entry nook is probably one of my favourite spots in the house. Initially, I was worried it was going to be awkward wasted space, but now I just love that sunny corner filled with stories. There is a Scandinavian teak chair from the 1950s in our entry nook that was covered in dust in my grandmother’s basement, along with the jester painting beside it. Apparently that artist travelled to the small town where my mom grew up and my grandfather purchased the painting from him directly many decades ago.”
Shelves filled with some of Dia’s favourite thrifted finds.
This room is so inviting! I just want to chat here in front of a fire with a cup of tea in hand.
“So our “clean up” quickly spiralled and before we knew it, we were rebuilding the main and second floors on a ridiculously tight budget. As a result, there is nothing fancy about our house – nothing high end or custom – yet we love it just the same. But I’ve always been a bargain hunter so for me, the challenge of sourcing second-hand gems, researching deals and customizing big-box items was probably even more fun than working with an unlimited budget.”
“My family definitely appreciates great design, and I’ve been lucky to inherit some special pieces over the years. The Le Corbusier chairs in our living room are older than I am – they were in our family home growing up, along with the two Persian rugs on our main floor. The living room rug has travelled with me through 7 moves over the past 9 years and I’ve never tired of it. The colours and pattern have a timelessness about them – contemporary yet classic.”
You can never have too many plants. The perfect way to accessorize without breaking the bank.
“My love for MCM came from my family. My grandmother lives up north on a lake and her home is filled with classic pieces. I’m pretty sure I knew I one day wanted a Saarinen tulip table by the time I turned 10! Note, that day is still yet to come.”
I will never tire of a classic Bentwood chair….never.
“The reality was we needed things quickly and inexpensively, so shopping at least partially at big box stores was simply a necessity. But I love the way layering in vintage textiles and other one of a kind pieces can add instant character and soul to a room that might otherwise look rather generic. There is nothing I enjoy more than hunting for that perfect piece – when you find “the one” there’s this “YES!!” moment – I have this crazy idea that vintage items speak to the people who are meant to take them on their next chapter. Big box, thrifted, vintage, family heirlooms and the odd splurge – our home is full of it all. But the one common theme is I’m trying my best to only bring items I absolutely love through the front door – things that make me smile and that I know I’ll still love years from now.”
This runner is the perfect addition to the kitchen. I’m jealous my kitchen doesn’t have one this stunning!
“So our “clean up” quickly spiralled and before we knew it, we were rebuilding the main and second floors on a ridiculously tight budget. As a result, there is nothing fancy about our house – nothing high end or custom – yet we love it just the same. But I’ve always been a bargain hunter so for me, the challenge of sourcing second-hand gems, researching deals and customizing big-box items was probably even more fun than working with an unlimited budget. The reality was we needed things quickly and inexpensively, so shopping at least partially at big box stores was simply a necessity. But I love the way layering in vintage textiles and other one of a kind pieces can add instant character and soul to a room that might otherwise look rather generic. There is nothing I enjoy more than hunting for that perfect piece – when you find “the one” there’s this “YES!!” moment – I have this crazy idea that vintage items speak to the people who are meant to take them on their next chapter. Big box, thrifted, vintage, family heirlooms and the odd splurge – our home is full of it all. But the one common theme is I’m trying my best to only bring items I absolutely love through the front door – things that make me smile and that I know I’ll still love years from now.”
The family dog Holly looks pretty comfy in the family room.
Dia’s sons can play and colour or have a snack at this cute table set.
A powder room with just the right amount of wow. I love the tiled floor and the dramatic wall colour.
The perfect spot in the upstairs hallway for storing towels and linen. I love this collection of photographs in the natural wood frames.
A corner of Dia’s sons bedroom.
“In terms of décor style, I’m drawn to clean lines, MCM and all things Scandi combined with lots of texture for warmth. One thing almost every room in our house has in common is black accents as well as a pop of tan leather. And I love playing with colour and pattern through vintage textiles. My goal for our home is for it to feel unique and fun but also calm and cozy and I’m LOVING the process!”
The kids bathroom has a great mix of fun fabrics and textures.
Calming colours create the perfect master bedroom.
I could live in the master bath I love it so much! This was the most recent renovation Dia & her husband tackled.
I want to thank Dia for sharing her home with me, & since we are only a few hours away I should stop by in the New Year for a little visit. It’s so fun to connect with like-minded people who are into design and thrifting as much as I am.