Decorating & Design
Tour A Global Jet-Setter’s Charming Toronto Home
Published on September 27, 2021
Home, they say, is where the heart is. But for Yolind James, a chic, spark plug–sized woman and self-described “bohemian,” home is simply wherever she is at the moment. Yolind enjoys a peripatetic life, spending spring in Singapore where she was born and grew up, the winter months in Palm Beach, Florida, (until Covid curtailed her travels) and summers in her Toronto condo. But there comes a time when even the most ardent traveller tires of the world of jet lag and connecting flights.
Two years ago, more than a few eyebrows flew up in disbelief when Yolind, a retired health-food pioneer, decided to swap her luxurious condo (with a private elevator!) for a slightly larger 2,150-square-foot, four-bedroom, century-old brick house on a tree-lined, midtown Toronto street. Two of her daughters have houses nearby (another lives in Singapore), and those who know this doting grandmother assumed the move was to provide more space, a pool and a backyard for her five grandchildren, not to mention her two beloved dogs, English bulldog Ruby Tuesday and Kirby, a pug–basset hound mix. But, as it turns out, the real draw was the price — and the home’s location on a quiet, dead-end street just steps away from a beautiful park and network of ravines. “I prefer to have land beneath my feet,” says Yolind, as Ruby Tuesday happily lumbers through the grass, chasing butterflies. “How could I not buy it? It was ideal!”
Or so she thought. The features that had lured her in were tempting: high ceilings, generously proportioned rooms suitable for entertaining, lots of natural light and a basement that could be transformed into a living space for her year-round housekeeper. But the previous owners had done a patchy interior renovation, and the dated, awkwardly designed kitchen was cut off from the rest of the house. “I originally thought I would just have the wall between the kitchen and dining room removed and move in,” says Yolind. “I don’t love formal dining or sitting rooms — they seem redundant to me!” Her contractor recommended Olivia Botrie of Toronto firm Dart Studio. “I knew Olivia would be perfect,” says Yolind. “She was creative, flexible and understood my vision. She brought my ideas to life, something I couldn’t do on my own.”
In fact, Yolind was in Singapore during the entire six-month reno that included a down-to-the-studs reconfiguration of the kitchen, refinishing all the wood floors and adding custom millwork designed to resonate with her cosmopolitan tastes. Then, four months were spent decorating. Yolind’s heart, soul and personal history are still here in this house: souvenirs from her travels, family heirlooms, including treasured paintings and pieces of blue and white china from her grandmother in England, jade from her father’s collection, 40-year-old Chinese dictionaries and encyclopedias from her days as a student at the University of Cambridge and, of course, family photographs. “I wanted a home where my family could feel comfortable, not a modern museum — a place to relax, have friends visit and celebrate festive occasions,” says Yolind. “I live in my homes. Sometimes, when you have a home designed, there’s nothing there of you.”
Scroll down to tour this charming home!
The foyer’s watercolor-like mural depicting palm trees reminds Yolind of growing up in Singapore.
Olivia (pictured) made sure that she created a house that would capture Yolind’s heart, soul and personal history.
Olivia had the wall separating the kitchen and dining area removed and closed in an existing pass-through wall in the dining area to create a corner for a banquette. “The banquette comfortably seats lots of people and encourages lingering over dinner,” says the designer. Framed black and white family photos add a personal touch.
Vinyl-covered stools are low-maintenance and grandkid-friendly. A chaise overlooking the backyard is a comfortable place for morning tea. “I actually let go of a lot of my old stuff when I moved; I bought all new furniture,” says Yolind. “Olivia was able to find things that intrigued me so that I could change and feel renewed.”
Where there was once a wall, a white oak–clad peninsula now defines the kitchen area and provides both storage and workspace. “The space isn’t huge, so we wanted to open it up and make it feel light and bright to better fit the style of the home,” says Olivia. She brought the marble tile up to the ceiling and even clad the vent hood to make the kitchen feel more expansive.
Olivia transformed a nook by the kitchen into a desk with built-in shelves to display Yolind’s Chinese dictionaries and encyclopedias.
Yolind’s grandkids love to make forts from the cushions on the limo-length sectional in the living room. “Even when you have space, I love using large-scale pieces instead of small, bitsy chairs to create a casual yet cozy spot,” says Olivia.
Flanking the living room fireplace, custom-made cabinets with caning are inspired by furniture from Yolind’s childhood home.
Filled with accent pillows in soft, touchable fabrics, a daybed in Yolind’s dressing room provides the perfect sleepover spot for grandchildren.
“Yolind wanted soft linens in a subdued palette that lend a relaxed vibe,” says Olivia.
Amid the neutral palette, a vibrant rug and accent pillows add warmth and color in the principal bedroom.
A cabinet beside the fireplace elegantly hides AV equipment. Blackout curtains are layered over blinds to provide jet lag–soothing darkness.
House & Home September 2021
Olivia Botrie, Dart Studio