Dvira Ovadia

{{Short description|Canadian interior decorator}} {{Infobox person | image = | name = Dvira Ovadia | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1979}} | birth_place = Israel, Tel Aviv | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Interior designer | education = B.Arch (University of Toronto) | spouse = | website = [http://www.dvira.com/ Dvira Ovadia Online] | children = }} '''Dvira Ovadia''' (born 1979 in Israel) is a Canadian television personality and an award-winning/celebrity designer. She is best known as winning<ref name=autogenerated1>[http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2007/03/c3830.html CNW Group {{!}} GLOBAL TELEVISION {{!}} 'From the Ground Up with Debbie Travis' selects Chief Designer]</ref> the 2007 show called ''From The Ground Up with Debbie Travis'' season two.<ref>[http://www.globeinvestor.com/servlet/story/CNW.20070803.C3830/GIStory 'From the Ground Up with Debbie Travis' selects Chief Designer]</ref> The show aired on Global TV May 31, 2007.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080531130310/http://www.canwestglobal.com/media/viewNews.asp?NewsroomID=599 Article title]}} The Global Television Season Premiere - From The Ground Up With Debbie Travis</ref> The show was re-aired on HGTV Canada<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hgtv.ca/ontv/titledetails.aspx?titleid=116726 |title=From the Ground up - Shows - HGTV Canada |access-date=2008-05-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928034829/http://www.hgtv.ca/ontv/titledetails.aspx?titleid=116726 |archive-date=2011-09-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref> in the spring of 2008. In spring of 2008, the show was also airing in the United States on the Fine Living Network, Sunday nights at 10EST.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.fineliving.com/fine/from_the_ground_up/0,3182,FINE_31357,00.html |title=From The Ground Up: Host Debbie Travis Searches For a Chief Designer |access-date=2008-06-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080602011124/http://www.fineliving.com/fine/from_the_ground_up/0,3182,FINE_31357,00.html |archive-date=2008-06-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Dvira Ovadia is also known for her weekly syndicated column which appears in many blogs which readers often write in to have their decorating questions answered.

== Early life and education ==

Dvira Ovadia was born in Israel in 1979 to a Russian-born mother and a father of Egyptian descent. Prior to moving to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where she currently resides, she lived in Brussels, Belgium for the most part of her youth. Having been exposed to various cultures has led her to appreciate and understand many different aspects of design.<ref>Chau, Lawrence. [http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/comment/article/15479 Travis protegé designs career] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531105628/http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/comment/article/15479 |date=2008-05-31 }}. Metro (Toronto), September 23, 2007</ref> She grew up loving puzzles and putting things together, she was quoted saying "As a child, I always loved design, whether it was fashion design or interior design or architecture."<ref name=autogenerated2>{{Cite web |url=http://www.postcitymagazines.com/2007-08/story_200708_DviraOvadia.php |title=Post City Magazines {{!}} August 2007, Dvira Ovadia by Jennifer Patterson |access-date=2008-05-28 |archive-date=2008-05-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531145415/http://www.postcitymagazines.com/2007-08/story_200708_DviraOvadia.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Ovadia began her design education with a B.Arch at the University of Toronto in 1998-2001 <ref>[http://www.cjnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12989&Itemid=86 The Canadian Jewish News - Canadian News in Brief-August 16]</ref> where she undertook a major in architecture and a minor in fine art history. She graduated with honors and obtained several diplomas in the technical design sector from Sheridan College in Toronto.

In 2002, Ovadia moved to New York to pursue a master's degree in interior design at the Pratt Institute,<ref>{{cite news |title= Travis Picks Ovadia |url=http://www.cjnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12989&Itemid=86|work=The Canadian Jewish News |date= 16 August 2007 |access-date=2008-05-28 }}</ref> New York City. She lived in New York for two years where she studied and worked at INARCH, an interior design firm.<ref>[http://www.inarch.net/ Inarch: Interior Architects Innovative Interior Design New York Asia] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090519054452/http://www.inarch.net/ |date=2009-05-19 }}</ref> After two years of living in New York City she returned to Toronto.<ref name=autogenerated2 />

== Career after ''From the Ground Up'', Season II ==

As a result of winning the show ''From the Ground Up'', season II, Ovadia was awarded the title of chief designer for Debbie Travis to design and develop a series of Debbie Travis condos and homes.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> Ovadia worked with Debbie Travis to develop 10 model homes for Tribute Communities, encompassing everything from interior design to furnishing and sourcing products from all over the world.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.towncrieronline.ca/main/main.php?rootsubcatid=&direction=viewstory&storyid=6718&rootcatid= |title=Town Crier Online - Your source for local Toronto news and community information |access-date=2008-05-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531160654/http://www.towncrieronline.ca/main/main.php?rootsubcatid=&direction=viewstory&storyid=6718&rootcatid= |archive-date=2008-05-31 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Dvira Ovadia has an established Design Firm servicing residential and commercial projects. She has a regular column in the Toronto Sun Newspaper called 'Living Life by Design', and writes for a variety of magazines from Reno & Decor, On the Go, Hoss magazine, Embark Magazine, Home Decor & Renovation. Dvira also had a weekly blog for Yahoo! Canada from 2008 to 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/home-garden/blog/dviraovadia/ |title=Yahoo! Lifestyles - Dvira Ovadia Blog |access-date=2010-06-24 |archive-date=2009-07-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090727142330/http://ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/home-garden/blog/dviraovadia |url-status=dead }}</ref> Dvira Ovadia was the Designer and Art director for eight (8) seasons of HGTV's Income property with host Scott Mcgillivray, who was also involved in From The Ground Up.,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hgtv.ca/incomeproperty/default.aspx |title=HGTV Income Property |access-date=2010-06-24 |archive-date=2011-09-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928034745/http://www.hgtv.ca/incomeproperty/default.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> Dvira has also designed for HGTV's 'The Unsellables',<ref>{{Cite web| url=http://www.hgtv.ca/theunsellables/ | title=The Unsellables | access-date=2015-05-26 | archive-date=2015-05-27 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527001059/http://www.hgtv.ca/theunsellables/ | url-status=dead}}</ref> 'Reno or Relocate'<ref>{{Cite web| url=http://www.hgtv.ca/renovsrelocate/ | title=About the show | access-date=2015-05-26 | archive-date=2015-05-27 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527021819/http://www.hgtv.ca/renovsrelocate/ | url-status=dead}}</ref> and has appeared as a guest expert regularly on City TV's 'Downright Domestic'.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Downright Domestic – Search Results – dvira | url=http://www.downrightdomestic.com/?s=dvira | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150527001746/http://www.downrightdomestic.com/?s=dvira | access-date=2025-04-26 | archive-date=2015-05-27}}</ref>

Ovadia often shares her design tips and trends in blogs and articles. She writes a seasonal trends guide for ''Jewish Magazine'', a Canadian publication.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.israelimagazine.com/previous_issue/emag.asp |title=Welcome to The Jewish Magazine |access-date=2008-05-28 |archive-date=2008-05-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531200258/http://www.israelimagazine.com/previous_issue/emag.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> In December 2007, she wrote an article for Yahoo! where she discussed the year's holiday trends for the season.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/home-garden/articles/decor-trends/yahoolifestyle/turn_holiday_decorating_traditions_upside_down |title=Turn holiday decorating traditions upside down - Décor & Trends - Home & Garden Article - Yahoo! Canada Lifestyle |access-date=2008-05-28 |archive-date=2007-12-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071215105115/http://ca.lifestyle.yahoo.com/home-garden/articles/decor-trends/yahoolifestyle/turn_holiday_decorating_traditions_upside_down |url-status=dead }}</ref> She also shared similar trends for the holiday season with Ontario Craft Brewers<ref>[http://www.ontariocraftbrewers.com/seasonal_tips.php Ontario Craft Brewers – Trends and Advice for the Holiday Season]</ref> and with ''Condo Guide'' magazine.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.newhomesandcondos.com/modules/magazine/archived.asp?AID=5971&MID=4&IDATE=1%2F7%2F2008&CMID=4&CIDATE=11%2F26%2F2007 |title=The Condo Guide Magazine Toronto |access-date=2019-07-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080531103838/http://www.newhomesandcondos.com/modules/magazine/archived.asp?AID=5971&MID=4&IDATE=1%2F7%2F2008&CMID=4&CIDATE=11%2F26%2F2007 |archive-date=2008-05-31 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.dvira.com Dvira official website] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20160310070849/http://jam.canoe.com/Television/TV_Shows/F/From_The_Ground_Up/2006/04/19/1540122.html Debbie Travis builds new home series] *{{imdb name|3190709}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ovadia, Dvira}} Category:Reality show winners Category:Participants in Canadian reality television series Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian interior designers Category:Canadian women designers