The main level consists of Catharine Studio Art Gallery, Dave’s working and exhibition space. It’s named after Cathy, he explains. “We both worked hard for this, but I couldn’t have done it without her.” The name is also intentionally singular. “As if she’s an entity on her own,” Dave elucidates. The whitewashed space is lively and colourful. Canvas upon canvas of Dave’s work fills the room, and there is an atmosphere of creativity.

Dave describes his work as abstract impress­ionism, working with oil on canvas.

His subject matter is wide in scope, from raging horses and totems to non-traditional landscapes. He has been pursuing art for over 20 years, and his work features in private and corporate collections across Canada, the U.S. and Europe. The studio also showcases funky tailor-made handbags by Cathy. Cathy, a nurse at Canadian Blood Services, uses the bags as her creative outlet, giving them her signature look through spontaneous decor­ation with old ’50s buttons. “My purses are original designs based on my imagination. I would never create the same purse twice—too boring,” she explains.

A flight of stairs joins the ground- level studio to the first-floor main living area. No space is wasted on the burgundy walls—assorted shapes of canvas are scattered seem-­ingly helter-skelter, making for a stimulating ascent, and setting the warm tone of the home. The first level consists of an open plan kitchen—dining area and lounge. Cathy and Dave have turned the kitchen into something beyond pure function—it is a living artwork in itself. Bored of the conven­tional wood and linoleum look, they rip-p­ed off kitchen cupboard doors here and there, and, as Cathy loves the colours, painted the insides primary red, blue and yellow. The result is a living space reminiscent of Piet Mondrian’s De Stijl work, Com­po­sition in Red, Blue and Yellow.

Intentionally or not, crockery of synchronized colours decorates the shelves, making for a stunning effect. “It’s about colour,” Dave explains of their choices. The kit-­chen flows into the living room and lounge area. It is here that the loft feature becomes noticeable, with the ceiling extending up two stories, creating an airy, spacious atmos-­phere. A wall of windows and two French doors opening onto a wrought iron balustrade amplifies this feature. Hanging in one of the windows is a piece made by Cathy—intimate objects, such as ticket stubs, pennies and pressed flowers, pressed between 12, four-by-six-inch frames of glass, form a sort of memory box for the couple.

Dave says it may be his favourite work in the whole room, which is some prestige considering the splendid and sizeable canvases making their way up the walls of the split-level room. One black-and-white diptych of Dave’s is par­-ticularly engaging, together taking up the most part of a wall. “There’s a constant state of flux,” says Dave. “We’re always changing the paint-ings. We’ve designed the place with art in mind,” he continues, adding that no room is ever complete without a sculpture. “When you have art to put up, there should always be a big feature to work around,” he says. His big feature hangs above the French doors in the lounge, facing onto what is officially the bed-­room. “This is Dave’s best work,” says Cathy. “I love it, because as the light changes, different things come out of the picture.”

The cosy bedroom, which doubles as Cathy’s workspace, overlooks the lounge. The area is comfortable and simple, and like the rest of the house, personalized by a presence of art. The most striking element is the wall of glass bricks that back onto the shower in the ensuite bathroom. The shower itself is a fantastic feature, large, angular and airy, made unique by it’s ceiling of heavy glass with a bubbly, shattered effect. Combined with the glass brick wall, it gives one the effect of being under-­water. The bathroom embodies Cathy and Dave’s palate for the distinct and colourful—deep violet walls are contrasted against a red coun-­tertop, with a circular aluminum sink. And, of course, the room wouldn’t be complete with­out a prominent piece of Dave’s artwork tying it all together.

Their bedroom leads up to what Cathy and Dave consider as one of the most stellar features of their place—a rooftop patio. The patio is currently under construction, but soon to be finished, and the couple eagerly anticipates the pristine view they will have.

Their nine-unit complex, Atlantic Plaza, is conveniently situated off Inglewood’s main road. The area is zoned as a residential-commercial mix; a factor Dave says has both pros and cons. There are higher taxes appropriate to a commer-cial space, he says, but numerous perks that make up for it. They share the complex with Capo, an acclaimed restaurant that has recently been featured in Air Canada’s in-flight magazine, En Route. Also within walking distance are hotspots Village Cantina, Club Paradiso and the Ironwood Bar and Grill, whose live enter-­tainment Dave and Cathy often enjoy.

Walking is a pleasure that both Cathy and Dave enjoy—and they appreciate the imme-diacy of all their necessities being within reasonable distance. Cathy elects to walk to work every day, and says it doesn’t take her longer than 45 minutes to get downtown. The zoo is a quick hop over the bridge, and there is some park space nearby if they feel like a breath of fresh air, or a convenient picnic. Cathy des-­cribes the area as a “family-type community,” and cites the ringing bells at a nearby church as a familiar comfort that gives the area the charm that she loves.

Dave takes an active part in the fate of the com-­plex, and is involved in upkeep and decision-making. “The most important thing you can be as a condo owner is involved. If you’re involved, you can make positive change,” he says. “ We’re really empowered to make this the best place to live in Calgary—and it can be.”