He now wants to expand his business by “getting people and their homes organized and dabble further into interior design.”

His five year old loft condominium in Inglewood is a testament to his sense of organization and design. It is approximately 1,200 square-feet in size, including his basement, with a single car garage in the back of the thirteen-unit complex.

“I used to live in Mission in an 800 square-foot conversion on the third floor. I wasn’t even looking to move, but a friend brought me over here and I thought this place was awesome! If I could have kept my place in Mission, I would have rented it out while living here. It was tough to move two years ago because I loved Mission. I don’t like what is happening there, though.

Mission seems to be losing its character: buildings and cute little houses are being knocked down and the developments being put up are really affecting its sense of community.” He explains how he misses Mission once in awhile, but how he has found Inglewood to be perfect for him now. “I love Inglewood. It is so close to downtown I feel like I live downtown. I can see myself living here for a very long time.”

Darcy’s unit shows a modern, minimalist, yet somewhat eclectic style. It is filled with finds from garage sales, personal pieces of art, as well as one painting he found about ten years ago while walking to his friend’s place on a snowy night when living in the Mission area. It has since found a place of prominence above Darcy’s brushed steel gas fireplace. He is contemplating moving and refinishing the fireplace this summer. “I want to get a more modern insert. Right now it does not have the modern look I am trying to achieve.” In front of the fireplace are three large glass vases that can be filled with different decorative accents, depending upon the season.

Darcy has a large glass collection. He has numerous clear blown glass vases and containers above his kitchen cabinetry, black glass atop his island, and milk glassware (again found at a garage sale, purchased specifically to match his wax and ink painting) located on a shelf on the way to the basement. Other pieces of multi-coloured glassware including bowls, are found in his office in two wooden cases amongst books and other collectables. This fall, he hopes to attend the Alberta College of Art and Design to learn glass blowing.

In the almost two years since he has lived in his home in Inglewood, he has added all the condo’s window coverings, including floor to ceiling white sheer curtains in the two storey great room, as the well as coordinating curtains in his private loft bedroom. He has also worked on the kitchen by increasing the size of his moveable stainless steel topped island, which seats three, as well as the upper cabinetry. Both use white lacquered doors and glass. Darcy has additional plans including new flooring, new lower cabinets and a full sized range. He added “iridescent silver wall paper with a floral silhouette motif from Maria Tomas” between the cooking area and lounge, located behind his compact, yet efficient kitchen.

The basement was “orange and purple when I moved in,” Darcy says. His home had two previous owners. “Working with some clients recently, I discovered that I bought their brother’s house! It’s such a small world!” he laughs. Utilizing a very unique wall covering, actually fabric used to shape furniture before it is upholstered, is found on his walls of the office and in the computer area, including ceiling. “It reminded me of a Jackson Pollock painting and I feel like it’s warmed up the spaces in the basement,” he adds. “It is made from recycled fabric and I love the texture!” Darcy installed it himself.

Two identical desks from IKEA are used downstairs: one in the computer room and the other in his office. Both have glass tops to give the “illusion of more space, giving the basement a feeling of being light, large and fresh,” he explains. Another round glass table is close by as is Darcy’s drafting table. One wall displays his “inspiration board”, including projects he has worked on in the past six months. “I’ll keep adding to it.”

A full bath with shower, laundry facilities and additional storage complete the lower level. Darcy has creatively handled storage by utilizing a variety of sizes of boxes with another floral pattern and from the opposite side of the lowest level of his home, looks like wallpaper. Within the computer area, more boxes are used to house his reference library, as well as additional paper work. “I keep between five and six years’ worth of magazines and I will have to start purging.”

Darcy’s pride and joy is his light fixture above the foyer. “My favourite place in my house is the two-storey open space. I used to wonder if I’d ever find the right space for the light, having bought it at a garage sale—for $30—when I lived in my 800-square-foot condo in Mission. I originally made a tripod for it then, but when the electrician put the light up here, I just stared at it for hours!”

Everything in its place and a place for everything: a motto that describes Darcy perfectly!