Located right on 9th Avenue S.E. in historic Inglewood, Cher purchased the space last May for around $700,000. She rents the street-level space out to a retail business, but kept the two floors above it for herself. She moved to the area from her previous home in Cochrane mainly because it offered a more central location — with easy access to downtown and Deerfoot Trail — for her home-based business, but also because it suited her personal style.

“I grew up on Whyte Avenue in Edmonton,” she says, “and wanted something similar. I love areas with character. And it’s the perfect live-work solution for me.”

There’s no denying Inglewood has plenty of character, and so does Cher’s loft-style condo. In fact, it’s probably one of the few true loft condos in town.

Featuring a little more than 1,800 square-feet of space on two floors, Cher’s completely renovated condo has recently been appraised as high as $1 million. But the magical transformation from ugly ducking to beautiful swan didn’t happen overnight, or without a lot of blood, sweat and even a few tears along the way. Floors had to come up, unique design features were added, and the entire kitchen absolutely had to go. Of course being in charge of her own interior design firm, Designing Spaces, didn’t hurt.

The results speak volumes. Entering the very ordinary looking building through the retail entrance at ground level, a thick steel door guards the stairway to Cher’s home. Reaching the top of the stairs is like stepping into a whole different world than the streetscape below. Natural light streams into the wide-open living space from two large windows overlooking 9th Avenue as well as several skylights in the ceiling. In summer, the windows can be opened and, simply by pushing a button on a remote control, retractable screens slide into place. The space over the living room is open to a nearly 20-foot ceiling. Two huge, industrial-style ceiling fans keep the fresh air circulating throughout and add to the warehouse-loft feel of the room.

A huge off-white wrap-around couch and shag throw rug complement the light-coloured bamboo hardwood flooring. Built-in wall units at each end of the room provide more than adequate storage for books and a place to put the flat-screen TV. A natural gas old-fashioned wood-burning stove adds warmth and charm to the room.

The kitchen is an eclectic mix of retro and modern styling. Shiny sky blue cabinets from Ikea lend the groovy retro look, while the granite island/eating bar and all-new Kitchen-Aid appliance package with matte stainless steel finish offer up the modern touches. Regular stainless steel “just shows too many fingerprints,” says Cher. In addition to the two (yes, two!) built-in ovens and huge refrigerator/freezer, the kitchen features another element seldom seen, even in larger custom-built homes — a wall-mounted dishwasher. “I’m six feet tall,” says the statuesque homeowner, “and I wanted the dishwasher at a height where I could just open it up, take clean dishes out and put them away without having to bend down.”

The stairs leading to the bedroom loft are finished in bamboo, with marble tile risers. Upstairs, Cher has her home office, which is separated from the bedroom area by a retractable wall, and an ensuite which doubles as the laundry room. The bedroom overlooks the living area, with a waist-high wall of glass blocks providing more than enough privacy. Built-in cupboards along one wall serve as a kind of walk-in closet. Again, sunlight streams into the rooms from no less than three separate skylights.

The ensuite is an oasis of luxury, with his and hers vanities and marble tile floors. It has a shower only, but what a shower it is! River rock flooring provides a perfect contrast to the black marble tile walls, while no fewer than five shower heads — including wall-mounted body sprayers — help wash away life’s worries.

As if Cher’s condo isn’t already cool enough, she’s got more plans — big ones. A steep stair/ladder leads to the roof, where she plans on building a fully screen-enclosed deck.

Of course, it helps that Cher does the marketing for the company that makes the screens, Suncoast Screen Enclosures. And, indeed, they sound like the perfect solution for the unpredictable Calgary climate. When finished, Cher’s sunroom, complete with screen roof, will keep out bugs, snow, rain, and 80 per cent of UV rays and wind. Not to mention the prying eyes of neighbours. You can see out, but they can’t see in.

“The views from up here are fantastic”, she says. “You have the river to the north and all of Inglewood and downtown to the west.”

What more could a girl need?  CL