Approaching their suite, you’re awed by the large glass-block framed front door. Sue admits that when they first came to see the condo, the front door definitely made an impression. “When we stepped off the elevator, walked down the hall and saw it, it was like, ‘Wow!’”

Wow, indeed. This swanky home isn’t what one might expect in the southwest community of Erlton, tucked just off traffic-ridden Macleod Trail, near the not-so-glamourous Erlton LRT station.

But the community is becoming home to many lush homes, taking advantage of the central location and proximity to the Elbow River. Inside the couple’s home, which they share with their cat, Leo, it’s tranquil and calm, with no indication that one of the busiest strips in Calgary is literally a block away. With its big windows, the expansive open layout of the 1500 square feet. corner unit home is both airy and welcoming. From the front entry, you can take in the span of the entire common area—the kitchen equipped with built-in appliances flows easily into the dining area, then into the generous living room.

Given that both Sue and Jesse are “huge fans” of before-and-after home design shows, it’s no wonder they quickly set to work styling their own home. Built in 1998, the condo didn’t become theirs until September of 2004. The previous owners must have been big sports aficionados as the entire home was covered in sports memorabilia when they bought it. Since moving in, Sue and Jesse have taken the condo from sportsman pub to a sleek, sophisticated space.

When asked to describe the style of their home, Jesse says: “Designer boy.” Then he elaborates. “I think it’s toned-down contemporary. It had to be comfortable so we wanted to warm things up and not be ultra contemporary.” The rich dark hardwood floors complement the cool neutral tones of the walls and cabinetry, giving the home a modern and relaxing feel.

The couple also knew that condo living was what they wanted; they are definitely not strangers to it. Prior to the Erlton condo, they had been living in a condo in Mission together, after Sue sold her own condo in Marda Loop. “This was the hop, skip and jump of condos for us,” she laughs.

“We really like condo living,” she adds. “When I was single, I wanted a condo for security reasons, and for the low maintenance. Now, I can’t go back. There are trade-offs; we could have a really nice house outside of the core for the cost of this place, but its central location is important to us.”

Their home is in the first building of a three-phase project, with more than 200 units in all. The balcony looks onto a beautiful private courtyard, plus it gives them access to amenities that most condo owners can only dream about.

“A lot of the draw was the amenities,” says Jesse, who currently runs his design firm, Defrost Design Works, from the home. They’ve turned the second bedroom into a funky, creativity-inspiring home office. “Because I have my home business, it’s great that there’s actually a boardroom available to me in the other building, where I can have meetings—it’s a full-on conference room. There’s another room with a big-screen TV and Internet connections. Plus, there’s also a billiards room, which we thought was pretty neat. None of the other places we looked at had anything like this; you just got your suite, that’s it. And of course, we really like the fountain and courtyard too.”

And that’s not even mentioning the granddaddy of all amenities—the carwash. “We bought a new car at about the same time as this place,” explains Jesse. “I love that there’s a carwash. It’s way convenient.”

For Sue, who works in marketing and business development, location was important so that she was close to her place of work. “We didn’t want to leave the inner city. I walk to work and all of Jesse’s clients are downtown.” Being central was important, but equally important was being on a quiet street. Sue did not want to live along a busy street and deal with the noise and grime. “Our old condo in Mission was on a main drag. I would lie awake at night wondering how I would ever get used to it, especially when the Flames were in the playoffs or during the Stampede,” she remembers. “And everything got covered in dirt!”

On top of the location, the condo’s interior components really make it home for Sue. “I love the layout,” she says. “It feels really homey. I’ve moved a lot, and this is the first place that feels homey to me. It feels more like a house than a condo with a hallway to the bedrooms, and the open concept with the kitchen and living room.”

“The floor plan was the have-to-have, and the amenities were the icing on the cake,” affirms Jesse. “For me, choosing a home was more about what I didn’t want—radiators, windows all on one wall—this place doesn’t have those things.”

“And, we have a great ensuite. Our old place had a tiny bathroom, so this is just great. It’s my favourite room!” Sue confesses.

“Plus, I like the high ceilings,” she continues. “It adds to the feeling of spaciousness. We also have a front entry here. Other condos like our old one, there were about four tiles.”

All in all, it’s obvious how happy Sue and Jesse are with their classy condo. Radiant heating, two full bathrooms, stylish design, open concept, heck, even a carwash—what’s not to love?   CL