She explains how her almost 1,500 square foot two bedroom, two bathroom, plus den unit is “like the upstairs of the house” she used to own in Discovery Ridge until eighteen months ago.  “I’d only go to the basement to get something out of the freezer.  I hardly ever went downstairs!  And once the basement flooded, that was it!” she laughs.  She realized she was not using the space in her home, and did not want to be concerned about yard work or shoveling snow anymore.

Traveling often to the family farm at Candiac, Saskatchewan, and now having a planned trip to Thailand in early 2007, Diane has little to worry about since she moved into her condo.  “It was the best value for what I was spending,” she says. “It has increased in value since I bought it.”   The proximity to Griffin Park with its numerous pathways, plus the Elbow River, in addition to the high end finishing, number of bay windows, and the floor plan are some of her favourite things about her suite at The WedgeWoods of New Discovery. “I’m here because I like the light.  My condo is very comfortable to live in.”

The Chateaus at WedgeWoods, built by Statesman, is situated in the south west community of New Discovery.  Three buildings will make up the complex, with approximately two hundred units in each of the first two of the buildings with the third comprised of about one hundred fifty suites.  When the second building is complete, a gym and an eighty-five seat movie theatre will be enjoyed by the residents.

Initially, she bought a second floor unit “with trees within a hand’s reach out the kitchen window”.  Friends told her how close to nature she was.  However, she started to reassess her purchase and began to feel somewhat “claustrophobic”.  Diane rethought her decision and changed her mind about that unit.  When she saw this fourth floor suite with all its windows and the view, another friend told her, “You’re from Saskatchewan and need the wide open spaces!”

Spaciousness is exactly what she has found.  Her open, airy floor plan seamlessly combines family antiques with modern amenities.  From the photo lined foyer to the comfortable master bedroom, precious items from her grandparents and her parents are found.  “Everything is from the farm,” she says proudly.  “I had boxes full of things stored at my parents’ place.”  Years ago, “Dad threw out two boxes of my treasures, but fortunately, the rest were there and he kept them until I moved to Calgary in 1985.  I don’t know why I inherited it all.  Nobody really wanted it.”  Coming from a family with three siblings, her sisters had furniture.  “Nobody was taking it and people told me:  ‘You’ve got the antiques – you take them.’”

Her son now has his great-grandfather’s round table and “quite likes it”.  There are twelve grandchildren in her extended family and Diane wants each one of them to have the heirlooms some day.
“My decorating is me,” says Diane of her condo’s style.  In the guest room, or “Heritage Room”, friends and family discover paintings and photographs celebrating Diane’s rural roots.  “Mom and Dad’s furniture is in here:  the chest of drawers, double bed (with a new mattress), vanity and bench, plus Mom’s hope chest,” which was always in her parents’ bedroom.  Other precious, near to her heart items are her grandmother’s purse, two of her mother’s hats, an evening purse and gloves, as well as prayer books.  “I enjoy the sun in this room.  It is so nice in the morning.”

There is no in-suite storage, but Diane “doesn’t miss it.  I have many closets and could have had a storage cage above my car,” in the underground parkade, but she chose not to have one.  “You are forced to downsize.”  She used to have a bell collection, totaling over two hundred unique pieces, but has only kept ten.  “It started out with a school bell,” she says.

In her master bedroom, Diane wishes she had been able to change her walk-in closet slightly.  A linen closet door faces into her bedroom and she would have preferred it to be within the walk-in area.  Her grandfather’s dresser, with mirror, bureau and rocker coordinate nicely with Diane’s brass bed.  Her mother’s sewing machine and telephone table are also found in the large bedroom.  A funky camel saddle Diane brought back from Egypt is also here, offering a nice contrast to her Canadiana furnishings.

Other collectables found in Diane’s unit are situated in her kitchen and dining areas.  Milk bottles, a butter mold, paddles and bowl, plus churn adorn the upper birch cabinetry.  Offsetting the traditional furniture and accents are the modern stainless steel Whirlpool appliances.  Bright red glass shines alongside a teapot collection, above the cabinets.  Although she has a breakfast bar off the kitchen counter, she prefers to eat at the dining room table, also once belonging to her parents. 
Glass hurricane lamps and an antique clock grace the top of the stacked rock corner gas fireplace.

Diane has taken her beloved family heirlooms and combined them beautifully in her modern, yet traditional décor illustrating a sense of style befitting and honouring the past, yet celebrating the present.  “I am surrounded by the things I love.” CL