Spending two weeks hunting through real estate listings, Presber was in search of the right condo—one that would speak to her creative side and click with her unique personality and sense of style.

She wanted something spacious and open—a place where she could work, live, and entertain without feeling inhibited or claustrophobic. 

While the walls and halls of the complex may not have been everything she hoped for, the moment she peered inside one of its units, she knew she was home.

A fashion designer and architect specializing in interiors, Presber radiates style, elegance and grace—three qualities she brings to life within the four walls of her 930-square-foot condo.

“I walked in here and I knew instantly this is what I wanted,” she said. “The bones of this place are really good and the place is open enough that you could change things if wanted to.”

Although the walls were painted what she refers to as “pastel raw meat,” she could see the potential of the spacious two-bedroom unit. With a love of cooking, one of the first things she fell in love with was the large kitchen. Featuring granite countertops, ceramic tile, an open wall concept ideal for entertaining, and “more cupboard space than I had stuff to fill them,” she was immediately won over.

She’s since painted over the “pastel raw meat” with a vibrant green which brightens the kitchen and gives the illusion of more space.

The next thing that caught Presber’s   discerning eye was the closed-in sunroom and adjoining outdoor balcony. The balcony allowed her the room for a small herb garden where she grows all her favourites, and she says the unique sunroom is ideal for quiet, candlelit dinners where she can gaze down on Calgary virtually undetected. “I really like eating dinner outside; it’s so tranquil.”

The sunroom and balcony are her roommates’ two favourite spaces, too. Her cats Mr. Maggie and Clyde enjoy lying down on the slate floor and sitting perched on the solarium’s banquet-style ledge.

While most of her family lives in suburban areas outside the downtown core, Presber was drawn to Calgary’s Beltline because of its vibrancy and proximity to work.

“I prefer the urban lifestyle,” said the 35-year-old. Whether she’s coming home from a busy day of work or drinks with her friends, Presber says she’s comforted knowing that if she’s walking home late at night she’s never alone, there are always other urbanites out on the street. 

Her taste for the urban lifestyle was cultivated while living in the U.S. and Italy. Originally from Calgary, Presber lived in Boston for ten years, where she attended post-secondary school and began her career as an architect. But it was her love of fashion that took her to Milan where she studied design. She returned to Calgary in August 2005.

Moving into her southwest condo in February 2006, Presber says finding the right location was crucial. She needed a place that would provide her with a sense of home and be the right space to do her work.

“I feel quite peaceful. You really need to find that inner peace place to be creative. I can be very centred when I need to be. The layout really works for me.”

Presber’s own aesthetic is very simple and clean. On a good day, her condo is clutter-free with hints of her personality hanging in the halls and in the bedroom. But when she’s creating, her condo becomes her studio. Designs, fabric, and tools litter her kitchen’s granite countertops, clothes hang on racks and are sometimes strewn across her furniture, and her office fills with paper and projects.

Lucky to be able to live and work within her condo, Presber admits she is looking forward to the day when she can look around and not see fabric samples or blue prints. Next year the up-and-comer is opening her own studio, showroom, and boutique space in Fashion Central, located on Stephen Avenue. For more information about Presber and her designs visit www.larapresber.com.