As you consider the move to a retirement community like Woodlands, you may be curious about what your actual future home may look like. To describe what it’s really like, a few of our residents shared their stories and described how much of your home can be customized with the home customization options at Woodlands.
Minnie’s place: Enjoying “livable green” and living brightly
Since moving to Woodlands in November of 2017, Minnie Valentine says that she has been very happy with her choice. One of the reasons she enjoys her home at Woodlands so much is that she was able to choose some custom details to make her home as bright and airy as she desired.
“I like the bright look of the natural light that comes into the home,” Minnie said. “I chose light colors for the paint and countertops because I wanted an open feel. The paint color I chose is a pale green color called ‘livable green,’ which fits because it’s very easy to live with.”
Minnie chose custom touches seen here such as glass-fronted doors for the kitchen cabinets, and a paint color she likes called “livable green.”
While she enjoyed choosing her favorite paint color, bathroom tile and countertops to maximize the bright feel, Minnie’s favorite custom touch is in the kitchen. For the kitchen cabinets, Minnie chose glass-fronted cabinet doors.
“The white cabinets with the glass doors are my favorite,” Minnie said. “It’s a nice contrasting look and it’s easy on the eye.”
Minnie’s home isn’t the only bright part of her life at Woodlands, though. Minnie mentioned that her lifestyle has blossomed through meeting new friends, enjoying exercise classes and knowing that her children are very happy with where she now calls home.
Maxine and Jim: From “down to the studs” to “playing house”
Maxine and Jim Brammer moved into Woodlands in late 2017, and Maxine noted that they had some adjusting to do after moving from a house with four bedrooms to their smaller but comfortable home at Woodlands. The Brammers mentioned that while they don’t have as much space as they used to, they know that their home at Woodlands has just what they need. Being able to add some special, personalized touches to their new home, along with still having their prized possessions, makes it a great place for them to be.
“The big thing for us would be that it was a good, clean slate,” Maxine said. “We could select exactly what we wanted. What made it special was the items we were able to bring from our previous home. We brought our oriental rug, and our favorite furniture fits wonderfully.”
Maxine and Jim Brammer’s home has many of their favorite touches from their former house (like the oriental rug seen here), but was a perfect “clean slate” for where they are in life.
Maxine and Jim’s daughter, Angie Lovejoy, likes how her parents were able to start fresh while also making the space feel just like home.
“It’s a positive situation for them to be there. It’s like buying a new house for them,” Angie said. “Cabinets, paint, countertops, bathroom tile, kitchen tile, carpet – they picked it all out and got just what they wanted.”
Angie, who lives in Cincinnati, regularly visits Maxine and Jim at Woodlands in Huntington, and she often brings them gifts for their home. For example, Angie brought her parents some mirrors on a recent visit. To get help mounting the mirrors, Maxine placed a work order with the Woodlands maintenance staff, and the crew came that same morning
Now that she and Jim have lived there almost a year, Maxine shared one of her favorite moments from their new home: “One day I was sitting out on our balcony and just thinking, ‘this place is so pretty.’ We really feel at home here, and it’s like playing house!”
Artful touches for Wanda’s home, with a helping hand
Wanda Cummings is a former theater teacher, and she wanted her home to reflect a feminine yet classic aesthetic. Since Wanda obtained her home in June of 2018, she has received some expert help in creating the exact look she wants. Summer McGregor, a family friend and professional designer, assisted Wanda with curating furniture and decorating her new home.
“I shopped for her, hung wallpaper, helped with styling and did basically everything besides the window treatments,” Summer said. “I worked in conjunction with the team at Woodlands, making sure we had permission to make these custom touches, and they made it very easy. By the time Wanda moved in, everything was ready and just as she wanted.”
“Having the chance to see the apartments beforehand and seeing examples to choose from like carpet and paint, I thought that was a grand idea,” Wanda said. “I could make the choices of what I wanted and Summer helped pull it all together.”
One of the custom touches that Wanda likes most is a special wallpaper that Summer chose, which is based on a painting from a famous Dutch artist and adds a bold but classic touch to her home. Another European-style element is the chandelier that Summer chose for the home’s “turret” area, which is in the French provincial style.
Wanda chose a unique wallpaper, and her home was customized to reflect a feminine yet classic aesthetic.
“With the chandelier and the natural light coming in, there’s a really nice glow in the evening,” Wanda said of her new home.
Wanda’s home is tailored to her preferences, and so is her lifestyle at Woodlands. She mentioned that she is excited to have common interests with new friends and can stay socially active with hobbies she likes such as art, card games and movies.
With Minnie, Maxine and Jim, and Wanda in mind, it’s easy to see the possibilities for making your home just how you like it at Woodlands. Reading their stories is just the beginning though. Stop by for a visit to see for yourself – we’ll be happy to show you around! Simply click here, or call 304-697-1620 to get in touch.