I recently was having a conversation with our publicist, Sabrina Velandry.  ‘Recently’ probably isn’t quite the right word, as we speak to each other at least once a day, probably more like several times a day.

In this particular conversation, Sabrina was relaying to me her father’s take on the NECN Dreamies.  Her father, Phil, is retired, in his mid-60s and lives on Boston’s North Shore with his wife of 40 + years;  in short, he is indicative of our base, our firm’s largest demographic, that of course being the Baby Boomers (who incidentally are *the* most expansive demographic, with 72 million strong, and strangely a largely ignored consumer.)

Our project was featured with two other finalists.  The first two were gorgeous, heirloom, to-die-for homes.  One was located in Newport, and the other an enormous and ornate estate in Dover, New Hampshire.  Each boasted an impressive square-footage of living space, and each contained custom millwork and exquisite craftsmanship throughout.  One of the homes in particular took four years to accomplish.

Then, last, but not least our home was featured.  Our project, a seaside cottage is barely 1000 sq feet.  The time to accomplish the gut renovation?  13 weeks flat.  The home, our first to showcase in full, our Design for Life ™ theory throughout, was created so a widowed woman, living alone, could live fully and independently in her own home.  This meant, among other things, installing a curbless shower, an induction cook-top that shuts off on its own, energy-efficient LED track lighting through out that leads the occupant to either the bathroom or an exit, and finally, built-in washer/dryer set that is conveniently located three steps from the master bed (sheets in need of laundering can be pulled from the bed, stuffed into the washer, and then plopped onto the counter after they’re dry in four easy motions).

Phil couldn’t help but notice; “The comparison of the other homes to Andie’s was striking. While the first two homes were eye candy, almost fine-art-like with their grandeur and composure, the last home featured, was something you watched and thought, I could have that.”

Phil went on to say, “the home, it’s like a gift that pays it forward again and again.” 

Design for Life ™ homes are often built for those in their second half of their life.  However, the design and technology we incorporate into our projects, such as the touch-less faucets with auto-set on the temp, to prevent scalding, can be flipped to suit the other end of the age spectrum brilliantly:  no more worrying about whether your child is going to burn himself, or leave the water on.

“I love the idea”.  Phil continued, “The initial investment pays for itself in spades in the form independence, autonomy and peace-of-mind.  Children, with parents in their 60s, 70s 80s and beyond can rest easy knowing the home their folks live in is, quite literally, caring for them.  And the parents enjoying it?  Well, they get to pay it forward.  Rather than a lifetime of savings being sucked dry from a nursing home (which can run anywhere from 3K to 10K a month), the home becomes more than an heirloom, a comfortable and accommodating living space that children and grandchildren can enjoy  for years to come”.

“It’s something I could really see doing, an investment to myself and wife, but something I would feel great about passing down to my Grandchildren.”

Authored by Andie Day and Sabrina Velandry.

Andie Day is not your typical designer.  She wants to create beautiful spaces that her clients will love, but her true passion lies in designing with a purpose.  Andie is on the forefront of the design philosophy called Adaptable Design (AD), which can perhaps be best described as the softer, more accessible,  and aesthetically pleasing movement that encompasses both Universal Design and Aging In Place.  AD is functional, environmentally responsible, and will be self-sustaining with little need for extensive remodeling and retrofitting to accommodate the different stages of life.  All this and she wants to be sure that we all know that Adaptable Design can also be beautiful and sophisticated!  I had the pleasure to interview Andie to find out about her philosophy and why her message is so important - especially now.

Thanks so much for speaking with me today, Andie.  Let’s start off with how you got interested in design in the first place.

Back in 2000, my husband and I decided to build home.  We had a blended family with five kids – all with specific needs.  We needed a balance of public and private areas since we wanted to make sure everyone had their own space.  It was challenging to find that balance and to create a home that was functional for everyone.  We worked with a fabulous architect out of Ipswich - David Mehlin, AIA.  He was relaxed, patient and he guided us through the process in a fun and interesting way.  Through this experience it became apparent that I had the skill set to work in design.  I had started taking design courses 20 years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter but family life took over and it was put on the back burner.  Working to design my own home re-ignited my passion.

You are really trying to take design to a whole new level by focusing on “Adaptable Design.”  Could you explain what this means?

Yes, I believe it’s critical that we focus on Adaptable Design and adopt its philosophy as our new standard when building, remodeling and designing.  Adaptable Design has a basis in functionality – so creating a home that can easily change with you as your needs change.  Whether you are a young family with small children, a person with varying degrees of ability or a middle-aged couple trying to juggle kids in college while also caring for aging parents – your home should alleviate some of your burdens not add to them.  It also encompasses the “Aging-in-Place” philosophy where the elderly can safely stay in their homes, rather than go to a nursing home or assisted living facility.  Adaptable Design follows the circle of life by creating a space that is functional, beautiful and nurturing.

What led you to focus on Adaptable Design?  Did you have an “aha” moment?

Yes, I did actually. Back when I worked at an interior design firm in the Greater Boston area, tragedy struck a colleague of mine. A gorgeous 57 year old and former model, my friend was extremely vibrant and outgoing.  Sadly her life changed dramatically in one five minute span. While walking outside of our office, she was hit by a car driven by an elderly man. Although the man thought he was braking, his foot was actually on the accelerator. The momentum of the vehicle drove my friend through the exterior concrete wall. Had it not been for her height, it is doubtful she could have survived such an impact.  My friend was rushed to the hospital where she remained for many months and lost her leg above her knee.

When my friend returned home the remaining devastation of the accident revealed itself; navigating through her beautiful two-story home proved to be very challenging. Fitted with a new prosthesis, my friend found her stairway too steep, her hallways too narrow and the appliances almost inaccessible. What she had once considered a haven from the outside world became a significant source of stress and anxiety. On my first visit with my friend, I witnessed her struggles firsthand. I saw the difficulty she had with daily tasks due to the home’s layout and I desperately wished to help her.  This feeling became the basis for my philosophy of “design for life”.

Then, on the other hand, we have the elderly man who hit her.  He should not have been on the road as he had a number of previous accidents while at the wheel.  He accidentally over-medicated resulting in his extreme disorientation. Had the proper equipment been installed in his home; such as an automated medication dispenser, perhaps the horrific accident could have been avoided. This served as my second "aha" moment to my design philosophy. It is important to incorporate adaptable design concepts that will enable us to be more independent as we age.

We have no idea what we will encounter in the future. We plan for the best but we must also plan for the events that alter our life’s journey.

What do you see as the future for Adaptable Design?

I see it moving in this direction.  I hope that new construction will eventually be mandated to be designed accessibly – so we’re not wasteful and don’t have to keep remodeling and retrofitting.  However, in the near future it will all be retrofitting.

Continued in Part 2 ...