November 4, 2022
“We are happy here. We found a great location, are enjoying life in a friendly and thriving community, and are living in a home that we cherish,” expresses Jim & Pam Adams about their beautiful ground-floor apartment in the South Building.
A Move from Just Over the Hill
Jim and Pam moved to Kendal at Lexington from their nearby Lexington home in June 2021. “We were determined when we moved to our retirement apartment that it would be reminiscent of our previous home. The space would be elegant and uncluttered. It would serve our needs and make us comfortable for our remaining years,” they explained.
Perfecting the Process
As comfortable as the living space feels, the process of getting the space to that point was not without effort. It’s often complicated to “right-size” and create a new space in a way that feels like home. Fortunately, Jim and Pam knew whom to turn to for some extra help.
“We were lucky enough to know a local interior designer, Steve Robbins, who proved invaluable to the task. Most strikingly, Steve was able to help us differentiate between what we wanted to take with us and what we needed to take with us,” explained Jim.
Gorgeous Design and Personal Touches
The apartment has six main rooms- plus two bathrooms, a foyer, hallway, laundry room, and large closets. Jim and Pam share the apartment with two King Charles Spaniel dogs that always offer their happy-dance greeting to all who visit.
Once appropriately greeted by Carson and Bentley, the apartment flows to the left into the living room and a semi-open kitchen. Steve Robbins helped them decide what to bring, what colors to pair with their furniture, and how to design spaces throughout the apartment. According to Jim, “we designed and built a kitchen from the drywall out, added a four-season art studio where the screen porch had been, and completely renovated both bathrooms. Kendal provided a generous renovation allowance, but we chose to add our desired upgrades as we wished.”
A Space That Encourages Creativity
From the living area, you pass the den featuring two built-in desks and bookshelves across from each other into a beautiful sunroom that the Adams had built- replacing an original screen porch. Pam has turned this into a dream studio where she can create beautiful paintings. She is especially fond of painting “sensual” pears- as they call them. Jim laughs that he is always on the lookout for unusually shaped pears for her inspiration.
Jim is a gourmet chef and enjoys being in the kitchen. His kitchen is perfect for any home chef, featuring double ovens, a stove with a beautifully placed stainless hood, and plenty of storage space. Although they rarely host large dinner parties anymore, they have a wonderful seating area for four to host their many friends at KaLex. Pam brought her favorite set of china -which has been beautifully displayed- but has not been brought out yet. As Pam states, there is no reason at Kendal to host large or formal dinner parties, with the dining room being so convenient and delicious.
Bedrooms and Bath
Turning right on the opposite side of the foyer leads you to the sleeping areas, full laundry room, and bathrooms. Both bedrooms are large enough for large bedroom sets and dressers, and both large walk-in closets are designed to maximize space. The calm and elegant colors make for a beautiful retreat.
Pam and Jim use separate showers and, with the help of Steve Robbins, designed each of their bathrooms with what they loved in mind. Pam’s beautifully tiled shower reminds her of the tree shading from their previous home on Woods Creek.
Advice For Others?
Pam and Jim are extremely comfortable and happy in their new home. It didn’t come without some delays and the need for many decisions. However, they are grateful that the marketing and renovation team at Kendal at Lexington was open and helpful in working with them and Steve to make their dream retirement living apartment a reality.
Jim says, “My advice for others is to make an investment in what you love. You know you want to live here!”
“I’d suggest that you don’t want to wait. You’ll need energy to make the move,” laughs Pam.