Walk into Marian Ericson's apartment home at Fox Run, an Erickson Senior Living community in Novi, Mich., and you'll be greeted by her colorful, eclectic décor - and personality.
"Nothing in my place matches!" Marian says, with a laugh.
At Erickson Senior Living communities, residents appreciate the support for creating beautiful spaces where they can live the carefree retirement they've always imagined.
"So, why would I want it to look like everybody else's?" quips Marian of her three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath apartment home.
Working with Fox Run's Custom Interiors team, Marian personalized her home by requesting new lighting, unique cabinetry, kitchen upgrades, and more.
She adds, "How do you feel at home if your home doesn't reflect you?"
What suits you
Some may choose a one-bedroom apartment home, knowing that they will spend most of their time out and about, enjoying the community's amazing amenities and social activities, which are easily accessible via climate-controlled walkways.
Others, like Marian, choose a larger multibedroom apartment home with plans of transforming a space into an office, craft room, or guest room.
"When people move to a senior living community, they want a home that suits their new lifestyle," notes Sales Director Allison Murphy. "After years of maintaining rarely used spaces, they appreciate a thoughtfully designed living space that perfectly meets their wants and needs. Plus, no more costly house repairs or maintenance - indoors or outdoors!"
Plan, plan, plan!
Before moving into her apartment home, Marian planned the purpose and layout of each room, envisioning what pieces of furniture would come with her.
The primary bedroom, which is spacious enough to encompass her home office, fits plenty of furniture - her king-size bed, armoire, two chests, a desk, and chair. The second bedroom serves as her guest room, accommodating family and friends who come to visit.
The third bedroom, her personal favorite, acts as both a TV room and a craft room, where she does all of her projects and puzzles.
"It's really cozy!" she says. "And I can leave my projects out, which is awesome because when guests arrive, the rest of my place looks immaculate."
Customize your space
Once her rooms were planned out, she contacted Fox Run's Custom Interiors team with a long list of requests - all of which they were more than happy to fulfill.
In the kitchen, a new backsplash, pull-out shelving, and adjustable pantry shelves were installed. To create more organization, cabinets were placed in the laundry room. New blinds and recessed lighting were added in a number of rooms. Lastly, custom closet shelving was added to optimize her storage space.
"The process was great!" says Marian, who also headed a few projects herself.
She sourced and purchased mirrors, light fixtures, and towel hooks for each bathroom. And because she liked different cabinet pulls, she bought those and put them in the kitchen and the bathrooms by herself.
Finally, she's painted almost all of her apartment home - by choice. "It's easy to have someone else do it, but I find it very relaxing to paint," she explains.
More outside your door
Nowadays, Marian makes the most of her upgraded kitchen by baking different kinds of bread for her neighbors, new and old.
"Sometimes, I just bake a whole bunch and walk up and down the halls like Little Red Riding Hood," says Marian. "People laugh when they see me doing it, but they still eat it!"
And when she's not baking away or spending time in her craft room knitting blankets for one of her 15 grandchildren or five great-grandchildren (with another on the way in July), you might find her making pickles with her friend Marge Edwards, volunteering around the community with her dog Luqa, or visiting her garden plot.
Oh, and on Friday nights, Marian plays shuffleboard. "We laugh, we joke, and we just have the best time. Nobody cares who wins. It's just some fun!" she says.
For many Fox Run residents, Marian included, personalized apartment homes are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what they enjoy about retirement living at Fox Run.
"There are just so many things that make you feel like you're part of a close community," notes Marian.
Invest in your future self at Fox Run. From top-notch amenities to affordable, maintenance-free apartment homes, you are sure to live your retirement to the fullest. Request more information today!