Creating a Space to Retire on Vashon Island
A view from our own back door. We love seeing the deer stroll the beach.
As of 2014, we were one of the top 10 dreamy places to retire according to Huffington Post. It’s not surprising, really. We have a lovely small community. A trip to the grocery store usually means a hug from a friend or a familiar smile and wave. The natural environment here is blissful.
A forest, full of trails for biking, walking, horseback riding, and jogging occupies approximately the same footprint as New York’s Central park right in central Vashon. Add to that a lovely marine park, quite a few beaches , and wildlife one would never expect to see just 20 minutes from the convenience of Seattle.
We have a renowned art center, a garden club, a yacht club, a public pool and plenty of other amenities.
Our island is a haven. It is a perfect, quiet spot to settle down with permanence.
In the past eight years that we’ve been designing homes on Vashon, most of these homes have been for retirees, and we’ve made a few key observations about these experiences:
They are some of our favorite project types:
Retirees are ready to invest in their home and aren’t designing for resale. We love that we can put some true value into the space, rather than provide a “quick fix”. We also find that this age group is a bit more adventurous and ready to sit back and enjoy the process.
These projects often include relocation:
One would think that designing and building a home or home renovation would be stressful from a distance. However, we find that our relocating clients are more at ease. We provide regular site observations, which allows us to handle any emergencies that may arise without ever having to see them.
Errors happen on job sites, and living through construction and the process often comes with anxiety. Having a designer on site to ensure the design intent is carried through to the final touches means that our clients can arrive at a finished home without as much construction stress.
In terms of designing long-distance, we use multiple tools to enable you to envision your new space. We present virtually, and also create video recordings so that our clients can watch and rewatch the design presentations and take time to think about the options.
The design process is no different (aside from meetings often being virtually held):
While many would expect this post to be about “aging in place”, we take a slightly different approach and employ a “living in place” policy for all our design work. While one may be aging in place, younger clients have physical limitations as well, and considering people of different ages, abilities, and stature is key to providing a home that is functional for the homeowners, their guests, and family.
If you are planning to relocate to Vashon Island, we are happy to coordinate with your realtor (we know most of the realtors here!) and your contractor as well as any pre-construction surveys to ensure that this transition is as easy as possible.
It all starts with a plan- contact us to get this plan started, we’re eager to talk and hear about your island goals!
Waldron Designs, LLC are passionate about designing spaces that are rooted in their context and are responsive to the natural environment. Are you ready to create sustainable permanence with your home?
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