"We’re never going to a retirement home!”
How many Baby Boomers can remember their great-grandparents, grandparents, and even their parents making vehement declarations at family gatherings? And, back then, the elders might have had good reasons.
But now, in the last year of the second decade of the 2000s, the children and grandchildren of those Boomers are just as likely to hear this happy declaration: “We can’t wait to move to our retirement home!”
Indeed, times and sentiments regarding third-act housing have changed dramatically – and clearly for the better – as Boomers transition out of their working years and into a more carefree and active new lifestyle.
Options for stylish retirement living abound in Berks. Among those, The Highlands at Wyomissing is a standout.
Big Decision, Moving On
Retired Dr. Anton Kleiner and his wife, Diana, made the decision to move to a cottage at The Highlands four years ago. Though “giving up” their home of 39 years on Garfield Avenue in the borough where they had raised their three sons was a bit bittersweet, the couple knew it was time for a change.
The “boys,” now men with their own families, do not live locally. The Kleiners, then in their late 60s and in great health, wanted to be proactive and age in a way that would not put undo stress on their children and grandchildren down the road. The Highlands, which offers the broad continuum from independent living to skilled care, was just the ticket.
“The first consideration was long-term health care,” says Tony who, as an OB-GYN, had spent his entire career practicing medicine and had “the realization that health generally doesn’t improve with age.”
The second was more immediately practical and wearying: the continuing challenges of home maintenance.
“I was getting tired of being a homeowner,” he says. “A full roof replacement was the coup de grace.”
The couple was determined, however, to find something compatible to their home that would enhance their very busy lives. The answer was the cottages at The Highlands.
For more than a year, the Kleiners were on the “wait list.” With the first call of a cottage’s availability, they were not yet ready to move. But a few months later, and with the availability of the cottage they now occupy, the Kleiners decided the time was right.
In a six-month span, from February 2015 when the contract with The Highlands was signed to the August 2015 move, the Kleiners had a lot to do. Their house was placed on the market with the attendant downsizing of furnishings, collectibles, art and household items to accomplish, and, in the midst of it all, the marriage of their youngest son occurred in late May.
Constructive Choices
And there was one more big thing: the outfitting of their new home. Construction was part of their retirement living adventure.
“We always say we are glad we never built a home,” says Tony, “but this came pretty close.”
Their three-bedroom cottage, though previously occupied, was pretty much laid bare and ready to be made the Kleiners’ own.
Though neither had a design background, they took on the task with commitment – and on a relatively tight schedule.
“We had about a good three months, really, to get this place ready,” Diana says.
The beautiful results showcase their creativity and hard work – and also reflect the feeling of their former home.
“When our friends first came to visit, they said: ‘This is your home; you moved it,’” says Diana.
The wall-to-wall carpet was dispatched and hardwood floors installed. Area carpets from their previous home were placed.
Many of their Federal-style furnishings came along. A grandfather clock, a wing-back chair, a high boy, Chippendale chairs, and two well-loved period sofas create a cozy setting – although the large living room boasts a lofty 14-foot ceiling, a large fan window above a wide picture window, and sliding French doors that open to a full patio. Built-ins by Boyertown Millworks’ Tom Wentzel, a Wyomissing High classmate of their sons, flank the fireplace and provide the settings for cherished mementoes and books.
The master bedroom, sited a few feet past a small hallway off the living room, with privacy afforded by pocket doors, is anchored by a four-poster bed topped by a crocheted canopy. The attached master bath is painted a soothing dove gray. The bench-seat shower and black granite-topped double-sink vanity are offset by surrounding white subway tile and small black-and-white checkered tile flooring. Polished-nickel fixtures, also featured in the guest bathroom, powder room, and entirely refurbished kitchen, serve as a unifying factor.
The old builders’ grade kitchen, replete with convincing 1990s décor, is a thing of the past. Tall white traditional country-inspired cabinets now reach to the ceiling, providing lots of storage. Grooves in the Corian countertops and shelving allow for the display of their redware collection. A primitive farmhouse table is placed next to a trifecta of windows with plenty of bench and chair seating to accommodate visiting family and friends. The herringbone-pattern brick floor enhances the country feel. Just outside the windows, a clearly popular hummingbird feeder offers avian entertainment.
All new GE stainless steel appliances have garnered the couple’s culinary approval. Still, there is one well-worn kitchen necessity in clear view: a vintage Revere Ware copper-bottom coffee percolator.
“That’s always been how we make our coffee,” says Diana, noting the ongoing challenges of replacing the percolator’s glass top over the years.
Storage in the spacious two-car garage (larger than the garage on Garfield) is helpful in keeping some things, including seasonal items. A large wooden sideboard doubles as a pantry, as the garage is just off the kitchen.
Lightening Up
Throughout the cottage, new light fixtures, accented with the same polished-nickel finish as the plumbing fixtures, were also added. In the living room, the existing fixtures on either side of the fan window were ditched entirely. Now innovative continuous lighting glows from the crown molding. The lighting source, though LED, provides a surprisingly soft golden ambience. The molding, following the perimeter of the room, does nothing to take away from the lofty 14-foot ceiling. Indeed, the upward directed illumination makes the expansive living room seem bigger.
The crown molding, like all the woodwork in the living room and kitchen, is done in a color called Pavestone, a Sherwin-Williams product selected by Tony. Woodwork in the bedrooms, hallway and entryway is painted in a traditional soft white. Considering the character statement made by quality woodwork, the Kleiners also opted to incorporate raised-panel accents in the entryway as well as installed new raised-panel doors throughout.
The sizeable entryway features a trayed ceiling and herringbone-pattern brick floor. The extra-wide front door is bordered by sidelight windows to brighten the space. Simple items including a primitive chair, table, basket and paintings afford an introduction to the Kleiners’ home décor.
A powder room off the entryway features gray beadboard and an English Arts and Crafts-inspired wallpaper in complementary hues of gray, gold and orange from Trustworth Studios Wallpapers in Boston, MA. The company relies on the designs of CFA Voysey, reproduced from a variety of sources.
Tony is the creative guy behind much of the interior design.
“I’ve always had an interest in art in one form or another,” he says.
Both he and Diana take special joy in the historical wall hangings and art throughout the house.
A Bit of Ben
At the top of that list, hanging in the interior hallway, is a framed June 14, 1764, edition of The Pennsylvania Gazette published by Benjamin Franklin. That issue, No. 1851, was printed as The Stamp Act was topping the news and causing distress throughout the Colonies. Tony’s late brother collected Franklin memorabilia, including an item with an original signature.
Nearby is a print featuring the classic Max Erhmann poem Desiderata. The prose — intending to reinforce the characteristics of kindness, respectfulness, acceptance and honesty — is dear to the couple.
Also dear is the beautiful quilt covering the guest room bed, a masterpiece of the craft made by Diana’s late mother. The room also features a small writing desk and chair, as well as an oil painting of a wood duck by Russell Henry of Birdsboro. Henry, who is best known for his pottery work, dug his own clay from the Hay Creek area to craft his creations. The Kleiners have a variety of his master works, including plates, pitchers and mugs.
The third bedroom was repurposed by Tony to be the couple’s den. He removed a closet to accommodate a well-loved piano. A large family portrait, taken at youngest son Matthew’s wedding in 2015, is the focal art of the room and placed immediately above the flat-screen television. Two comfortable leather recliners provide seating for relaxed viewing. A computer station is at the far end of the den.
Artwork throughout the house arcs from a century or two in the past, including a Blousy Angel fraktur dating to about 1807 and a vintage French engraving of Notre Dame Cathedral, to works by their sons.
Their oldest son, John, now a private university school teacher, and middle son, Peter, an architect, traveled together during their college years for a five-week art history course in Greece. Watercolors by both of European and local scenes are proudly displayed by their parents.
The Great Outdoors
The views outside the Kleiners’ cottage are every bit as inspiring as their art collection.
The large windows in the kitchen, living room, and master bedroom all front open green space, park land essentially. The brick patio off the living room, bounded by annual and perennial flowers and herbs tended by Tony, leads right into the lawn area. Though the cottages are connected in a duplex manner, the configuration is so innovative and private that each unit has the feel of a single home. Indeed, just a few hundred yards away from the Kleiners’ patio is the old farmhouse, once the center of agricultural life on the acreage that is now The Highlands.
Diana and her sons often enjoyed bike rides from their old home to the area near the farmhouse and a small structure known as “Ruth’s Bridge.” Those memories are only enhanced by new ones made near the same site, including Easter celebrations with their three sons, their spouses, and the four grandchildren marked by boisterous egg hunts on the sweeping lawn.
The cottages community – and farmhouse residents (also part of that group) – have become close-knit. Those neighbors gather the first Wednesday of each month for cocktail parties, with each taking a hosting turn.
“We’ve made many new friends here,” says Diana.
There are also a number of lifelong friends, many of them professional colleagues, who reside at The Highlands. Chief among them is Tony’s former OB-GYN partner, Dr. Gerald Malick, and his wife, Sydney.
Tony and Sydney share a passion for gardening, and both spend a good deal of time in The Highlands community garden. The garden, which includes raised beds, was overflowing with vegetables and flowers in the midsummer thanks to the wet and warm season. Tony tends to two 10-by-10-foot raised beds, providing abundant produce for the Kleiners, their family, and friends.
So Much to Do
Both couples participate in a number of cultural events and trips, including local theater performances in the region.
“There are different activities happening and things going on all the time,” says Diana.
Tony, who also serves on The Highlands resident council, stressed the importance of continuing independence. The couple still has two cars – giving each the freedom to come and go as they choose.
They also regularly patronize Philadelphia Orchestra rehearsals and performances and drive into New York City for plays and for visits to exhibits at their beloved Museum of Modern Art and other cultural institutions.
All in all, life at The Highlands is a little bit of heaven on earth for the Kleiners.
While some long-time possessions were left behind in the process of moving – either given to their sons and families, donated to charity, or simply disposed of, both say those sacrifices were acceptable.
“In our generation, you kind of were your stuff – the nice car, house, furniture, other things,” Diana says. “For our kids, life is having experiences.”
“It was important not to obsess about things,” says Tony. “We threw so many old photos out – handed down with ancestors who we had no idea who they were. In all fairness, it was very liberating to get rid of all this stuff.”
Indeed, like their sons, the Kleiners are enjoying the experiences and the memories they are making in this third act.
“We’re realizing, as we did early in the game, home is where you are,” says Tony.
