When former professional interior designer Barbara Kopitz and her husband, Bill Lichtig, were considering their retirement options, Siena Lakes, the Erickson Senior Living community in Naples, Fla., made a big impression.

“The community is full of brand-new buildings and attractive architecture. I like the whole atmosphere,” Barbara says. “I like the homes–the way everything is laid out. They all have open floor plans, and a contemporary, up-to-date feeling about them.”

As a practicing interior designer for more than 35 years, Barbara, who also served for eight years as a weekly design columnist for the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press, her words are high praise. Since moving to Siena Lakes in 2022, she’s used her expertise to design a beautiful new home that reflects the couple’s unique style and taste.

Color your world
Barbara and Bill chose Siena Lake’s popular Luna floor plan, a two-bedroom, two-bath home boasting an open layout, den, and outdoor lanai.

Barbara opted to furnish the second bedroom with a sofa, creating an everyday space that can be transformed into a bed for visiting guests. And, when she isn’t taking exercise classes at the fitness center five days a week, the second bedroom is the perfect spot for a quick workout.

Creating a ‘man cave’
Next, Barbara transformed the den into Bill’s office, or as she calls it, his “man cave,” complete with a desk and filing cabinets. She also placed shelves on the wall for photographs and memorabilia.

“Bill loves everything I do to design our home,” says Barbara.

Recognizing the importance of color when it comes to designing a home, Barbara chose to paint the home, selecting pale aqua for the living room, light blue for the master bedroom, and a soft yellow for
the guest bathroom.

“I like that we can put our personal stamp on our individual homes,” says Barbara. “When people come to visit, they love seeing the color on the walls.”

Lots of light
Taking advantage of the warm Florida sun, the homes at Siena Lakes are constructed with the largest possible windows to let in the beautiful, natural light.

In their primary bedroom, Barbara chose to hang drapes that allow natural light in during the day. For the second bedroom, she opted for Venetian blinds, complementing the room’s mid-century modern style. However, the living room windows were left uncovered, to let in as much light as possible.

Like all the homes at Siena Lakes, Barbara and Bill’s home features concealed ceiling plates with wired openings for light fixtures or ceiling fans if additional light is preferred.

“I was able to add a modern chandelier over our dining room table and a single, flat LED ceiling light in the living room,” says Barbara. “I also hung ceiling light fixtures in the middle of each bedroom, which
was a real treat.”

On the lanai, Barbara created an oasis by adding a matching sofa and chair, a cafe table with three chairs, and a wealth of plants.

As someone who loves to garden, she enjoyed adding a five-shelf metal etagere for plants, including her orchids.

“It’s very peaceful to be able to sit outside surrounded by plants,” says Barbara. “I just love being in nature.”

Staying active
When not spending time in their beautiful home, the couple enjoys spending time out and about in the community. In addition to exercise classes, Barbara plays bocce and participates in trivia. Bill swims several times a week and together, they attend informative talks and lectures.

“We are so busy,” says Barbara. “There’s just so much to do here, and we love it!”

Recently, Barbara wrote several articles for Siena Lakes’ newsletter The Resident Chatter, including one on interior design. She shared ideas including ways to prevent clutter and using photo shelves to layer framed photos of family and friends. She also suggested hanging pieces of art vertically, something easy to do thanks to the high ceilings in Siena Lakes homes.

Barbara also recently took part in Siena Stories, a monthly program where residents share their wisdom, as well as amazing life stories, with each other.

“I was Aretha Franklin’s interior designer for 23 years, and I spoke about it for the first time at Siena Stories. She was an amazing woman,” says Barbara, who enjoyed her experience with the group so much that she recently became its leader.

“I really want to contribute to Siena Lakes,” she says. “I love it here!”

To learn more about senior living at this vibrant community, request your free brochure to get the scoop on amenities, floor plans, and so much more.

By Michele Wojciechowski

The post Interior Designer Chooses Siena Lakes for its Open, Contemporary Homes appeared first on citybiz.

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