Heatherwood Independent and Assisted Living

When Heatherwood first opened its doors as Heatherwood Retirement Community, it was among the earliest communities to integrate varying levels of care into a residential environment. While advanced for its time, the building's interior eventually required updates to align with current understanding of senior living design principles.

Dining Experience Enhanced

At the heart of the renovation is the transformed main dining room, where soaring vaulted ceilings and distinctive beam and lintel features create an impressive architectural backdrop. The redesign expanded the dining capacity while maintaining the space's character. In place of the original cafeteria-style serving line, a demonstration station now serves as a focal point, allowing professional chefs to showcase their culinary expertise. This interactive dining experience engages residents in the art of food preparation while creating opportunities for social connection.

The dining area's transformation extends beyond its primary function. Varied table configurations and custom banquette seating surrounding the demonstration area offer residents diverse dining arrangements. Adjacent to the main dining room, a newly created bistro and bar with café seating provides an additional gathering space. Here, residents enjoy daily social hours, participate in games of shuffleboard, or simply relax with their beverage of choice.

Improved Natural Light and Spatial Flow

Natural light plays an essential role in resident wellbeing, and the renovation emphasized brightness and openness. The removal of private dining walls and addition of new openings in the adjacent bearing wall allowed sunlight to stream into the main dining room—a significant improvement from the original design. This architectural change not only brightened the space but also created a more engaging visual connection with the outdoors.

Fresh Aesthetics for Current Living

The renovation replaced dated design elements, removing dark wood wainscoting, heavy ceiling treatments, and somber flooring in favor of bright, energetic finishes. This refresh touched every public space from the main entrance through the connecting corridors, creating an atmosphere that better serves both residents and visitors. The warm color palette and updated materials reflect current understanding of how design affects senior wellbeing.

Advancing Senior Living Through Renovation

Heatherwood's renovation shows how targeted updates can improve established senior living communities. By focusing on resident experience—from dining options to social spaces to aesthetic appeal—the project adapted an aging facility to meet current standards of senior care while creating an environment that enriches daily life for all who call Heatherwood home.