LESS IS MORE

Designer Lisa Wolfe softens the sting of downswing for seniors.

88 09 Img 0045 — Wolfe’s in-law’s living room at their senior living apartment at Modena Green Oaks/Lake Bluff.

88 03 Img 0014 — Wolfe’s in-law’s living room at their senior living apartment at Modena Green Oaks/Lake Bluff.

“When you put your heart and soul into what you do every day, it can catch up with you,” muses Lake Forest interior designer Lisa Wolfe. “I was intensely engaged with every project and every client for 22 years. I love design, but about a year ago, I realized it wasn’t giving me the joy it once did, so I stepped away to reset and think about my next move.”

Step away she did, but she didn’t shut down. She directed her design talents to help her husband, Mark DiGanci, at his architecture and construction companies (DesignStudio24 and DCS Midwest) when a new task came her way: helping her in-laws make the move from the California home they loved to senior living at Modena Green Oaks in Lake Bluff.

“They had a big terrace, ocean views, great neighbors, a brand-new accessible master bathroom. They thought they’d live there forever,” says Wolfe. “But they’re in their 90s and realized that original plan was not going to be easy.” Wolfe took the lead and that experience launched Legacy Design, a new service devoted to seniors and their families transitioning to Independent or Assisted Living. Her goal is to make their new space not only accessible and safe, but also beautiful and reflective of the life they’ve built and the home they’ve left behind. Beyond senior living, her talents support general downsizing or even in-home care where one might transform their living room into a first-floor master suite.

Downsizing isn’t easy for anyone, but it was especially challenging for Wolfe’s mother-in-law, whose short-term memory loss made it difficult to remember the new plan. “In order to not have the same conversation,” shares Wolfe, “I created an oversized floor plan and attached pictures of the pieces going to the new place. She could quickly see her credenza was coming, that her bedroom nightstands were coming, etc. That gave her some comfort and peace of mind. My mother-in-law is a gorgeous, elegant woman—her space had to be equally so.” She adds with a chuckle “I had to get this right for her or else.”

To round it all out, Wolfe reupholstered most of their well-loved furniture with performance fabrics and, since there were gaps in the plan, she turned to consignment/antique shops for pieces better scaled for senior comfort. “That stretched the budget and saved us long lead times.”

The experience with her in-laws provided her with invaluable insights. “Your plan must accommodate walkers and wheelchairs now, not later. And meeting with family members who will be helping parents make this move is crucial. There must be trust and confidence all around.”

Although they had lived with Wolfe and her family part time for over a decade, the permanent move from California to the North Shore was not always smooth sailing. “There were days when those talks were met with anger and confusion,” admits Wolfe. But her in-laws are over the moon in their new place—safe and surrounded by familiar things. “Too often, the move to a retirement community can look like a spare dorm room or an overloaded attic.” Wolfe offers a beautiful alternative. “I never set out to make this a part of my business,” she says. “I wanted to honor my in-laws because they’re such wonderful people. But it bloomed into something really meaningful.”