Once hesitant, culinary-buff falls in love with the Brighton home design

By Mark Abromaitis
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

“It’s perfect. It’s absolutely perfect for everything I need,” the outgoing and friendly Dick Lapham, a resident at Ann’s Choice, says about his Brighton apartment with a smile.

“Everything is convenient, and everything is within reach,” he adds. “From the big picture down to the details, Ann’s Choice has thought of everything. If you want me to say anything negative about my home you’ll be waiting a long, long time.”

Before seeing Ann’s Choice, Lapham says he was unsure if he would like it. Then, after speaking with a retirement counselor and visiting the community’s welcome center, he changed his mind. He immediately joined the Priority List, and a couple of years later, he was ready to move in.

A pleasant surprise
Before choosing the Brighton floor plan, Lapham considered a few different apartment styles. “I needed a change of scenery,” he says. Once he moved in, his son and daughter helped him personalize his apartment.

Lapham’s favorite pieces of furniture and pictures found their way from a home he and his wife shared for almost 50 years. And Lapham was pleasantly surprised. “Everything looked great in here. I was surprised at how much room I have. And the wall space is good, too. I was able to fit all of the furniture and pictures I wanted.”

“It wasn’t a new apartment; it really turned into my home,” he adds.

Rooms with a view
Lapham says that he enjoys cooking meals at home—mostly breakfast and lunch—and then likes eating with a group of friends and family members at the on-campus restaurants. But when he stays in, there’s plenty of room for him to try out his amateur culinary skills. “The counters are plenty wide for whenever I cook,” he smiles.