15 Brilliant Minds Shaping the Way Denverites Live
An Excerpt from the 5280 Home, June/July 2020 Issue: Meet a group of forward-thinkers who are transforming our city into an architecture, real estate, and decorating mecca.
BY KATHRYN O’SHEA-EVANS, MICHELLE JOHNSON • 5280 HOME JUNE/JULY 2020
Ever wondered who’s behind Colorado’s transformation into an architecture, real estate, and decorating hot spot? Allow us to introduce you to 15 forward-thinkers shaping the local home industry and feeding our love of beautiful spaces.
#6 is our favorite
- The Starchitect: Cherie Goff, Principal, HMH Architecture + Interiors | @hmh_ai
- The History Buff: Lam La, Estimating & Procurement Manager, Factor Design Build | @factor_designbuild
- The Queen of Design Democracy: Lee Mayer, Co-founder and CEO, Havenly | @thehavenly
- The Secret Weapon: Alex Ryden, Founder, Guest House | @guesthouseshop
- The Conscientious Furniture Designer: Jerri Hobdy, Founder, Meno Home Studio; Co-founder, Pure Home Collective | jerrihobdy.us, @jerrihobdy
- The Retirement-Living Revivalist: Susan Juroe, Co-founder and General Counsel, Balfour Senior Living
A high-style gathering space at Balfour’s Lavender Farms in Louisville.
Room photo by Kimberly Gavin. Susan’s photo courtesy of Balfour Senior Living.
WHO: In an effort to glamorize the geriatric years, Susan Juroe and her husband, Michael Schonbrun, co-founded Balfour Senior Living: Colorado- and Michigan-based retirement communities that, thanks to Juroe’s design leadership, have stylish interiors worthy of Architectural Digest magazine and amenities that rival what you’d find in a five-star boutique hotelWHY: After searching for a senior community for his mother, Schonbrun felt so dismayed that he took the maxim “be the change” quite literally and started his own in 1997, and eventually partnered with his wife. “My heart still aches as I remember being a newlywed visiting my mother-in-law in a ‘nice’ senior facility, watching adult children and grandchildren plotting their escapes to a non-depressing restaurant or venue,” says Juroe. “Building code consultants and urine-proof-furniture manufacturers had seemingly hijacked an entire industry.” Balfour is the antithesis of all that, featuring decor from chic design labels including Kelly Wearstler and Schumacher. This strategy pays off: The average age of Balfour’s residents keeps dropping, proof the design-forward approach appeals to a wide (style-savvy) audience.
THE IMPACT: Fun reigns at Balfour—as its strong food and alcohol sales attest. “My 84-year-old parents who just became residents of Balfour Ann Arbor report that they’re having an unmitigated blast daily,” Juroe says. “I’ve lost count of the adult children who have thanked me personally, through their tears, for building Balfour and changing their family members’ lives.
IN THE WORKS: This fall, Balfour is set to open a Western-inspired facility in Longmont that John Wayne would love. And a new partnership with Welltower Inc.—a real estate investment company specializing in senior housing—means Balfour will be adding 20 to 25 more properties to its stable in the next decade.
- The Building Boss: Fiona Arnold, President, Mainspring | @mainspringcollection
- The Modern Maker: Sean Vandervliet, Founder, Fenway Clayworks | @fenwayclayworks
- The Expressive Artist: Genevieve Smith, Founder, Magpie Painting | @magpiepainting
- The Outdoor Enthusiasts: Bob & Jay Dillon, Founders, Yardbird | @yardbirdoutdoor
- The Philanthropist: Lezlie Goldberg, Executive Director, the Duet Design Group Foundation | @duetdesigngroup
- The Holistic Healer: Matthew Tenzin, Founder, True Home Holistic Design Services | @matthewtenzin
- The Eco-Concious Designer: Anna Elyce Smith, Founder, Annabode | @annabode
- The Big Builder of Small Living: David Sinkey, Co-founder/President, Boulder Creek Neighborhoods | @livebouldercreek
- The Real Estate Whiz: Susan Chong, Founder, Iconique Real Estate | @iconiquerealestate
Excerpt from https://www.5280.com/2020/06/15-brilliant-minds-shaping-the-way-denverites-live/
An Excerpt from the 5280 Home, June/July 2020 Issue: Meet a group of forward-thinkers who are transforming our city into an architecture, real estate, and decorating mecca.
BY KATHRYN O’SHEA-EVANS, MICHELLE JOHNSON • 5280 HOME JUNE/JULY 2020
Ever wondered who’s behind Colorado’s transformation into an architecture, real estate, and decorating hot spot? Allow us to introduce you to 15 forward-thinkers shaping the local home industry and feeding our love of beautiful spaces.
#6 is our favorite
- The Starchitect: Cherie Goff, Principal, HMH Architecture + Interiors | @hmh_ai
- The History Buff: Lam La, Estimating & Procurement Manager, Factor Design Build | @factor_designbuild
- The Queen of Design Democracy: Lee Mayer, Co-founder and CEO, Havenly | @thehavenly
- The Secret Weapon: Alex Ryden, Founder, Guest House | @guesthouseshop
- The Conscientious Furniture Designer: Jerri Hobdy, Founder, Meno Home Studio; Co-founder, Pure Home Collective | jerrihobdy.us, @jerrihobdy
- The Retirement-Living Revivalist: Susan Juroe, Co-founder and General Counsel, Balfour Senior Living
A high-style gathering space at Balfour’s Lavender Farms in Louisville.
Room photo by Kimberly Gavin. Susan’s photo courtesy of Balfour Senior Living.
WHO: In an effort to glamorize the geriatric years, Susan Juroe and her husband, Michael Schonbrun, co-founded Balfour Senior Living: Colorado- and Michigan-based retirement communities that, thanks to Juroe’s design leadership, have stylish interiors worthy of Architectural Digest magazine and amenities that rival what you’d find in a five-star boutique hotelWHY: After searching for a senior community for his mother, Schonbrun felt so dismayed that he took the maxim “be the change” quite literally and started his own in 1997, and eventually partnered with his wife. “My heart still aches as I remember being a newlywed visiting my mother-in-law in a ‘nice’ senior facility, watching adult children and grandchildren plotting their escapes to a non-depressing restaurant or venue,” says Juroe. “Building code consultants and urine-proof-furniture manufacturers had seemingly hijacked an entire industry.” Balfour is the antithesis of all that, featuring decor from chic design labels including Kelly Wearstler and Schumacher. This strategy pays off: The average age of Balfour’s residents keeps dropping, proof the design-forward approach appeals to a wide (style-savvy) audience.
THE IMPACT: Fun reigns at Balfour—as its strong food and alcohol sales attest. “My 84-year-old parents who just became residents of Balfour Ann Arbor report that they’re having an unmitigated blast daily,” Juroe says. “I’ve lost count of the adult children who have thanked me personally, through their tears, for building Balfour and changing their family members’ lives.
IN THE WORKS: This fall, Balfour is set to open a Western-inspired facility in Longmont that John Wayne would love. And a new partnership with Welltower Inc.—a real estate investment company specializing in senior housing—means Balfour will be adding 20 to 25 more properties to its stable in the next decade.
- The Building Boss: Fiona Arnold, President, Mainspring | @mainspringcollection
- The Modern Maker: Sean Vandervliet, Founder, Fenway Clayworks | @fenwayclayworks
- The Expressive Artist: Genevieve Smith, Founder, Magpie Painting | @magpiepainting
- The Outdoor Enthusiasts: Bob & Jay Dillon, Founders, Yardbird | @yardbirdoutdoor
- The Philanthropist: Lezlie Goldberg, Executive Director, the Duet Design Group Foundation | @duetdesigngroup
- The Holistic Healer: Matthew Tenzin, Founder, True Home Holistic Design Services | @matthewtenzin
- The Eco-Concious Designer: Anna Elyce Smith, Founder, Annabode | @annabode
- The Big Builder of Small Living: David Sinkey, Co-founder/President, Boulder Creek Neighborhoods | @livebouldercreek
- The Real Estate Whiz: Susan Chong, Founder, Iconique Real Estate | @iconiquerealestate
Excerpt from https://www.5280.com/2020/06/15-brilliant-minds-shaping-the-way-denverites-live/
