Their adaptive design and remodeling firm, Clymer Cook, launched several months ago and now has residence in the Saratoga Village Center on Big Basin Way.

Clymer and Cook have designed their company to meet the needs of residents who plan to stay in their homes throughout their retirement.

"We focus on adaptive design that is unique to the person and also prepares for events that might take place in the future," Clymer says.

"People from previous generations didn't remodel their homes because they just didn't think about staying when they got older," says Marra-Cook. "There is an expectation that when you get older, you should move."

Clymer and Cook could not disagree more, as they provide many options for those needing special home systems and accessories.

"We offer a very customized approach," Clymer says, providing examples of changes that make a home aging-friendly, such as decorative handrails, intercom systems, wide doors and flat entry showers.

"Just because you're designing for special needs doesn't mean it has to look industrial," Marra-Cook says.

Although the Saratoga showroom is still under construction, Clymer and Cook's business savvy is certainly not.

Marra-Cook is a certified interior designer and holds a master's degree in business. Clymer is a registered nurse and has an MBA as well. Recently, both received their CAPS (Certified Aging-in-Place-Specialist) credential through the American Association of Retired Persons and the National Association of Home Builders.

Despite offering their services on a national level, Clymer and Cook were eager to chose Saratoga as their home base.

"We were very drawn to Saratoga because there is a sense of community here that's similar to what we had growing up on the East Coast," Clymer says. "It also has a large residential population that is open-minded, sophisticated and older. It fits with what we can provide."

Although both women grew up on the East Coast, they did not meet until a few years ago, when Clymer was looking to remodel her home in Los Gatos (she has since moved). Clymer hired Marra-Cook to redesign several rooms according to feng shui principals. The two kept in contact once the job was done, and a friendship soon developed. Dreams for the design firm popped up last winter, when they each decided to quit their jobs and look for something new. "We were both interested in this market and really liked it," Clymer says.

"The biggest mistake people make is not planning for the future," Clymer says. "They don't know what they want and they don't have a budget. Planning for us is key from the start."

Marra-Cook believes it is not only financially beneficial for homeowners to think ahead and remodel for unforeseen circumstances but a way to maintain community as well.

Clymer says elderly homeowners are beginning to realize this and are seeking solutions.

"This type of design is really gaining popularity because it's a viable, growing market," Clymer says. "It's just second nature to us that these are people, not buildings. When you walk into a house, it should not say, 'This person is getting older or has a disability.' It should say, 'This is an attractive, lovely environment.' "

Clymer Cook is located in the Saratoga Village Center, Suite 11, at 14440 Big Basin Way. To contact Clymer Cook, call 408.867.3315 or visit www.clymercook.com.