While open floor plans enable greater flexibility, the notion of a well-planned and truly private living area – more than just an open loft or an extra bedroom - has become as important to many clients as large bathrooms, home offices, or family rooms.
An ADU that will adapt to very different uses without any renovation.
The clients are a young Seattle-area couple expecting their first baby. Their site is a narrow 50 x 100 foot lot in neighborhood of traditional bungalow, craftsmen and other period homes.
The site rises from the street to the rear yard: the main level of the house will be a full story above the street-level garage. We decide early in the process to honor the neighborhood’s architectural heritage with traditional house forms.
His elderly parents from the East Coast visit during the winter for extended stays, creating the need for a private suite for them above the garage and separated from the main house by a long entry gallery, enabling them to come and go as they wish and the quiet and privacy they expect each evening when they enjoy watching their favorite television programs and retire for the night. Their apartment will include a kitchenette in the living room, a spacious bedroom, with private access to an outside patio , a handicap-accessible bathroom and walk-in closet. Windows are carefully positioned to ensure privacy from the street.
We discuss the long term and the need for a home office where she will meet with clients: a private office and conference room.
It is understood from the start that the master bedroom will be on the second floor with the children’s' bedrooms. But we also discuss the time when the clients will want their master bedroom suite on the main living level, allowing themselves and the children more space and privacy.
We challenged ourselves. “Can we design a suite that will transition from an ADU for elderly parents.. to a professional office suite, to a master bedroom without any alteration?” By keeping that goal in mind, we succeed handsomely, creating a place that will evolve easily as this young family matures.
People’s lives evolve and so should the homes they live in. At Warmmodern Living, we think a lot about the future when we design for today. Life doesn't always occur the way we plan, but imagining the future and keeping it in mind when designing always yields lifelong benefits.
NOTE: We are proud to report that the Warmmodern Living custom design featured here has been selected for inclusion in Lindal's Elements portfolio as the Columbia 2836 See it on Lindal.com
*By definition, an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a second house on a single family lot, not attached to the main house.
