A Homeowner Loved His New ADU So Much, He Moved In
This backyard cottage in Seattle has room for working, exercising and entertaining
This Seattle homeowner planned to have Bruce Parker of microhouse create a modest accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, as a rental income investment in his backyard. Originally he planned on some entertainment and workout space on the first floor for himself, with space for renters on the second floor. But once construction was underway on the 588-square-foot cottage, the plans changed. “He looked around and said, ‘Oh this is so cool — I want to live here,’ ” Parker says. The homeowner and his girlfriend now live in the backyard cottage and rent out the main house to friends. The versatile space has multiple functions that accommodate working from home, weightlifting and outdoor gatherings. Parker even worked in space for a hidden keg refrigerator for the beer the couple serve on tap.
The front door seen in the previous photo leads to this entry, originally intended to serve as a private entry for renters. The doorway just past the shelves contains a pocket door that can seal off the rental unit from the rest of the cottage, but because the property owner and his partner decided to move in themselves, the pocket door stays open. The door keeps things flexible should the homeowner ever want to use the ADU differently in the future.
The shelves take advantage of the space between the living room wall and the stairs. Parker tucked the keg refrigerator in an area behind the shelves.
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The shelves take advantage of the space between the living room wall and the stairs. Parker tucked the keg refrigerator in an area behind the shelves.
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The main ground-floor space is a multifunctional room that includes the kitchen, a TV lounge, weightlifting equipment and the beer taps. Playful patterned tiles liven up the entry floor. “Once he and his girlfriend decided they were going to live here, the finishes got fancier,” Parker says.
Those fancier finishes include Douglas-fir-trimmed windows and accordion doors. “They really wanted this wall to open up, and these doors were a splurge,” Parker says. The patio contains a fire pit, a grill, a potting station and a small rain garden. The doors allow the living space to continue seamlessly out to the patio. The couple and their friends who rent the main house enjoy gathering out there. “This group is really social,” Parker says.
The kitchen island serves several purposes. A counter stool on wheels and a laptop transform it into a work-from-home spot. “And he rolls it right outside when he works on his motorcycle,” Parker says.
Browse kitchen island carts in the Houzz Shop
The kitchen island serves several purposes. A counter stool on wheels and a laptop transform it into a work-from-home spot. “And he rolls it right outside when he works on his motorcycle,” Parker says.
Browse kitchen island carts in the Houzz Shop
An overhang creates protection from the elements when using these doors. The main house is on the left.
Doors: Essence series, Milgard
Doors: Essence series, Milgard
The kitchen is efficient, with fridge and freezer drawers and a wine chiller beneath the counter, which left space for open shelving. The countertops are quartz and the backsplash adds a geometric pattern to the wall. The grout on the backsplash plays off the gray cabinetry. Parker designed a soffit above the cabinets for recessed lighting.
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The ceiling is an important architectural element in the house. “These cottages are limited in height, so I like to utilize an exposed ceiling,” Parker says. The beams are 4-by-12-inch dimensional Hem-Fir lumber, and the ceiling is 2-by-4-inch car decking. “This is what you’d see in an older home used as subflooring,” Parker says. He designed a low-voltage cable lighting system overhead — the lights are suspended from cables across the ceiling. And he provided a spot for more recessed lighting with another soffit at this end of the room.
The floor is concrete. “The warmth of the ceiling wood contrasts with the cool concrete,” Parker says.
The homeowners furnished with multiple functions in mind. There’s enough room in the lounge area for the weight bench. The futon can accommodate overnight guests and the coffee table offers additional storage.
The floor is concrete. “The warmth of the ceiling wood contrasts with the cool concrete,” Parker says.
The homeowners furnished with multiple functions in mind. There’s enough room in the lounge area for the weight bench. The futon can accommodate overnight guests and the coffee table offers additional storage.
The wall opposite the futon serves several purposes. “Instead of making this a ‘man cave,’ he built a ‘man wall’ with space for his weights, mats and a built-in keg,” Parker says. The wall also holds the TV and has a small (16-by-21-inch) gas fireplace. The niche underneath the TV contains the router, a charging station and the beer taps. Just out of view to the right is the door to the powder room.
The couple can keep their favorite brews conveniently on tap, with the kegs stored on the other side of the wall. Access to the keg refrigerator is through the powder room.
Upstairs, Parker designed a vaulted ceiling that’s 11 feet high at its highest point. Along with numerous windows, it makes the space feel airy and bright. A large globe pendant light suits the scale of the high ceiling.
The window seat has valuable storage space inside.
The window seat has valuable storage space inside.
The suite includes a small hotel-style kitchenette originally intended as a convenience for renters. Parker left the staircase open to make the entire space feel more open. And the staircase wall serves as the headboard. There are two more windows higher than this wall just across the staircase. (They can be seen on the left side of the house in the first photo.)
“This bathroom runs the full width of the cottage,” Parker says. The vanity is big enough for two people to share. A large window and skylight fill the room with natural light. Parker also worked in an alcove to accommodate a stackable washer-dryer set.
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Shop for a skylight
Forgoing a tub in the bathroom meant there was room for a larger shower stall. Elongated watery blue subway tiles give the stall a relaxing feel. A clear glass panel keeps the view into the shower open.
Parker is a big proponent of the benefits of detached accessory dwelling units, particularly in Seattle, which has a housing shortage.
“Planning is where experienced designers and builders can help homeowners get the best value for their projects,” he says. “Thinking about the long-term use of a home and designing it to have flexibility is an important part of that. And DADUs are definitely a consideration in that regard. They allow people more flexibility as their families grow. They allow grandparents to live close and be a bigger part of their family’s lives while giving them some separation. When their children have grown, many people move into the cottage and rent out their houses, giving them some income after they retire.”
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“Planning is where experienced designers and builders can help homeowners get the best value for their projects,” he says. “Thinking about the long-term use of a home and designing it to have flexibility is an important part of that. And DADUs are definitely a consideration in that regard. They allow people more flexibility as their families grow. They allow grandparents to live close and be a bigger part of their family’s lives while giving them some separation. When their children have grown, many people move into the cottage and rent out their houses, giving them some income after they retire.”
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple
Location: Seattle
Size: 588 square feet (55 square meters)
Designer: Bruce Parker of microhouse
Parker has a background in architecture and is the founder of microhouse, a firm that specializes in detached ADUs (also known as DADUs). This lot was small, which limited the allowable footprint to 328 square feet. But because of the thought Parker put into making the dwelling multifunctional, there’s plenty of space for the couple. “I like to keep these kinds of structures as simple as possible so that money can be put into the finishes,” he says.
The cottage is essentially a two-story box with a gable roof. Gray board-and-batten Hardie board siding and contrasting trim add interest to the exterior. The roof is covered in asphalt shingles. The recessed front door offers protection from the rain when entering and exiting.
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