This is an example of a mid-sized traditional backyard stone landscaping in Orange County with a fire pit.

Scott Shigley
Inspiration for a transitional living room remodel in Chicago

Daniel Beecher
Small minimalist enclosed dark wood floor living room library photo in Salt Lake City with gray walls and no tv

Like many West Coast cities, Seattle is facing a severe housing shortage at a time when labor and material costs have skyrocketed. Combined with a lack of available dirt, housing vacancy rates stubbornly hover under 5%. A response to this housing perfect storm has been the evolution of a new housing prototype called a detached Auxiliary Dwelling Unit (DADU). This is commonly referred to as a Mother-in-Law (MIL) unit. As the name implies, this is a small, self-contained housing type that allows for additional housing to be built on an existing lot, creating greater density within our urban fabric. Generally thought of as either starter housing or aging-in-place concepts, these are extremely efficient floor plans that squeeze all the basic living functions into a compact space while envisioning the urban fabric as one's living room. In the case of our little DADU, our footprint is 20' x 20' and provides a ground level garage/music studio and an upper level apartment. The misconception of these structure - thanks in large part to the misinformation campaign of the Not-So-Big-House movement - is the smaller translates into cheaper. Since these are essentially small houses, the truth is these are very expensive structures on a cost/sf basis. We conceptualized this structure as inexpensively as we could think of and it still ended up costing more than $400,000 or around $500/sf.

Before picture. We replaced the railing with new materials. Cut off the tops of the newels to add a new shadow caps. Removed the bottom shoe railing and added metal balusters. Painter recoated the railing system.

Nicholson
Elegant home design photo in Boston

Exterior has been completely transformed into modern architecture, while keeping the basis of the old structure.
Large trendy brown two-story wood exterior home photo in San Francisco

Example of a trendy home design design in Atlanta

This isn’t just a patio cover, it’s a lifestyle upgrade. The Azenco R-BLADE™ louvered roof transforms this intimate backyard into a private retreat with spa-like energy, where smart design meets natural beauty. Paired with a lush vertical garden wall, sleek composite decking, and a modern lounge setup, this installation brings the perfect balance of form and function. With the touch of a button, the motorized louvers rotate to provide shade, airflow, or complete rain protection turning any moment into a comfortable one. The aluminum structure resists corrosion, fading, and warping far better than cheaper vinyl kits, which often discolor or buckle under pressure. Azenco’s R-BLADE™ stands out with clean lines, precision finishes, and customizable options like integrated lighting, fans, privacy walls, and hidden gutters. Whether you're sipping a drink poolside or hosting an outdoor dinner, this system elevates the entire experience while adding value to your home and joy to your daily rhythm. Want to turn your outdoor space into a destination? Let’s design your next luxury escape. Call today: 516-522-8249

Nicole Wood Photography
Eat-in kitchen - large farmhouse galley light wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula

Gingold Photography
Example of a large trendy loft-style light wood floor family room library design in Bridgeport with white walls, a standard fireplace, a wood fireplace surround and no tv

Mid-century modern patio photo in Dallas

Like many West Coast cities, Seattle is facing a severe housing shortage at a time when labor and material costs have skyrocketed. Combined with a lack of available dirt, housing vacancy rates stubbornly hover under 5%. A response to this housing perfect storm has been the evolution of a new housing prototype called a detached Auxiliary Dwelling Unit (DADU). This is commonly referred to as a Mother-in-Law (MIL) unit. As the name implies, this is a small, self-contained housing type that allows for additional housing to be built on an existing lot, creating greater density within our urban fabric. Generally thought of as either starter housing or aging-in-place concepts, these are extremely efficient floor plans that squeeze all the basic living functions into a compact space while envisioning the urban fabric as one's living room. In the case of our little DADU, our footprint is 20' x 20' and provides a ground level garage/music studio and an upper level apartment. The misconception of these structure - thanks in large part to the misinformation campaign of the Not-So-Big-House movement - is the smaller translates into cheaper. Since these are essentially small houses, the truth is these are very expensive structures on a cost/sf basis. We conceptualized this structure as inexpensively as we could think of and it still ended up costing more than $400,000 or around $500/sf.

Michael Lavin Flower
Example of a trendy exterior home design in Boston

Greg Frick
Example of a mid-sized cottage l-shaped light wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen design in Charlotte with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Like many West Coast cities, Seattle is facing a severe housing shortage at a time when labor and material costs have skyrocketed. Combined with a lack of available dirt, housing vacancy rates stubbornly hover under 5%. A response to this housing perfect storm has been the evolution of a new housing prototype called a detached Auxiliary Dwelling Unit (DADU). This is commonly referred to as a Mother-in-Law (MIL) unit. As the name implies, this is a small, self-contained housing type that allows for additional housing to be built on an existing lot, creating greater density within our urban fabric. Generally thought of as either starter housing or aging-in-place concepts, these are extremely efficient floor plans that squeeze all the basic living functions into a compact space while envisioning the urban fabric as one's living room. In the case of our little DADU, our footprint is 20' x 20' and provides a ground level garage/music studio and an upper level apartment. The misconception of these structure - thanks in large part to the misinformation campaign of the Not-So-Big-House movement - is the smaller translates into cheaper. Since these are essentially small houses, the truth is these are very expensive structures on a cost/sf basis. We conceptualized this structure as inexpensively as we could think of and it still ended up costing more than $400,000 or around $500/sf.

Southwest patio photo

This gorgeous lake house deck is adorned with a black aluminum cable railing system and a customer-supplied Tigerwood handrail to match the deck floor. This style of railing works well not to block their incredible view.

Y l S H E L F by Neelnox. As shown here, the Y-9B, 12"x12" Flushmount stainless steel niche on top with Y-1B installed below it in the optional Frame style.