Large cottage open concept light wood floor and brown floor family room photo in Orange County with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Our client’s goal was to create a small, high-performance, healthy home for herself and her teenage son while providing a place for her father to age in place. An attached private accessory dwelling provides a space for him as well as flexibility in the future. The new home was designed to minimize its footprint on site, made smaller than the original 1930’s house. Embracing adaptability and efficiency, the residence includes two dwellings: a one-bedroom 795 square-foot accessory dwelling at the lower grade and a two-story 1330 square-foot primary dwelling located above. Involved in all aspects of project execution, our client oversaw the process by living in a used trailer parked in the backyard throughout the project’s construction. Family-Share focused on maximizing the footprint’s performance, access to natural light and the health of the occupants. Sustainable features include high-performance glazing, solar preheat for domestic and hot water in-floor heating and reclaimed fir car decking rainscreen siding.

Design ideas for a large traditional backyard concrete paver pond.

Brand new construction Accessory Dwelling Unit in your backyard for one low, guaranteed price. Includes all permitting, site prep, construction, fixtures, and appliances!

Photo courtesy of Lixil

Bedroom - modern bedroom idea

An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) sited on the only other buildable location on a 20-acre lot. This industrial mountain modern cabin was built first with the main cabin to follow.

An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) sited on the only other buildable location on a 20-acre lot. This industrial mountain modern cabin was built first with the main cabin to follow.

Architecture & Interior Design: David Heide Design Studio Photo: Susan Gilmore Photography
Traditional white two-story wood gable roof idea in Minneapolis