Houzz Tour: A 515-Sq-Ft Backyard Unit Packs It All
This accessory dwelling unit has everything, and can do everything that the homeowners need
Nora Burba Trulsson
2 March 2018
Houzz Contributor. Freelance writer specializing in architecture, interiors, landscape, design and lifestyle topics. http://www.noraburbatrulsson.com
Houzz Contributor. Freelance writer specializing in architecture, interiors, landscape,... More
After years of living in their small 1926 bungalow in Portland, Oregon, Leighann Franson and Mark Timby decided it was time to expand their living quarters. Rather than adding on to their charming vintage home and ruining its scale, the couple eyeballed the dilapidated garage in their backyard and decided to raze it to build a new accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, that could accommodate multiple uses in the years to come.
Photos by Carlos Camarena
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Leighann Franson, a creative strategist and copywriter; Mark Timby, a graphic designer; and their young son
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 48 square metres (515 square feet); one bedroom, one bath
Designer: Alan Armstrong of Strongwork Architecture
After countless hours of studying and touring neighbouring ADUs, Franson and Timby made a detailed list of needs, came up with a approximately ₹103,59,200 ($160,000) design-and-build budget and hired architect Alan Armstrong and builder Joe Robertson to bring their plans to fruition.
Accessory dwelling units, called guest houses, casitas or mother-in-law units in other urban areas, have become increasingly popular in Portland. “Since 2010, Portland has waived significant development fees on these structures,” says Armstrong, who designed and built his own ADU. “It’s a way to increase urban density and alleviate Portland’s housing crisis with its recent growth.”
Armstrong’s design for Franson and Timby followed city codes dictating that the new building had to match the characteristics of the existing home’s roof pitch, window style and siding, resulting in a charming Craftsman-style cottage placed on the footprint of the old garage. Variances allowed the design to include a full-height loft for the bedroom.
The homeowners kept part of the old driveway to serve as a courtyard for the new ADU.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: Leighann Franson, a creative strategist and copywriter; Mark Timby, a graphic designer; and their young son
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 48 square metres (515 square feet); one bedroom, one bath
Designer: Alan Armstrong of Strongwork Architecture
After countless hours of studying and touring neighbouring ADUs, Franson and Timby made a detailed list of needs, came up with a approximately ₹103,59,200 ($160,000) design-and-build budget and hired architect Alan Armstrong and builder Joe Robertson to bring their plans to fruition.
Accessory dwelling units, called guest houses, casitas or mother-in-law units in other urban areas, have become increasingly popular in Portland. “Since 2010, Portland has waived significant development fees on these structures,” says Armstrong, who designed and built his own ADU. “It’s a way to increase urban density and alleviate Portland’s housing crisis with its recent growth.”
Armstrong’s design for Franson and Timby followed city codes dictating that the new building had to match the characteristics of the existing home’s roof pitch, window style and siding, resulting in a charming Craftsman-style cottage placed on the footprint of the old garage. Variances allowed the design to include a full-height loft for the bedroom.
The homeowners kept part of the old driveway to serve as a courtyard for the new ADU.
To reflect the existing house, Robertson built the unit of lapped fibre cement siding and cedar shingles. Spray foam insulation in the ceiling adds extra thermal protection, while a ductless heat pump heats and cools the whole structure.
Timby built the cedar fence to add privacy between the main house and the new unit.
Timby built the cedar fence to add privacy between the main house and the new unit.
Inside the bright and airy unit, the open first floor includes a living area, kitchen, bathroom and laundry, while the loft serves as the roomy bedroom. The flooring is polished, sealed natural concrete.
“When we planned this building, we wanted it to give us many uses,” says Franson, who also teaches yoga. “We wanted it to generate income, so we have used it as a short-term vacation rental. We’ve also used it as a yoga studio and entertained in it. In the future, we might use it as a home office, a community space, guest house for friends and family and as our house if we choose to rent out our main home.”
See how one unit accommodates 5 rooms
“When we planned this building, we wanted it to give us many uses,” says Franson, who also teaches yoga. “We wanted it to generate income, so we have used it as a short-term vacation rental. We’ve also used it as a yoga studio and entertained in it. In the future, we might use it as a home office, a community space, guest house for friends and family and as our house if we choose to rent out our main home.”
See how one unit accommodates 5 rooms
Windows (21 of them in all) became an important design element, creating a connection to the garden and visually expanding the dwelling. The Douglas fir windowsills were salvaged from a friend’s 1920s home that was undergoing renovation.
When it came to the furnishings, the couple opted for simple, durable and budget-friendly pieces. “We like the modern Scandinavian sensibility,” Timby says. “We had traveled to Iceland recently and liked the way many of the interiors there were modern and essential.”
Working with a neutral palette punched up with yellow and red accents, the couple chose furniture with simple lines. The sofa is a double sleeper, so the unit can accommodate four people.
When it came to the furnishings, the couple opted for simple, durable and budget-friendly pieces. “We like the modern Scandinavian sensibility,” Timby says. “We had traveled to Iceland recently and liked the way many of the interiors there were modern and essential.”
Working with a neutral palette punched up with yellow and red accents, the couple chose furniture with simple lines. The sofa is a double sleeper, so the unit can accommodate four people.
Another important design element for the dwelling was the staircase. “We wanted the loft to be accessed by a real, permitted staircase,” Timby says. “We didn’t want a ladder or a spiral staircase. We wanted it to be safe when our parents come to visit.”
The architect designed the stairs to include a powder-coated steel and cable railing, and he used Douglas fir for the treads.
Take a look at 10 staircase designs for small spaces
The architect designed the stairs to include a powder-coated steel and cable railing, and he used Douglas fir for the treads.
Take a look at 10 staircase designs for small spaces
The view from the loft bedroom reveals some of the dwelling’s window configurations.
The design kept the void under the staircase open for future use as a small office. For now, it serves as a reading nook. The print is by Portland artist Carson Ellis.
One of the many operable windows brings in fresh breezes.
Framed by the exposed joists of the loft above, the kitchen is efficient enough to allow for cooking full meals. The glass door leads to the back of the property.
Check out the must-haves in small kitchens
Check out the must-haves in small kitchens
Open shelving adds interest to the kitchen walls. The wood was salvaged from a demolished Portland home.
A window placed above the apron sink illuminates dishwashing chores.
A wall-mounted dining table next to the kitchen doubles as a narrow shelf when it’s folded down, saving space when not in use.
White subway tile and old-fashioned plumbing fixtures give the bathroom a vintage look.
Here are 6 ways to design with subway tiles
Here are 6 ways to design with subway tiles
Open shelving provides storage for towels and bath essentials, while a dark-painted wall adds a sense of depth to the small bathroom.
A stackable washer and dryer handles the laundry. The bathroom’s frosted-glass pocket door saves space and borrows light from the living space.
Skylights help illuminate the loft bedroom as well as the staircase.
Learn how to weave magic with skylights
Learn how to weave magic with skylights
At its peak, the ceiling height in the loft is tall enough to accommodate adults. Natural fir flooring provides a rustic touch to the simple space.
The unit’s back door opens to a small garden area.
The site plan shows the configuration of the new ADU (the darker square to the left) in relation to the main house, in the centre.
The floor plans reveal the unit’s compact design. The builders slightly reconfigured the bathroom layout during construction.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: A 1-BHK Flat Transforms Into a 2-BHK
Tell us:
What did you like the most about this backyard? Tell us in the Comments below.
Read more:
Houzz Tour: A 1-BHK Flat Transforms Into a 2-BHK
Tell us:
What did you like the most about this backyard? Tell us in the Comments below.
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“Short term vacation unit”means AirBNB or VRBO rental. Is anyone else her sick of seeing these rental units promoted here on Houzz, ‘cuz I sure am.
No... I think it’s quite nice. Does it matter? Short term is just that....it’s the end product I get something from. Thus was very tastefully done!
I love this! I'm trying to figure out where the clothes closet is, tho.