A hypothetical DADU (Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit, sometimes referred to as a ‘Backyard Cottage’ or ‘Laneway House’). Loosely based on typical code (e.g. 800s.f. max). Using a typical 2 car garage footprint of 20’x20′ this DADU features two levels.

The residential unit above is accessed by exterior stairs to provide more conditioned space to the living areas (e.g. not having to delete the stairs from the allowed max internal floor area). A bay unit incorporates a built-in eating nook, saving space for other furniture. The Kitchen features a custom rolling island that can be moved to accommodate other functions. A minimal (~8’0″x11′-0″) bedroom is provided as well as a standard sized (8’0″x5’0″) bathroom. 10′ ceilings are incorporated to imbue the small rooms with a larger sense of space.

Ground floor features include a one car garage, work bench + cabinets (or optional kitchenette) and a utility/laundry room (easily converted to a bathroom). The rear elevation features a glazed roll-up door so that the garage space receives light and can be accessed from the rear patio. This could allow for alternate uses such as a work studio, “man cave” or perhaps you could drive another car into the backyard for repairs (I’m confident the neighbors wouldn’t mind). A primary objective of the ground level design is to accommodate uses other than / in addition to auto storage.
Exterior is clad in vertical corrugated metal siding with stained wood details for a modern industrial meets traditional detail contrast. Similar to my ‘Industrial Grade House’ model, the aesthetic theme here is composed of a hard metal shell that reveals a soft wood interior when “peeled away”