4 ADUs Just Right For Multigenerational Living

Aging-in-place features, space-saving ideas and stylish details help keep families together without overcrowding. Having family nearby can be a wonderful thing, particularly for those planning to age in place. But having family members underfoot at every turn? Maybe not so wonderful. Enter the accessory dwelling unit (ADU), a secondary — typically smaller — home independent from the property’s main house. With thoughtful planning, it can offer privacy and proximity — a win-win. See the techniques that pros used to make four freestanding ADUs feel open and inviting, as well as flexible enough to accommodate both adult children and aging family members with ease.  

1. Simply Beautiful

ADU at a Glance
Who lives here: A mother whose adult daughter lives in the main house
Location: Portland, Oregon
Size: 625 square feet (58 square meters)
Designer: Lucas Gray of Modern ADU Plans

Evolved from a simple “modern black box” request, this backyard ADU in Portland, Oregon, for an aging-in-place mother has a minimalist shape yet a warm look, thanks to resilient natural and dark-stained cedar siding. The home faces away from the main house, where the mother’s adult daughter lives, and toward a pretty garden, creating a feeling of both privacy and openness. An overhang with a large cutout protects from the elements and also helps make the most of the light in Portland.

Substantial windows give the 625-square-foot home a bright and open feel. All the interior flooring is on one level — no curbs or thresholds — to prevent tripping and facilitate ease of movement if there are future mobility issues, and its concrete helps regulate temperature fluctuations as well as enhance the minimalist look the clients requested. The designer, Lucas Gray, also used more insulation than required by code for increased energy efficiency.
Modern ADU Plans
Natural maple cabinetry and concrete-look quartz countertops give the kitchen a light look, while black porcelain backsplash tiles and chairs create depth. Deep drawers and 24-inch appliances save space, and the fridge is set in an alcove for a streamlined look. Gray also set the countertops a few inches lower than standard so that the mother and daughter, who are shorter than average, don’t need to use a step stool.

The bedroom and bathroom (viewable by clicking the link below) are also set up for aging in place and for the long haul. One day the daughter herself might live here while her own grown child and family live in the main house.

2. Bright Idea

ADU at a Glance
Who lives here: Nick Wolf, whose parents live in the main house
Location: Oakland, California
Size: 657 square feet (61 square meters)
Architect: Inspired ADUs
Contractor: McDunn ADUs
Landscape designer: Royo Design Studio

Faced with high housing prices and a desire to keep their adult children nearby, homeowners Tara and Michael Wolf turned to architecture firm Inspired ADUs to build a backyard home on their Oakland, California, property. Their son, who runs a photography business, lives here now, but the parents could move in someday to age in place while giving him and any future family the main home.

The 657-square-foot ADU accommodates both current and potential future needs of the family members. Plenty of natural light boosts openness and helps with the son’s photography. Large bifold doors and no steps outside provide easy access to the interior. Pendant and recessed lights mean no lighting cords to trip over. And the bathroom (not seen) has a no-curb shower and a floating vanity and toilet for accessibility and easy cleaning.
To the right of the kitchen, a living area with a reading nook provides a place for lounging. Fun space-saving move: Via remote control, a TV pops up through a slot at the end of the kitchen island, facing the sofa.

The home also has a bedroom with a king-size bed and a second bedroom currently being used as the son’s home office. Both have windows and light finishes to keep the bright, airy look going.

3. Pining for Home

ADU at a Glance
Who lives here: Mike Wynne, whose son Josh owns the larger property
Location: Nokomis, Florida
Size: 604 square feet (56 square meters); one bedroom, one bathroom. (Outdoor porches and a mechanical/utility space add 436 square feet.)
Designer-builder: Josh Wynne Construction

Built to allow a dad to age in place near his son on the same property, this Florida ADU is focused on accessibility, efficiency and ease of cleaning and maintenance. Josh Wynne Construction also designed it with environmental impact in mind: The team cantilevered the 604-square-foot structure above its foundation to protect the native Sabal palms that surround it, and it used mostly local and recycled materials for the build.

Southern yellow pine paneling inside matches the exterior framing and creates a serene, cocoon-like vibe. An exposed metal duct, part of an energy-efficient central cooling and heating system, has the feel of industrial decor. The kitchen and living area can accommodate mobility impairment — no upper cabinets and lots of clear space, for instance — and the doors are sized for a wheelchair.
Pine shiplap creates a continuous visual from the bedroom’s ceiling to the wall and flooring and adds to the cocoon feel. Just past sliding doors lies a conveniently sited deck with views of a flower- and creature-filled marsh and wetland. A bathroom is opposite the sliding doors and can accommodate a walker or wheelchair.

The home’s strength was put to the test during a hurricane, by the way. While several trees crashed down, the ADU itself remained undamaged.

4. Character Roles

ADU at a Glance
Who lives here: Interior designer Paige Coleman and her teenage daughter
Location: San Jose, California
Size: 900 square feet (84 square meters)
Architect: Brad Cox
Landscape designer-contractor: Koch & Associates

Interior designer Paige Coleman had been staring out at her yard wanting to build something when the city of San Jose, California, got onboard with ADUs. So, working with architect Brad Cox, she began designing a backyard home. Then the city loosened its design rules and allowed a second story, resulting in this 900-square-foot California-style board-and-batten home with a cheerful green facade. Coleman and her teenage daughter moved in, and the main home now provides rental income.
Floating walnut shelves have a grab-and-go feel and give the compact galley kitchen visual spaciousness. They also show that personal style can take precedence over practicality — in this case, that means character over cabinets. A peninsula is expansive enough for prepping food and dining comfortably.

A laundry room sits off the kitchen, and up some stairs are two bedrooms and a bathroom. And here’s a smart move: The bathroom has a mirror and shelf outside, so someone can take as much time as they like doing hair or makeup.

You really have to read the full story to get a sense of how much the outdoor areas expand the living space and how much character they have. This photo shows just one piece: a fire pit patio with a barn behind it that acts as a gym. You also can spy a sliver of a 1965 Airstream trailer to the right of the barn; it has solar panels and is hooked up to sewer lines, so it can act as a guesthouse, an office or just an extra bathroom.

Out of frame to the left, close to the house, sits a long picnic table near a pass-through window to the kitchen. Herbs, a kumquat tree and strawberries abut a stone path that leads to a grilling patio on one side of the house, and trough planters and fruit trees fill an area on the other. And a birdbath welcomes the beloved creatures that give the home its name: Birdsong.

Aging-in-place features, space-saving ideas and stylish details help keep families together without overcrowding. Having family nearby can be a wonderful thing, particularly for those planning to age in place. (cited)