Associated Designs – The Future of Urban Development: Accessory Dwelling Units

Secondary dwellings can come in a variety of types from attached dwellings located above a garage or in the basement level of the primary home; Associated Designs has seen a raise for detached dwellings more commonly referred to as backyard cottages, granny flats, or carriage houses. ADUs come in a range of sizes from 250 square feet tiny homes to 800 or 1000 square foot cottages. They are constructed on lots that already have a primary residence and are a great option for those looking to generate extra income from rental property or are looking to help adult children or aging parents.

Highlighted are three trending secondary dwelling plans created by Associated Designs’ talented team of home designers.

Iris Cottage 31-283
Modern elegance blends with country simplicity to create an eye-catching exterior to the Iris Cottage. At 800 square feet, this backyard cottage offers an affordable design with its open floor plan and shed roof. The great room has a vaulted ceiling that opens to a clerestory, flooding the room with natural light. On warm summer days, the double sliding glass door opens the great room to the large covered patio. An island with an eating bar provides some visual separation between the kitchen and the living area while adding to the available seating. The ceiling drops towards the back of the cottage where two bedrooms are located that share a compartmentalized bathroom. One of the bedrooms has direct access to the full bathroom giving it the feeling of a master suite.

Birkland 31-186
A trio of textures graces the front of the Birkland secondary structure. Vaulted ceilings add to the spaciousness of this otherwise tiny house plan. At 460 square feet this modern design offers a living area that can be shielded from the front door by a sliding barn door. The entry opens up immediately into the kitchen which offers ladder access to the attic that is open to the living area below. Tucked away in a hallway closet is a stacking washer and dryer which is just steps away from the vaulted bedroom.

Aspen Cottage 31-290
A delightful blend of country and Craftsman styling works in harmony to create this charming 795 square foot accessory structure. The Aspen Cottage is a two-story accessory dwelling unit that offers a pleasant separation of living and sleeping areas. On the first floor is the open great room which extends to the kitchen and is only separated by an eating bar. Steps away from the kitchen are a couple of storage closets – one of which could be utilized as a pantry. A full bathroom with a corner shower is also on the main floor across from the stacking washer and dryer tucked under the staircase. On the second floor are two bedrooms with 9’ ceilings that share the home’s second full bathroom.

These three charming accessory dwelling units give an idea of the diversity in style and floor plan layout. Each building jurisdiction has different requirements so it is important before starting on your own backyard cottage build to check in with your building jurisdiction to make sure they allow secondary structures and what requirements the design will need to meet. If you fall in love with one of Associated Designs’ accessory dwelling designs their modification or custom design services can help you tailor the design to your property and goals. Check out the entire collection at www.AssociatedDesigns.com.

About Associated Designs

Founded in 1990, Associated Designs offers pre-designed plans and custom design services. Created by a talented team of designers with more than 45 years of design experience, Associated Designs offers a variety of single family homes, garage and accessory structures, and multi-family designs.