Propel Studio’s Wedge ADU is a luminous respite, with built-in wood cabinetry and a massive skylight. Over the past decade, Portland, Oregon, has seen a wave of ADUs constructed—from detached backyard structures to dedicated basements dwellings and above-garage apartments that are part of an existing house. Portland isn’t the only city committed to ADUs, but in most places, regulations make them difficult. As of last year, there were only four American cities—Portland, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Austin—that had built more than 1,000 units.
Casa Tobita floor plan
Casa Tobita section
Swell lights by Pablo hang above Hot Mesh stools from Blu Dot. The millwork is by J. Spix Fine Cabinets.
In the office, existing track lighting illuminates cabinetry covered in Lemon Bar by Miller Paint.
An ingenious small-space solution turns a wall into a sitting area.
"It only cost about $48,000 to build, which was incredibly cheap," says Turner of the Stealth Barn. "We got the Timber Frame Company to supply the shell, then we clad it and fitted out the interior and windows ourselves. The idea was to take the archetypal black tar-painted agricultural building and make an almost childlike icon of that."
The rhythm of the slat wall (made from red cedar and stained to look prematurely weathered) is echoed in the shutter detailing on each window.
Strategically placed glass pocket doors slide open, connecting the house to its lush natural surroundings.
The compact home in Södermanland County, Sweden, that architect Per Söderberg designed for his family is clad with bright red board-and-batten siding.
A series of French doors extends the interior living spaces to the deck and meadow beyond.
Wood screens blur the boundary between indoor and outdoor spaces.
A mix of red cedar shingles and scales make of the exterior. The design is intended to be a