ADU

The loft, built over the bedroom, is accessible by ladder. In the main living area, Ben chose Pertola Paint's Training Wheels—an espresso-tinted blank tone—for the walls.

Sliding fritted glass doors provide privacy and sectioned-off spaces when needed.

"Stephanie used every inch of crawl space for built-ins so there is a ton of storage," shares Hixton. Dyer also added a washer and dryer discretely set behind doors for added convenience for the couple and any future caretaker.

Each cabin’s bathroom has a private toilet room, sink, and shower with a floor-to-ceiling window that can be opened while showering to let nature inside. “You can literally bathe in nature,” says designer Taylor Bode. A ladder leads to a loft with a skylight.

The home’s metal cladding is Pac-Clad, a material typically used for roofs.

Wood cabinetry from Merit Kitchens has a vertical, plank-like finish. Black iron handles tie in with the window frames. “We didn’t need fancy details,” says Nigel.

The master bathroom's tub backed by Rosso Luana stone is an artistic space.

Teak doors with a teak handle divide the common and private zones.

The entry hall culminates in integrated shelving with arches that echo the archways of the walls.

A gallery wall includes six generations of Holly and Matthew’s families.

Wall shelving is made of wood salvaged from other parts of the house.

A blue checkered Moroccan rug amps up the visual interest in the space, along with a new yellow Togo couch and Herman Miller coffee table. Switching out the mullioned windows for new tilt-and-turn windows from Semko help the space feel larger and increase energy efficiency.

A large sliding glass door treats the kitchen and dining area to views of the surrounding foliage—including a plum tree that yields fruit for Blandine’s pies. In warm weather, she pulls her dining table onto the balcony to create an alfresco office. A globular Octo pendant by Secto Design can light the area from above. The dining chairs are from Caravane, and the artwork is by Philippe Charles.

Long-lasting Accoya siding covers the exterior, arranged with staggered vertical battens to cut a more slender, flattering profile.

This coach house was one of the very first to be completed under Chicago's recent ADU Ordinance.