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Kelli embraced simple raw materials like marine-grade plywood and let them shine. “I made a design rule for myself for this project: no material should imitate another material. If it’s plywood, let it look like plywood. Let’s celebrate that.”

Nashville resident Kelli Hix added a 500-square-foot guest apartment onto the back of her 1930s bungalow.

The 500-square-foot dwelling includes a first-floor living room, kitchen and bathroom, along with a lofted bedroom.

The guesthouse is clad in vertical white vinyl siding. Kelli had decking constructed out of engineered wood and cedar.

The goal was to turn the space into a guest suite that “feels like an out of body experience; a Willy Wonka vacation hideaway,” says the designer, who now lives in the ADU

The couple spent six months designing their 1,178-square-foot, two-story home. Its compact size was informed by the existing garage’s 20-foot-by-30-foot footprint and L.A.’s ADU size limit of 1,200 square feet. "We had always planned on designing a compact house, however, having a hard limit to its size was definitely a challenge,

Thompson, a founding principal of Assembledge+, had recently participated in a Los Angeles Magazine project to imagine solutions for those who lack housing in the city. Their notion was for public agencies to subsidize building ADUs in backyards along alleyways, dovetailing with existing alley revitalization initiatives

The 900-square-foot prefabricated backyard ADU in Los Angeles, California, that Cover designed to bring a family closer together features bright white composite exterior siding and a deck made from thermally treated ash.

The open-plan kitchen, dining, and living areas are washed in sunlight that streams in through floor-to-ceiling windows and doors.

The kitchen is outfitted with bright white cabinetry, counters, and a backsplash that provide a fresh and airy aesthetic for the interior.

Fruit trees, a hedge, a vegetable garden, and a chicken coop are situated between the main house and the ADU, helping to provide a feeling of privacy.

The expansive windows reflect the greenery of the yard, blurring the line between the interior and the outdoors.

The two-bedroom ADU features built-ins in every room

Floor Plan of the Perch by Nicole Blair

The Perch at sunset.