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Another place where the couple minimized expenses was on the flooring. "The floor was a cost saver,

For the bathroom, local studio Dusty Whipple Designs created a custom concrete sink. It sits within waterproof tadelakt plaster walls that run into the shower and around the room.

“The things we splurged on still look raw, which is what we wanted,” adds Nick.

Texas couple Brittany and Nick Hunt, partners in life and at Hunt Architecture, created an office on the grounds of their Austin home that allows them to run their practice while staying close to their kids.

tini Floor Plan

In the corner, framed, machine-sewn vintage fabrics serve as minimalist wall decor. The artwork is the creation of delavegacanolasso and is available for sale on the firm's website.

Floor plan of Workstation Cabin by Hello Wood

"We imagined how six people would use the space and developed the shape accordingly," says Hello Wood cofounder Dávid Ráday. "We took inspiration from the design of space capsules, and the cabin was refined step by step before reaching its final form."

This shipping container office cantilevers over its concrete foundation by seven feet and draws utilities from the property’s 1930s residence.

RBA Studio Floor Plan and Sections

Five House by M Gooden Design floor plan

“The pitched ceilings and ribbon of clerestory windows make the interior feel more spacious than it is,” notes Gooden.

In the newly constructed volume, the living room of the ADU would double as an art gallery, connected to—or closed off from—the rest of the residential wing via a pocket door. Separate entrances to the gallery and living/sleeping zones would allow private access for a future renter or caregiver, or the couple’s adult children when they visited.

“We remembered the strategic use of hidden directional lights that we had the good fortune to see a few years ago at Casa Luis Barragán in Mexico City, so we asked for similar out-of-view lighting to be installed atop the freestanding closet upstairs,” the homeowners recall. “We love how they make the wood ceiling luminous at night.

The ADU’s stair leads to the second floor bedroom and full bathroom. Below, red upholstered Saarinen Tulip chairs, acquired from the homeowners’ parents, complete the dining setup. “Since the kitchen table doubles as a workspace, we wanted the chairs to be super comfortable,” they say.

In the ADU’s kitchen, the team struck a delicate balance between saving and splurging. They chose cost-effective ceramic tile and light fixtures, while strategically spending a bit more on the quartz counters. “Where long-term durability and maintenance was a consideration, we did opt not to be penny wise, pound foolish,” says architect Toni Lewis.

Favoring natural and low-maintenance materials, the dwelling’s exterior is clad in Corten steel, Shou Sugi Ban charred siding from Nakamoto Forestry in Portland, and stucco. A natural-edge wood garden bench draws attention to the angled glass windows of the facade.

Wedged with precision between the existing garage and pool, the narrow new structure is only 13 feet wide.