Wood louvers

A brand-new rooftop deck gives the owners a private outdoor spot to lounge, entertain, and take in views of the city.

The oversized glass sliding doors open up wide to connect the open-plan second floor with the intimate patio space.

The screen of thin white slates also acts as a privacy shield, as the home is right on lot lines.

Now, an eight-foot sliding door brings light into the kitchen and enables fluid movement between inside and out. The wider steps can serve as seats during a party, and they make for a graceful transition to the yard.

View of sliding louver screens

The home’s 2,340 square feet span the upper and lower levels, while the basement can serve as an independent ADU, home office, or guest quarters. The lower-level entry is now more comfortable, with a wide waiting area protected from the weather overhead.

The accessory dwelling unit behind the home of Sonja Batalden in Saint Paul, Minnesota, has cheery yellow siding that the entrance appears to carve into. “If the yellow of the siding is the wrapper on the candy, this is kind of like the gooey middle,” architect Christopher Strom says about the thermally modified ash lining the entry.