More from Less

A guest house expands to make a mother-in-law feel right at home.

Project details & links to other projects follow details.

More from Less

Start with a 425 sq. foot guesthouse perched on a Marin County hillside. It’s a sweet set up for guests to feel private when they visit for a few days or a week. But when the real mother-in-law comes to stay a few weeks that turn into a few months that could become a few years, thoughts turned to converting the guest quarters into a small residence.

The expansion feasibility was restricted by setbacks, a sloped site needing retention, heritage trees, and a shear wall. Adding more than 200 square feet would be economically prohibitive and likely not attractive. The wish list was challenging…

Project Profile

  1. Put in a full kitchen. Refrigerator, oven, gas cooktop. Storage, drawers, cabinets.

  2. Add washer and dryer.

  3. Find room for a bathroom with a tub and vanity.

  4. Find closet space. A place for a desk. Book shelves.

  5. Add a bedroom to accommodate a king-size bed.

  6. A gas fireplace would be nice, too…

  7. Addition to increase square footage to 650