The ADU: The trend that’s here to stay

I bought my dream home! Over the next several months I will be sharing with you my dream home. It was built in 1925 and is a classic Hollywood Mediterranean. What attracted me to the home was the old Hollywood glamour that the house evokes. To maximize the living space and build on the romance of the historic main house, I am building an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) on the property. With California’s housing shortage, restrictions for ADUs have been relaxed, making them a popular trend that is here to stay.

It was important to me that we maintained the home’s architectural integrity and that the two structures complimented each other. For this reason, I chose Marc Appleton, Appleton Partners, LLC. to be the architect on the project. Marc has designed over 850 projects and is responsible for defining the California coastal aesthetic. He’s been featured extensively in many industry publications and has designed the Rosewood Miramar Beach Hotel, San Ysidro Ranch, and the San Vicente Bungalows.

Marc is a master at both contemporary and traditional architecture and I was confident he would be the perfect partner in striking a balance between the original historic home and the new construction.

From the onset clear goals were established for how the ADU was going to be used. These early discussions were key in driving the look and feel of the ADU. I envisioned a space that would be used as a home office. I wanted a meeting space to share designs with clients in a beautiful environment, and I wanted the structure to open up to the backyard and the beautiful pool so that it could used for entertaining friends and family.

The final design has a main space with a large kitchen and giant skylight, giving me lots of natural light for presentations, and three nine-foot tall French doors that open up to the yard for entertaining. To blur the boundaries between the indoor and outdoor spaces, I chose Dekton by Cosentino in the color Argentium. The neutral limestone hue has it wonderful movement and texture you don’t normally see in engineered stone. And the beauty of Consentino is its durability, perfect for both indoor and outdoor applications. I designed modern cabinetry with clean lines in rift oak that complement the stone and add warmth to the space. The ADU also features an office with lots of storage and an ADA-compliant bathroom to accommodate any friends or family members with special needs. And solar panels will be installed on the roof to offset the property’s carbon footprint.

I’m still at the very start of this design journey, but I will share with you the challenges built into restoring and preserving a 99-year-old house with all of the modern luxuries we crave and all with sustainability in mind.

Follow us on Instagram: @juliawongdesigns | juliawongdesigns.com