Project Spotlight: Rose Garden Escape
The Story of Rose Garden Escape…
ADUs, or Accessory Dwelling Units, seem to be all the rage right now. Perhaps it’s a result of cabin fever due to the lockdowns, or just a great way to capitalize on your existing site and add either extra space for your family or extra income from renting out a guest house.
In the case of our recent Rose Garden Escape project, we helped our clients create more value and usability in their existing residence with the creation of a multi-purpose ADU. The project is located in the historic Rose Garden neighborhood of San Jose, where it got its name.
The clients, who wish to remain anonymous, loved their existing house and the location, but they knew that a traditional addition to their home would change the intimate feel that they appreciated about the home. They needed space for working from home, and to host visiting family. With the house situated on a smaller lot, the clients didn’t want to build up from their bungalow, so they looked to their garage and the creation of an ADU as a key solution.
Studio Maven wanted to maintain and extend all of the detail and charm of the built-ins, trim, and the warmth of the clients’ existing home into the ADU. By expanding the garage, the design team was able to give the ADU an expanded footprint and give the garage a bit of extra storage space.
“The clients had so many desires for the space, and at first we tried to meet them all—rental ADU, housing for in-laws, and part-time office—but ended up with an initial design that was infeasible in square footage and approvals,” said Studio Maven principal architect, Audrey Bauer. “It was only after we started to optimize for their most important need—primarily to create a second unit for when they went to sell their house—that the rest of their wants could be brought back into the mix in a meaningful way. We were then able to prioritize keeping the new structure in line with the rest of the house, a modest-sized space with custom built-ins and a large great room.”
The result is a beautiful and useful new ADU that can be enjoyed by the clients for much-needed work-from-home space and by their visitors as a private guest suite. It also fits in nicely with the aesthetics of the neighborhood—by mimicking the front window, the upper level of the garage looks like another house of the same style tucked in the trees of the property.
“We feel so grateful to have been able to work with Audrey, Sarah, and the rest of the Studio Maven team,” the clients said. “From initial daydreaming all the way to giving feedback on furnishings, the team was there for us every step of the way. We weren't sure how we would ultimately use the space, so Audrey went out of her way to design it with a lot of flexibility—home office, extended stay housing for visitors, or even as an eventual rental. Audrey's creation allows for all of these in a comfortable, beautiful way that seamlessly fits into our historic neighborhood and exceeds every expectation we had.”
Interested in your own ADU or renovation?
Feel free to contact us at hello@studiomaven.com or 415-494-8255.
Photographer: Gillian Walsworth