Hopefully the lady pictured isn’t your mother-in-law! But you might like to know that I’m asked
more & more often to design houses with additional living space attached to
the main house. Often these spaces are
called ‘Mother-in-law Suites’ for lack of a better name!
Usually clients want a combination sleeping/living area with
a small kitchenette and bath combined.
But sometimes the client can afford to make a separate living &
eating space. Others simply want a
second master bedroom & bath area.
It’s my job as a building designer to figure out three
things:
1.
What features best meet the client’s needs with
regard to cost and space?
2.
How can I design the space so it flows nicely
with the main structure?
3.
How can I plan for future uses of the space,
either for this owner or to make it attractive to a potential future owner?
I will usually ask questions about the person living in the
proposed space. Can they use stairs?
Does the bathroom need to be handicap-equipped? How many square feet can the
project take up?
I like to offer the in-law suite a nice view of some exterior
space. But I have to find out if the
main family wants privacy outside. That
might lend itself to a small, side porch off the suite instead. And if the project is part of a remodel I
have to think of the existing structure, roofline and exterior finishes. I want this big addition to have a look that
makes people think it has always been there, even if it is a separate structure
not attached to the main house.
More than once I’ve had clients whose family needs changed
within just a few years after building an in-law suite. Those folks are then happy if we have taken
the time to plan for a future use.
Sometimes the suite can become a game room, home office, or even be
converted into an extra garage or storage space. This means we have to think about how the
suite attaches or is approached from the main house.
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