Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

With Three Good Reasons and $400K, an L.A. Couple Build the ADU of Their Dreams

With Three Good Reasons and $400K, an L.A. Couple Build the ADU of Their Dreams

In housing-strapped Los Angeles, a designer couple take on their own backyard build-and create a new rental in the process.

When Paul and Yuki Gasiorkiewicz bought a nondescript 1930s bungalow in Echo Park, they knew right away that a redesign would be in order. But when they took a closer look at the detached garage in the rear, they discovered a surprisingly stunning view that made them scrap ideas of a renovation in favor of building a brand new accessory dwelling unit.



"Designing a new house in place of the garage had three significant advantages," say Paul and Yuki, who are both designers at architecture firms. "One, it offered us a clean slate to build a brand new house that suited our lifestyle better. Second, the garage had a significantly better location than the main house, with better access to the garden, western-facing sunlight, and an expansive view of the neighborhood hills.

"Third, from both the financial and housing point of view, it made more sense to build a second house. Once complete, it allowed us to rent out the main house, which helps us pay off the mortgage. And, it adds one new dwelling to L.A.’s housing stock, which is currently experiencing a huge shortage."

    

The couple spent six months designing their 1,178-square-foot, two-story home. Its compact size was informed by the existing garage’s 20-foot-by-30-foot footprint and L.A.’s ADU size limit of 1,200 square feet. Then followed two months of permitting and a ten-month construction period that wrapped up in March 2018. The project cost approximately $400,000 in total.

"We had always planned on designing a compact house, however, having a hard limit to its size was definitely a challenge," explain Paul and Yuki, whose key design goals were to include a small home office, and to ensure a sense of flow within well-proportioned spaces. "It simply meant that we had to work harder on the plan and fine tune it to make it as simple and efficient as possible, which in the end suited us well-we are very happy with it."



To make the most of the garden and sweeping valley views, the couple crafted an airy, loft-like interior. An open-plan double-height living space on the ground floor is surrounded by sliding glass doors on three sides. A long and narrow Japanese-style engawa deck wraps around the exterior to extend the living spaces outdoors. The deck, which is built of four-inch-thick reclaimed wood, is positioned at the perfect sitting height.

The couple tore out the concrete driveway and replaced it with a lush courtyard. They still park their car in the original driveway; the former garage had only been used for storage.



The top-heavy, minimalist structure comprises a white volume stacked above a smaller black block replete with glazing. The black-and-white color scheme continues to the interior with black IKEA cabinetry that wraps around the open kitchen, and white walls on the second floor. Timber surfaces in the kitchen, stairway, and around the windows and doors add warmth to the space.

On the second floor, two bedrooms bookend a "bridge" overlooking the living space below and panoramic city views beyond. Operable timber partitions in the bedrooms enhance the home’s loft-like feel, and can open to create "borrowed views" or close for privacy. The couple plan to add solar panels to the roof, as well as a raised deck to create an additional space for entertaining.

"The design is tailored to maximize the site and to suit our lifestyle, which means spending a lot of time in or around the garden," say the couple, who now live in the ADU full time. Visible through large glass sliding doors, the garden is a central feature that is ever-present. Paired with the lofty double-height main living space, the whole interior "feels like an extension of the outdoors," they say. "It’s full of light, breeziness, and a wonderful sense of being surrounded by nature both day and night."



First Floor



Second Floor



Roof

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×