Chez Mona: Multigenerational Living in Berkeley

Turnkey Project Cost Today = $480,000
Size = 609 sf

Mona, another matriarch client of ours (a common thing) was ready to sell her huge home way up in the hills. Driving up there was just not a good idea anymore. Her daughter, Lisa, and her family decided to sell their home up in the hills as well. The plan was to pair up, build an ADU and live in a multigenerational household.

They bought a home near the Gourmet Ghetto of Berkeley (Chez Panisse is a few blocks away) and the result was Lisa saying:

“Living here is like a European vacation. We don’t shuttle our kids everywhere all the time. My husband and I get coffee together at a cafe on weekday mornings. It’s amazing being in a walkable community. I had no idea we were trapped up in the hills. ”

New Avenue designed and built this two-bedroom backyard accessory dwelling for Mona to live in while her daughter’s family lives in the main home.

The home has radiant floor heat, the second bedroom is really an office, the kitchen is open to the living area and the bathroom is designed with the grab bars and other universal design elements we all want as we age.

Our only disappointment as the designer is the funny aspect of designing for someone who has already owned a dream home for decades. This was originally a Mediterranean design with natural wood beams on the patio, exposed wood eaves, a tile roof, wooden windows, and other Mediterranean accents. Mona wasn’t into that. She wanted zero maintenance. We noted that she wanted to be able to do all of her exterior maintenance by standing with a hose and spraying the home down. We get it. So this is a no-maintenance ADU where you can walk to all the best food in the East Bay. Time spent enjoying coffee vs. maintaining a home is a priority we can get behind!