For years we imagined building a backyard cottage for my parents near our Seattle home. That particular plan never came to pass, but the dream is finally happening in a new way. I’m excited to share the progress and how we transformed the idea into reality.
My parents are now having a charming backyard-style cottage built — attached to our new house. I’ll show progress photos and highlight a few tiny-cottage features they chose to make the space comfortable and practical.
First, a quick recap of how we arrived here.
When my husband and I entered our “empty nester” phase a little over a year and a half ago, we had to decide whether to stay in Seattle or move. We loved our previous home and could have stayed, but when we found a sweet little house on an island about an hour and a half away, it felt like the place we’d always hoped to find: water views, a short walk to the beach, and a friendly small town with local destinations to enjoy.
We’d invited my parents to consider living near us, wherever we settled. At first the island house and its tiny lot didn’t seem suitable for sharing, so we considered passing it by. It wasn’t the obvious choice for multi-generational living, but as we weighed its location, charm, and potential, it began to feel right.
Could we make it work?
After conversations with my parents about long-term goals, timing, needs, and resources, we felt confident this was the right home. We decided together to take the leap and make the space comfortable for everyone. The plan required thoughtful space planning and clever design to realize a backyard cottage concept that functions well on a small lot.
Because our lot was too small and zoning wouldn’t allow a separate structure, we turned the idea into an addition attached to our home. That meant compromises, but one benefit of small-home living is focusing on what matters most — we often need far less than we think.
My parents designed the cottage themselves, sharing a love of houses. Once the architectural drawings, permits, and approvals were in place, construction moved forward.
I’m thrilled they’ll have such a sweet place to live — and that they’ll be so close, essentially under our roof. It’s wonderful they’ll enjoy the neighborhood, the town, and life by the sea.
Below I’ll share photos of the progress so far and a few details about their space.
Q: Will your parents’ addition have their own kitchen?
A: Yes — it will feature a charming, partially enclosed kitchenette. The kitchen sits along one interior wall with three windows facing the backyard. A vaulted ceiling helps the small kitchen feel open, bright, and airy.
They’ve ordered compact appliances suited for small spaces and chosen a delightful design palette: blue cabinets, a blue-and-white checkered tile backsplash, and a vintage-style refrigerator. The overall look evokes a European seaside cottage.
UPDATE: A mood board for the kitchenette will be shared soon.
The windows across the back were installed today — they bring in so much natural light.
Q: How many square feet is the backyard cottage?
A: What began as a plan for a bedroom and bath evolved into a self-contained cottage with a kitchenette, a main sitting room, and a bedroom nook. It wasn’t easy to fit everything in, but the result offers everything they need. The finished footprint is about 400 square feet — the maximum possible given the site constraints.
The sitting area also has a vaulted ceiling to enhance the sense of space. Walls and ceilings will be white beadboard, and the flooring matches ours: European white oak.
Even on cloudy days the windows flood the space with light. The sitting room will include a framed TV, a coffee station (my parents love coffee), and a compact electric fireplace for cozy evenings.
The exterior design complements our main house and fits the neighborhood. The addition features white board-and-batten siding to match parts of our home, a metal roof, its own blue exterior door, and a charming siding detail at the peak. I’ll share more of those details as the project progresses.
We can’t wait to show more of this sweet tiny cottage as it comes together.
More posts about our remodel:
The Beauty of Soapstone Counters (why we chose them for our kitchen)
Kitchen Renovation Update: Floors, Cabinets, Sink, Hardware and More
Kitchen and Dining Room Renovation Update — Projects Have Begun
Our New Kitchen Design Mood Board (and five questions that helped me decide)
Adding Character in a Kitchen Remodel: The Tale of Our New Range and Faucet
My New Kitchen Floor Plan + Parents’ Addition and Exterior Elevation
5 Design Books I Love for Remodel Inspiration