Surrounded by rows of cabernet grapevines, olive trees, a centenary oak, and bright blue sky, this cedar-clad prefab looks as if it has always stood on its cinematic site in Healdsburg, California. But the 540-square-foot Dwell House landed on the lot only a few months agoโjust in time for Thanksgiving, which was homeowner Leslie Scharfโs plan.
After living on the property at the start of the pandemic with her adult daughters, Sophie and Sarah, and their families, Leslie decided she could use more square footage. “I needed flex space so that we could comfortably spend time together here,” she says.
It turns out that Sophie was feeling slightly squeezed as well. “It was really tight, and we didnโt know how long the pandemic would last,” she says. She started researching accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and she was drawn to the materials and detailing of the Dwell House. “My mom and I love design, and the Dwell House is beautiful compared to a lot of other ADUs,” Sophie adds.
Designed by Norm Architects, the backyard house is as artful as it is efficient. “Natural materials bring texture and depth, and we always strive for richness in our detailing,” says Norm partner Sofie Thorning. “The different scales of the cedar cladding align, creating a thoughtful rhythm that gives the house a calm appearance. The presentation is never flat, but it blends in wherever it goes.”
“The interiorโs muted palette is calming anddoesnโt overpower the homeโs relationship to nature.When youโre inside, you note whatโs outside.”
โSofie Thorning, architect
Strategically placed glazingโincluding a 12-foot-wide folding glass wall that opens the living area to the deckโframes the bucolic setting. “I love the homeโs relationship to the outdoors,” says Thorning. “No matter where you are, you catch a view of the landscape, which enlarges the feeling of the small house.”
Leslie and Sophie were taken with the design, but they also loved that home-builder Abodu would oversee construction and transport the ADU to their property in a seamless process. “After the Dwell House is fully constructed in-factory, itโs loaded onto a flatbed truck for transport to the homeowner and arrives as a complete, ready-to-move-in unit,” says Abodu cofounder Eric McInerney. “Prior to arrival, we handle all on-site construction workโfrom building the foundation to preparing plumbing and electrical.”
According to McInerney, prefabricating the unit off-site limits the on-site construction time to about six weeks. “This allows for greater control and oversight of the construction process and materials, which decreases the timeline to completion and lets Abodu deliver the Dwell House in as little as six months,” he says.
On delivery day, Leslie, Sophie, and Sophieโs four-year-old son, Luca, watched Abodu crane the Dwell House over the grapevines in only a couple of minutes and then situate it between a massive oak tree and the main house on the property. Once it was in place, they couldnโt help but think that their new flex space was more than theyโd hoped for. “I looked inside, and I was surprised that there was really nothing for me to do,” says Leslie. “It was all thereโappliances and everything.”
So far, the Dwell House has made the familyโs special gathering place that much more special. “My parents bought this land in 1982, and I kind of grew up here,” says Sophie. “When I was younger, my sister and I would run through the vineyards all the time, chasing rabbits and birds. Now, my son explores while we sit and watch from the deck or the living area. Our family is growingโand we finally have the space we need.”
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