Posted in Design Projects, tagged accessory dwelling unit, ADU, Berkeley, Berkeley Hills, bright colors, cabinets, colors, coral green, cottage, fir, Limeplaster, small bathroom, small buildings, wildfire, wood on February 25, 2026| Leave a Comment »
I am finally getting around to sharing the photos of this recent 440 SF Accessory Dwelling Unit. It is an unusual shape due to many constraints including preserving the bay views from the main house, and preserving as much garden as possible. It is also located on an active landslide and in a wildland -urban interface with strict wild fire safety provisions.
Posted in Design Projects, tagged accessory dwelling unit, ADU, Berkeley, clay plaster, cottage, curves, fire resistant construction, green building, light, Lime Plaster, straw, Strawbale, thick walls, tiny house on June 24, 2025| Leave a Comment »
This project was completed a a few years ago, but I realized I never posted any finished photos because I was waiting for the landscaping and an interior sliding screen between office and living room. I think it’s done now and I hope to stop by soon to see it.
John and I both would love to build more strawbale structures. The thick walls (In this case 24″ thick, but 18″ is common) are really great architecturally and the inside is so quiet and well insulated. It is wonderful to use a natural material that is an agricultural waste product to insulate. Lime plastered strawbale buildings are also very fire resistant.
Posted in Design Projects, tagged ADU, Berkeley, carved post, cottage, painted beam, small buildings on January 6, 2021| Leave a Comment »
We converted the front house from a duplex to single family, then added an ADU at the back. So many fun details on this project I don’t know where to start.
First, Here is the new ADU. The landscape work is underway, so stay tuned. Note the castle post from previous blogposts.
Here are three of the kitchen
Posted in Design Projects, tagged ADU, air tight ness, airtight, Berkeley, blower door test, Building Science, castle, cottage, decoration, green, green building, net zero, painted beam, pattern, patterns, small buidings, tiny house, tinyhouse on March 5, 2020| Leave a Comment »
The painted ridge beam went in this week. You can see, if you look closely, another castle post to complement the beam.
We also did a preliminary blower door test to check for airtightness and passed with flying colors
And finally we had a ceremonial sage burning inside the building last night…to bring the good sprits and chase away the bad. Due to the airtightness, the building was still smokey in the morning after the ceremony! (The ventilation system is not yet operational and no windows were open)
Posted in Design Projects, tagged accessory dwelling unit, ADU, Berkeley, cottage, framing, McBride Construction, process, small buildings on July 29, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Saturday Morning Design Meeting
Posted in Design Projects, tagged ADU, All electric, Berkeley, cottage, Energy Conservation, flyash, framing, FSC, green, McBride Construction, process, rockwool, Solar on June 18, 2019| Leave a Comment »
McBride Construction (and others…foundation by Caliber Structural and rough plumbing by Braco Plumbing) have this 484 SF ADU well on its way . It’s nice to see it take form. You can’t see one green innovation that is hidden under the slab. Instead of rigid foam insulation we used rigid rockwool. Concrete is high volume flyash. The framing lumber is FSC certified. The building will get a blower door test and it must meet a high standard for air tightness. (You can still open the window or turn on the ERV for fresh air, but your air won’t be trickling in through dusty cracks and crevices) Stay tuned for more. .
Posted in Design Projects, tagged accessory dwelling unit, ADU, Berkeley, boxes, cottage, Four-square, historical styles, houses, small buildings, utilitarian on November 8, 2013| Leave a Comment »
We are working on the repair and remodel of an actual 4-square cottage from the early 1900s!
deedsdesign 