Formerly a Garage: A 400-Square-Foot One-Bedroom House in LA

We brake for grottages: garages converted into cottages (our own Michelle Slatalla invented the term for her own place). This one is the work of LA house flipper-turned designer-builder Shanty Wijaya of Allprace. Wijaya replaced the crumbling dwelling on the property with a spec construction, and rebuilt the remains of its one-car garage as this companion ADU for use as a guest house, pool house, work space, or rental.

The new main house takes its inspiration from Catalan modernism and the ADU is a mini-me version, filled with a high/low mix of solutions for small-space living. Join us for a tour.

Photography by Michael P.H. Clifford, courtesy of Allprace (@allprace). Styling by @EthanKotch and @A1000XBetter.

the 400 square foot structure in west adam, near culver city, occupies what had 12 — Above: The 400-square-foot structure in West Adam, near Culver City, occupies what had been a derelict one-car garage (the sofa wall is what was preserved of the 1930s original). It stands alongside a pool, and has an all-in-one living area at one end (scroll down to see the floor plan). The herringbone floor is composed of brick tile from Arto, a longstanding local business. The archways and mix of warm oak and pale concrete echo the detailing in the main house.

Above: The custom kitchen has rift-sawn oak cabinets set in a framework finished in Concretta, a concrete plaster or microcement also used on the island, which as a Fisher & Paykel induction cooktop. The Jeanneret-style Round Counter Stools are on sale for $250 each from France&Son.