A 1950s “Scary, Spider-Filled” Garage Turned into a Cozy 340-Square-Foot ADU
After Anna Baggett and her sister broke up with their long-term partners, they took the leap to pursue their dream of owning a home themselves. “We decided to go into a property together, but we wanted to maintain privacy and provide separate spaces for our pups (we each have two!),” Anna begins.
“We came across a house with a garage/workshop and decided to take a leap in renovating it into a tiny home for me while my sister moved into the main house. The renovation was a longer and more complicated process than anticipated. However, the end product was worth it,” she writes of the house plus garage they purchased in Atlanta’s East Atlanta Village neighborhood two years ago.
The sisters worked with Sketch Haus Architects to transform the “scary, dark, spider-filled garage” into what Anna describes now as a “natural-light filled, sustainable, mid-century, and cozy” home.
While Anna’s home is only 340 square feet, the design brilliantly maximizes every inch. There’s a sleeping loft, a full-size kitchen, a walk-in closet, and even a decently large bathroom. “To save money and be more environmentally friendly, I sourced a lot of secondhand and salvaged materials, including reclaimed open shelves for the kitchen, a library ladder for the loft access, and (free!) large windows in the front that completely changed the facade and added so much natural light to the space,” Anna explains. “I created a space that was truly me.”
Resources
ENTRY
- Sliding library ladder — Facebook Marketplace (originally Putnam Rolling Ladder Co.)
- Open shelves — salvaged wood from Lifecycle Building Center
- Backsplash tiles — Facebook Marketplace (originally Bestile)
- Desk — Facebook Marketplace (originally IKEA LISABO)
KITCHEN
- Yellow dishware — Facebook Marketplace (originally Gap Home)
- Circular cutting board — Anthropologie
- Rectangular cutting board — Vintage Dansk, from estate sale
- Green utensil holder — Target (actually a planter)
- Green baking dishes — IKEA FARGKLAR
- Ceramic canisters — Crate and Barrel
- White storage Box — Open Spaces
- Green-grey kitchen cabinets – IKEA SEKTION with BODARP fronts (discontinued, but NICKEBO is very close)
- Drawer pulls — Etsy
- Tall cabinet — IKEA BILLY
- Countertops— IKEA KARLBY, oak
- Faucet — Wayfair
- Bar cart — Vintage mid-century, from estate sale
LIVING ROOM
- Entry mirror/hooks — Wayfair
- Coffee table — Facebook Marketplace (vintage mid-century Lane Acclaim)
- Green lamp — IKEA AROD
- White pillows — IKEA (discontinued)
- Red pillows — DIY
- Center pillow — Target
- Peach checkered lamp — Target
- Green checkered (washable!) rug — Revival
- Desk chair — Found, vintage mid-century Gunlocke
- Hutch — Facebook Marketplace (vintage mid-century Stanley)
BATHROOM
- Mosaic Towels — Parachute
- Orange towels and black striped towels — Target
- Floral shower curtain — Urban Outfitters
- Bath mat — Amazon
BEDROOM
- Duvet cover — Urban Outfitters
- Green sheets — Quince
- Throw pillows — Mix of IKEA and Facebook Marketplace
- Floating nightstands — Salvage from Lifecycle Building Center
- Fan — Vintage Restoration Hardware
- Plug-in sconces — Habitat Restore
Thanks, Anna!
This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
Share Your Style: House Tour & House Call Submission Form