Instead of Moving, A Retired Couple Built an ADU to Downsize

Originally, interior designer Victoria Tanforan thought she would eventually purchase her clients’ property. The clients, Nick and Sue Ciancio, were like family to her, and she had helped them complete the main house in 2019.

Stephanie Russo

“When it was time to retire, they wanted to be near their grandchildren so they purchased the property in Carmichael, California,” Victoria explains. “I was waiting on the sidelines to purchase the property from them when they started to discuss further downsizing and moving even closer where the grandkids were, a few neighborhoods over. I needed more space and I also had a great idea: to build a sweet little guest home in the side yard, which was a deceivingly large area covered in a grove of trees. My clients and I would joke that ‘if only they could live in my guest house this could all make perfect sense.’”

But because of the housing demand and rising home prices in Sacramento, that plan was nixed and Nick and Sue decided to hold onto their property. They also came up with a smart solution to their downsizing dilemma: they would build a guest house for themselves to live in and move their daughter and grandkids into the main house. Victoria was brought in to handle the build from the ground up.

Stephanie Russo

Since this ADU was going to be their main home, it was built to Nick and Sue’s specifications. And those specifications were exact as the couple has lived all over the country, commissioning new builds and remodels—Victoria says they were sensitive to the level of quality, as well as the proportions and volume of the space. 

“As it shares land with the main house, it was also important that the architectural style complemented what was already on the property,” explains Victoria. “Back when we worked on the main house, they had always wanted to move in a more modern direction but it was never quite right for the original ranch style of the home. So we made sure when we built this ADU that it felt like a more modern complement to the main house—clean black framed windows, no shutters or brick, linear board and batten. The ADU had to also be realistic for them to live in, which meant storage in the right places and a floor plan that was flexible.” 

Stephanie Russo

As you walk through the glass front door of the 1,100-square-foot ADU, you enter the foyer, which showcases the clients’ art collection. The space is an important feature of the ADU as it separates the living, kitchen, and dining area from the bedroom and bathroom wing.

The kitchen, dining, pantry, bar, and family room have an open flow. The pitched ceiling features multiple skylights that lets the daylight stream, and the living area leads to a tree-covered patio. Throughout the home, Victoria and team made smart, functional decisions to make downsizing easier.

Stephanie Russo

“We used stools at the dining table because they can tuck all the way under the table to conserve space, but they can also be pulled in to the family room for extra seating,” explains Victoria. “Extra built-in functionality goes a very long way. For example, the hampers are built in to the center of the bathroom vanity and the kitchen island has a concealed compartment for paper towels to keep them off the counter… features like this allow the home to feel less cluttered and more spacious.”

Stephanie Russo

The kitchen is a chef’s dream with Sub-Zero refrigeration, an induction AGA range, Waterworks plumbing, and hand-painted terracotta tile from Tabard Studio on the range wall and bar wall. In the dining corner, the design team built a low-profile, L-shaped banquette for additional seating. 

Stephanie Russo

Off the kitchen is a glass door that leads to the pantry, which was designed to be ultra functional. “It’s really more of a ‘command center’ for the home featuring the microwave, pantry storage, dish storage, stackable laundry, a cleaning closet, gift wrap items, linens, additional refrigeration, mail drop area, tech area, and more,” Victoria explains. “We went through many iterations of that space to figure out how to pack in as much functionality as possible while also making sure it was visually up to standard. The whole room is in rift sawn white oak with live brass hardware. The room has its own skylight and a beautiful glass and metal door that allows the space to feel open, light, and connected to the rest of the interior architecture.”

Stephanie Russo

The family room is the only part of the house with a TV, so Victoria and team had to plan the furniture strategically. They were able to get a full-sized 98-inch sofa in the room, while still being able to fit an upholstered coffee table, an accent chair, and drink tables.

Stephanie Russo

Since the property was going to be transformed into a multigenerational space, some considerations had to be made, like prioritizing privacy. “In this case, making sure the back deck didn’t encroach too much on the pool area and/or look in to a bedroom,” Victoria says. “Also, the all-glass front door is on the side of the home facing a windowless wall of the main house. We created a separate driveway for this house as well, so it’s easy for everyone on the property to come and go.”

Stephanie Russo

The property is another inspiring example of the multigenerational living trend—and a new way that empty nesters can reimagine what their living situation can look like.

Stephanie Russo

“After living in many homes, some of which were quite large, they’re enjoying the simplicity of living with less,” Victoria says of the owners. “They feel like it’s open and flexible enough to still have their grandkids come over, they have storage right where they need it, and some luxury bells and whistles that still make it feel special and considered.”

Styling: Rachel Forslund