Why Moving Back In Is the ZeitgeistParents and Adult Kids Are Living Together—Differently

Have you read the recent Globe & Mail article featuring inspiring design ideas for parents and adult kids to live together, from renovating basement suites to laneway house living?

It's a story about housing costs, creative housing solutions, and what multigenerational living looks like when it's done thoughtfully.

The article, Living Reimagined by Matthew Hague, profiles a Smallworks client, an occupational therapist in her mid-30s who chose to design, build and live in a laneway house in Burnaby.

She and her partner had started searching for a permanent place to start a family since 2022. Stretching their budget and still coming up short, their only option seemed to be a one-bedroom condo at best.

They had seen laneway houses all over Vancouver and imagined one on the family lot in Burnaby, but the idea wasn’t permissible in the municipality’s planning department.

Then the page turned. In 2024, Burnaby changed its rules, and she and her parents jumped on the opportunity, becoming one of the first Burnaby families to create a laneway home on their long-term family lot.

Her 1,211 sqft laneway house, Rear Principal House, cost less than the average Burnaby condo. It came with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a fully accessible ground floor, and a yard. The design allows swapping homes with her parents one day as everyone's needs evolve.

Now that everyone's back on the family lot, the family isn’t thinking about selling anytime soon. Not for another 30 years.

Revisit the Globe & Mail article, featuring a Smallworks client's story:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/style/design/article-multigenerational-living-design-ideas/