It was a running joke that once layout blogger Dana McGill-Perez became eccentric and old, she would move in the backyard shed of her daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and Joe Eggleston. The joke took a turn when she decided to let the Egglestons and their two boys move into her home, and she would dwell inside her own backyard instead.
But a shed was out of the question. So she designed a smart little one-bedroom unit having a kitchen, a complete bathroom with a walk in shower and lots of room for her collection of midcentury bits.
at a Glance
Who lives here: Dana McGill-Perez
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Size: 676 square feet; 1 bedroom, 1 bath
Price: Around $65,000, such as basic construction, plumbing, electrical, HVAC and interior fittings and furnishings
There was an existing concrete slab and a detached carport with a two-room workshop where the package could fit perfectly. McGill-Perez sat down with a bit of graph paper, a ruler and a pencil and proceeded to work on a redesign, then turning the existing footprint to the kitchen, laundry room and bathroom and building out for additional living room. After she finalized the floor plans and hired general contractor Jose Camarillo, construction started; it took three months to finish.
Exterior paint: Thunderous, Sherwin-Williams; planters: Oscar, CB2
Angela Flournoy
Camarillo was not acquainted with midcentury architecture but followed closely McGill-Perez’s instructions to a T. “I am as comfy in this package like I was in the main home,” she states.
McGill-Perez designed a partial wall using shelving to show her smaller midcentury treasures, and to create a barrier between the living room and the sleeping area. Vintage pieces by Giovanni de Simone, Scheurich, Larry Laslo and Royal Haeger; a West German fat lava vasebirds and birds from Tapio Wirkkala decorate the shelves.
Sofa: Rochelle, Gus Modern collection; chair: vintage, IB Kofod-Larsen
Angela Flournoy
McGill-Perez, shown here, says her family members all agreed at the outset to honor one another’s need for time, but they still appreciate lots of family activities together, like sharing a cup of coffee, having a movie night or grilling on the patio. “So far, our experiment in multigenerational living is working splendidly,” she states.
8 ways to make multigenerational living work
Angela Flournoy
Sourcing the furnishings and fittings was a bit of a struggle for McGill-Perez. She basically scours the Internet at several times round the clock for sales and bargains. “I am not a thrifter; I don’t have the patience,” she states. “Invariably, I’d start off looking at high-end materials and talk down myself.”
Chair, ottoman: Alpha, Ekornes
Angela Flournoy
One of McGill-Perez’s first purchases was this credenza, which she paid less than $200 for. She later discovered that it had been created by Jens Risom.
Bird accessory: Eames House Bird, Vitra; macramé hanger: Ouch Flower
Angela Flournoy
McGill-Perez initially wanted custom kitchen storage but proceeded with budget-friendly Ikea cabinets. “I don’t have a criticism on earth about the quality,” she states. The kitchen cost approximately $15,000, including the appliances, sink, sink and fan.
Countertops: Night Mist quartz surface, Silestone; cabinets: Akurum, Ikea
Angela Flournoy
Some of her proudest purchases would be the light fixtures that hang over her house office space (as well as in the bathroom). She paid less than $30 for every.
The Smith-Corona Corsair Deluxe manual typewriter is a current purchase that is an ode to the first days of her career as a high school business teacher.
Angela Flournoy
Desk: vintage drop-front secretary; glass birds: Oiva Toikka; framed artwork (right): Sol LeWitt print, Art.com
Angela Flournoy
“My two grandsons love to see what they call Grammo’s Little House,” she states. “My normal day begins with their sweet voices shouting, ‘Grammo, Grammo, awaken!’ As they rush in my bedroom.”
Planter: IN2, Architectural Pottery
Angela Flournoy
A huge walk-in shower plus a modern, straight-side toilet were musts in the bathroom. She also used kitchen cabinets, which can be deeper than bathroom cabinets, for more storage. The bathroom cost $10,000, including the sink, toilet, shower fittings and faucet.
Faucet: Lahara, Delta; shower: Linden, Delta; accent tile: Tessera Square Tundra Glass, Merola Tile, Home Depot; shelving unit: Expedit, Ikea; baskets: Knipsa, Ikea; mirror: Raphael by Howard Elliott, Wayfair; toilet: Cadet Straight Side Toilet, American Standard, Lowe’s
Angela Flournoy
Having plenty of plants in the green area away from the bedroom was a must. McGill-Perez desired to have the ability to look outside and see green, not simply bare fence. In the fall she will grow chrysanthemums and ferns. In winter she will add pansies.
Drapery: Track Panel Curtains, Casa.com; floors: 12-millimeter walnut laminate, Lumber Liquidators
More: A Family of Four Unwinds in 540 Square Feet
