London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, May 31, 2025

An Austin Couple Build a 200-Square-Foot Office and Guesthouse in Their Backyard

An Austin Couple Build a 200-Square-Foot Office and Guesthouse in Their Backyard

The couple behind Cedar & Oak Homes build a 200-square-foot ADU in their backyard.

Lauren and Holt Williamson of Austin, Texas–based design-build firm Cedar & Oak Homes knew that the backyard shed that held outdoor supplies, extra paint, flooring, and tile was destined for greater things. "When I started working from home, I dreamed about turning that unused space into a home office," says Lauren.

But before the Williamsons knew it, they found themselves designing much more than an office. "Holt quickly jumped aboard my dream train and instead of adding just a window and a desk, we found ourselves sketching a full-blown tiny house," Lauren says. "Anyone who knows us knows we don’t do things halfway."



Lauren and Holt Williamson of Cedar & Oak Homes designed and built a 200-square-foot tiny home in the backyard of their Austin, Texas, home.

Instead of recreating the existing shed, the couple devised an entirely new construction that could be used as an office, guesthouse, short-term rental space-The Back House. "Since the stay-at-home order was put in place, Holt and I’ve been using it as our office, but we’re eager to have friends, family, and Austin visitors come stay with us soon," Lauren says.



Clerestories brighten up the living area, which is situated between the bedroom and the kitchen-and-dining space of the open-plan home.

The Williamsons’ toddlers-three-and-a-half-year-old Aden and two-year-old Ellie-have been a part of the project since the beginning. "They watched the demo of the old shed from the windowsill, and they played and drew on the structural frame," Lauren says. "And they helped me make the bed and hang the towels. At least three times a week, Aden asks to go to The Back House to work with Dad. He really just wants to raid the mini fridge, but I think this was the start of our kiddos getting excited about our business."



Lauren arranged the living area with a fold-out sofa from Urban Outfitters, a sconce from Living Spaces, and artwork and a woven rug from Target.

Sided with bright white board-and-batten, The Back House is 200 square feet. "The property line setbacks for our house and our neighbor’s house left us with a very specific size and location," Lauren says. "We added a separate, gated entry from our front yard so that people coming to stay wouldn’t have to step foot in our backyard." And since The Back House replaced a shed, Holt included a bump-out on the tiny house’s rear facade, which faces the Williamsons’ backyard and stores outdoor equipment.



The Williamsons clad the tiny home with bright white board-and-batten and selected a dark gray tone for the entry door and the fascia.



A bump-out on the rear facade of the tiny home holds outdoor equipment, referencing the shed that once stood in its place.

Inside, wood-like vinyl flooring with a pale tone offsets bright white walls and a gray accent wall in the bedroom area. "We wanted an accent wall that would catch your eye right when you walk in the small space," Lauren says. "We carried the vertical shiplap from the kitchen backsplash to the back wall [in the bedroom] and painted it Pewter Green by Sherwin-Williams. It’s a fun pop of color in an otherwise black, white, and wood-toned space." To link the interior and the exterior, they painted the front door and fascia the same Pewter Green color.



The Williamsons named the backyard ADU The Back House.

The Williamsons created a fresh aesthetic for the kitchen and the bath using contrasting colors and textures. The Shaker-style kitchen cabinetry is painted with Iron Ore by Sherwin-Williams that offsets the white vertical shiplap backsplash and White Zeus Silestone counters. "Because the bathroom and kitchen are both in eyesight when you walk in the front door, we wanted the color and texture scheme to flow effortlessly," Lauren says. "We carried the same vinyl wood floor into the bathroom to make it feel like a continuation of the space and painted [a portion] of the wall the same Iron Ore color we used on the kitchen cabinets."

To help distinguish the bedroom-and-living space from the kitchen and the bathroom areas, the Williamsons shifted the ceiling height and punctuated it with skylights.



The kitchen is outfitted with open shelving, gray-painted wood cabinetry, white Silestone counters, and a white-painted shiplap backsplash.



Shiplap, a wood vanity, and wood-style vinyl flooring lend texture and warmth in the bath.



Like the kitchen and the bedroom, the bath is outfitted in a palette of gray and white.

"Our ultimate goal was to make this space feel bigger than it really is," Lauren says. "I think we accomplished that with a design that flows from room to room, and the way the outdoors are brought in with lots of windows and natural light."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
U.S. Goods Imports Plunge Nearly 20% Amid Tariff Disruptions
OpenAI Faces Competition from Cheaper AI Rivals
Foreign Tax Provision in U.S. Budget Bill Alarms Investors
Trump Accuses China of Violating Trade Agreement
Gerry Adams Wins Libel Case Against BBC
Russia Accuses Serbia of Supplying Arms to Ukraine
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
Chinese Woman Dies After Being Forced to Visit Bank Despite Critical Illness
President Trump Grants Full Pardons to Reality TV Stars Todd and Julie Chrisley
Texas Enacts App Store Accountability Act Mandating Age Verification
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Vatican Calls for Sustainable Tourism in 2025 Message
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Trump Threatens 25% Tariff on iPhones Amid Dispute with Apple CEO
Putin's Helicopter Reportedly Targeted by Ukrainian Drones
Liverpool Car Ramming Incident Leaves Multiple Injured
Australia Faces Immigration Debate Following Labor Party Victory
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Macron Dismisses Viral Video of Wife's Gesture as Playful Banter
Cleveland Clinic Study Questions Effectiveness of Recent Flu Vaccine
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Junior Doctors Threaten Strike Over 4% Pay Offer
Labour MPs Urge Chancellor to Tax Wealthy Over Cutting Welfare
Publication of UK Child Poverty Strategy Delayed Until Autumn
France Detains UK Fishing Vessel Amid Post-Brexit Tensions
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
Nigel Farage Pledges to Reinstate Winter Fuel Payments
Boris and Carrie Johnson Welcome Daughter Poppy
×