A middle-aged woman was making long trips to North Reading on work days, to take care of her mother, and she was sharing her compact cape in Chelmsford with 3 adult children and a granddaughter. She was interested in adding an In-Law Apartment for her mother, which required a Special Permit. The Grandmother was very independent and wanted her own parking area, entrance and porch. The In-Law Apartment ended up having an eat-in kitchen, living room, screen porch, bedroom and bathroom. Wide doorways and a curb-less shower, with seat and hand held shower, address future mobility issues.

The unit connects to the daughter’s house via a shared laundry area. In the main house the family room was expanded and a dining room wall was removed, which allowed better flow and more light to penetrate to the living space. When the In-Law Apartment is no longer needed, it can be converted to a first floor master bedroom suite. Now, four generations gather every week for Sunday dinner.