Meredith Stannard, 66, was on the verge of retirement in 2017. Many of her age group would sell their homes and relocate to a retirement community. But she and her companion had a different plan. They knew they wanted to downsize, so they did it the best way they could: they lived in a ‘granny pod’ in her daughter’s backyard. Drew, her daughter, was living in Seattle with her husband, and they had a backyard large enough to fit a tiny house.
“Everyone was interested,” Meredith said of her former coworkers. “I started doing these happy hours with one or two people over at a time. There’s a lot of speculation about whether or not they could do it as well.” Drew’s friends had mixed feelings about the setup after she shared it with them. “When I told my friends, their reactions were either ‘That’s so wonderful, wish I could do that with my family,’ or ‘Oh my god, you’re crazy, I could never do that with my parents,'” she explained.
“You know if it would work for you and your family.” When Drew and Jacob were looking to buy a house in 2014, they had the idea to build a granny pod. The couple eventually found a home with a large enough backyard to accommodate a small cottage. Meredith and her daughter had no trouble with the setup. Drew was an only child, and she described them as “very close” and “very direct” with one another.
But, of course, Meredith and her partner made certain that Jacob was completely on board with the plan before proceeding. They contacted the architect and began the planning stage after confirming his approval. The retiree has since moved into the 613-square-foot tiny house in her daughter’s backyard. It was, without a doubt, the ideal way to downsize! To make their granny pod dreams a reality, the family collaborated with a number of contractors.
They also furnished the tiny house with items from stores that specialize in small-space furniture. And the end result was fantastic. Meredith and her partner also enlisted the assistance of Bruce Parker, owner of microhouse, a company specializing in the design of small houses and customized backyard cottages. They were able to construct a two-story tiny home to complement Drew and Jacob’s house with the assistance of Bruce and his team.
As small as it appears, the pod contains all of the essential components of a house: one bedroom, two bathrooms, one living room, and a fully-equipped kitchen. The interior has a clean and minimalist appearance. Meredith and her partner had to make significant adjustments when they moved from a 1,300-square-foot home to a small granny pod. It wasn’t easy, but downsizing turned out to be one of the best decisions they’ve ever made.
The couple is relieved to be closer to their family, especially since Drew is about to become a first-time mother at the time. Her child would benefit greatly from having her grandparents nearby. As the cost of housing in major cities continues to rise, the granny pod trend has grown in popularity among Baby Boomers in recent years. We wouldn’t be surprised if it becomes the norm for retiree housing in the coming years!