So my sister, husband, and 3 cherubic (seriously, they are) nephews and niece came from the East Coast for an Alameda visit. Our home is a modest 1800 sq ft. but we do have a guest room/office with a comfy for 3 days max. Ikea pullout couch. An inflatable toddler bed manages to squeeze in nicely between the wall. My how they had grown. Sleeping bags in the living room, tooth-brushing parties, shoes everywhere…the stuff childhood memories are made of right? Okay, yes but… thank the baby Jesus it was summer with “let’s go back outside” time. I realized then that our 150 sq ft. guest room (a.k.a. home office) wasn’t going to cut it if I wanted to keep my sanity and also make sure my family remained willing to keep making the cross-country trek. Cue the cute backyard cottage–we’re talking about building a guest house.
Imagining their next visit, I would love it if the next time they come, my sister and her husband could wake up to their own room (and real bed!) on East Coast time as they wish, sipping coffee on their private patio. Meanwhile, the kids would be happily camped out on in their own little nook enjoying Peppa Pig in the comfort of their own little space. The chaos of shared spaces would be replaced with room to spread out, get some private time to re-charge, “real” beds for everyone, and maybe even help extend their visits for more quality time. Building a guest house could be a game-changer for helping us build family connections too.
Building a guest house isn’t just about adding extra square footage; it’s about creating a welcoming haven for family and friends. It’s an investment in quality time spent together, minus the stress of cramped living quarters. By providing individualized spaces, we can ensure that everyone is relaxed and can truly enjoy their time together.
Family visits can often be loaded – fortunately with my sister & co. they never have been – but I know that by building a guest house the individual space will make for a more peaceful visit all round. Tooth-brushing parties will persist.