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Pasadena pool house ADU — two-story exterior
2-Story ADU

Pasadena Pool House ADU

1 Bed, 1 Bath · 750 sqft · Pasadena, CA

Designed for Work, Entertaining, and Poolside Relaxation

Client’s Goals & Challenges

This Los Angeles homeowner and his wife both worked remotely and needed a dedicated work-from-home space without compromising their ability to entertain guests and enjoy their newly built luxury pool. The ADU had to function as:

  • A professional, distraction-free home office
  • A guest suite for visiting family and friends
  • A seamless indoor-outdoor entertaining area for poolside gatherings

Additionally, with a maximum budget of $300K, they wanted to maximize functionality without sacrificing design quality.

Design & Construction Features

Two-Story Layout for Functionality

  • 1st Floor : Open-concept entertaining area featuring a custom bathroom and an efficiency kitchen with a serving bar connecting the indoor living room to the pool area.
  • 2nd Floor : Hybrid home office & guest quarters with vaulted ceilings for a spacious, light-filled workspace.

Contemporary Design with High-End Finishes

  • Black-framed energy-efficient windows
  • Accordion-style exterior patio door that fully opens to create a seamless indoor-outdoor experience
  • Tropical wallpapered stairwell with a custom wrought-iron railing
  • Custom tile work in the bathroom, enhancing the ADU’s luxury feel

Poolside Integration

  • The large accordion patio door provides unobstructed views of the pool, creating a resort-like experience
  • Thoughtful placement ensures privacy while maintaining an open connection to the backyard

Energy Efficiency & Sustainability

  • James Hardie fiber-cement siding for durability and low maintenance
  • Dimensional asphalt shingle roof for a classic yet modern look
  • Upgraded insulation & high-performance clean air circulation for year-round comfort
  • Energy-efficient windows and doors to reduce energy costs

Construction Challenges & Solutions

Challenge : The newly built high-end pool and custom hardscape had to remain untouched throughout construction

Solution : The team used protective barriers and careful site planning to prevent damage while ensuring a smooth construction process

Final Outcome & Client Feedback

The Koreatown Pool House ADU exceeded expectations . The home office has significantly improved productivity , while the first-floor entertaining space has already hosted multiple gatherings . The homeowners love how the design blends work and leisure seamlessly, turning their backyard into a multi-functional retreat .

Thinking about building a Pool House ADU in Los Angeles? Schedule a 15-minute Backyard Review to discuss your project!

15 minutes · No obligation

Want something like this for your backyard?

Most clients find their fit in our Signature Home plan lineup. A few each year commission a fully custom design like the one above. Either way, start with a 15-minute Backyard Review — we'll place a Signature Home on your actual property to scale, walk you through the interior in 3D, and quote your plans before you commit to anything.

Our Signature Home plans — fixed-price design + permit, from $7,490 · est. cost to build $180K–$420K · or fully custom from $9,990

Two Ways to Build

Signature Home or fully custom.
Both start with a fixed price.

Everything we learned across 126 projects went into two paths. Our architect-designed Signature Homes — single-story and two-story — are ready to permit at a fixed design fee from $7,490. Or we design fully custom for your lot, your program, your constraints, from $9,990. Same fixed fee, same no-change-orders promise, est. cost to build $180K–$420K either way.

Signature plans from $7,490 · custom design from $9,990 · est. cost to build $180K–$420K · transparent every time.

The CALI ADU permit guarantee

Approved, or every dollar of your plan fee back.

California ADU review is ministerial: a plan that meets state and local standards must be approved. Our plans are engineered to those standards, which is why we can put money behind the outcome.

Money-back permit guarantee
Once our feasibility study says we can permit your ADU, if your city refuses to issue the permit, you get every dollar of your plan fee back.
Unlimited corrections, one fixed fee
If your city comes back with plan-check corrections, we handle every round of revisions and resubmittals at no added fee until the plan is approved.
14-day submission on Signature plans
Choose a Signature Home with no design changes and your plan set is completed and submitted to the city within 14 days. City review itself typically takes 6–8 weeks.

126 Los Angeles ADU projects taken through permitting. Zero denied.