Welcome!

Our new 240 sf LOTUS plan is the first in a series of small homes that can stand alone, or be configured as 2, 4, 6, or 8-unit buildings. Roof design options allow them to blend in as ADUs, or provide variety in multi-family or resort settings.  Suitable for site-built, kit, or modular construction anywhere in North America. Larger, smaller and ADA compliant units coming soon!

Pearl Cottages is a Studio 29 company

63%

Households with 1-2 occupants *

2,190

Average size of single-family home **

30%

Households can afford $400,000 home ***

$416,900

Average home price ****

Is now the time to consider dramatically smaller homes in new contexts? If so, how small is too small?

And is it possible to do this in a way that supports our individual and collective financial, ecological, sociological, psychological, and aesthetic needs?

Case Study No. 1

To explore these questions, we used our new LOTUS plan to create a series of multi-unit buildings we then used to design a small multi-family community. Here’s what we learned:

  • Lot: 35,000 sf (0.80 acres).

  • Units: (34) 1-bed, 1-bath, 240 sf.

  • Buildings: 1, 2, 4, and 8-unit buildings.

  • Parking: 1-stall per unit.

  • Density: 42.5 DUA (dwelling units per acre).

  • Small units = small buildings.

    • Reduced construction, maintenance and operation costs.

    • Renewable resource systems reduce demand on municipal sources.

    • Less impervious surface = less storm water run-off. On-site rainwater catchment & rain gardens help to further mitigate impact.

    • More communal open space.

    • Nice scale & private and public outdoor spaces.

If you have experience with any of the concepts embedded in this case study, we encourage you to reach out and share your thoughts.

Thanks for your time, and we look forward to hearing from you!

* Household Characteristics, Living Arrangements - National Multi-family Housing Council

** Single-Family Home Size Trending Higher - National Association of Home Builders

*** 94 Million Households Cannot Buy a $400,000 Home - National Association of Home Builders

**** Median Sales Price of Houses Sold for the United States - Federal Reserve Bank of St. Luis

Cottages

Pearl Cottages make wonderful homes, vacation retreats, pocket neighborhoods, resort communities, and accessory dwelling units (ADU).

DAISY

1,208 sf - 3-Bed | 2-Bath

GARDENIA

3,297 sf - 4-Bed | 3-bath

VIOLET

870 sf - 2-Bed | 1-Bath | Loft

Accessory Buildings

Designed to compliment our homes, these buildings can serve as part of a larger project or stand alone.

3-Car Garage + Office

816 sf Garage | 432 sf living

2-Car Garage + Shop

600 sf Garage | 240 sf Shop

LILAC

494 sf + 153 sf Loft - 1-Bed | 1-bath | Loft

Building Plans

At Studio 29, we’ve specialized in custom homes and resort work since 1991. In 2008, we founded Pearl Cottages to provide thoughtful efficient pre-designed homes that embody the best of both worlds. Prepared by an experienced architect, not only are our plans designed to drive structural and construction efficiency, they contain detailed information found in custom home plans at a fraction of the cost. Our plan sets include:

  • Floor & roof plans

  • Building sections and exterior elevations

  • Architectural details

  • Interior elevations

  • Electrical plans

  • Outline specifications

Why Pre-fab Structural Components?

At Studio 29, our experiences working with pre-fabricated wall panels and floor & roof trusses inspired us to prepare this new series of home plans intentionally designed to leverage the efficiencies of this system. Honest forms built with these components yield the following benefits.

  • Simpler shorter construction

  • Stronger lighter structure with ready made passageways for plumbing, electrical and HVAC lines

  • Decreased material use and waste

  • Increase thermal performance resulting in lower lifecycle operational costs

Education

Interested in learning more about home construction or resource management systems? Scheduled for release summer of 2025, our live e-courses presented by Studio 29 will include:

Seminars prepared, presented, and hosted by Studio 29.