Backyard Neighborhood - Whidbey Island, WA

Choices, for how you live your life

A compact single family home and a detached backyard cottage. Two houses in one provides for multi-generational lifestyle choices. This pocket neighborhood is another unique and innovative development that fosters a true sense of community by its design. Rather than the typical "garage door" houses on a cul-de-sac of most suburban developments, the Backyard Neighborhood was created by clustering two smaller dwellings on each separate lot and weaving them together with a shared alleyway.

The 1200-plus square-foot home on the front of each lot includes a light-filled main living space, two bedrooms, an office and covered outdoor space. The 425 square-foot 'backyard cottage' offers a great deal of lifestyle flexibility. Homeowners use this smaller space as an office or an art studio, a place for an elderly parent or a starter house for an adult-child, a guest cottage, and rental or caretakers residence. It's all about giving people choices.

The Backyard Neighborhood was completed and SOLD OUT in 2001.  Sign Up Here to be notified of resale opportunities in this community.

The Backyard Neighborhood was designed by Ross Chapin AIA, Ross Chapin Architects.

The Wall Street Journal features The Cottage Company
The Wall Street Journal features The Cottage Company in a cover story titled 'Luxury homes that come in little packages'.

Best in American Living features The Cottage Company
The Cottage Company is featured in the Winter 2014 issue of Best in American Living, published by the National Association of Home Builders, in an article titled 'The Missing Middle'.

On Common Ground's Winter 2014 issue features The Cottage Company
On Common Ground, published by the National Association of Realtors & Smart Growth, features The Cottage Company in an article titled 'Mid-Range Density'. Owners from Ericksen Cottages & Conover Commons are interviewed.

Kitsap Business Journal features Ericksen Cottages & Chico Beach Cottages architect Charlie Wenzlau
Ericksen Cottages & Chico Beach Cottages architect Charlie Wenzlau is featured in a story profiling the broad scope of his great work on Bainbridge Island and in Kitsap County.

Better Homes & Gardens magazine features The Cottage Company!
BH&G featured one of our Seattle home renovations in it's April 2013 edition. The home was completely rebuilt as new renovation that includes many energy efficient features and rain gardens that infiltrate 100% of the storm water runoff from the property!

Linda Pruitt Keynote Speaker at Delaware Housing Summit
Join Linda Pruitt and other thought-leaders for 'Planning for Complete Communities in Delaware', a day long summit on November 13, 2012.

Chico Beach Cottages a Builders Choice Grand Award Winner!
Chico Beach Cottages was selected to receive a Grand Award for single family community at the 32nd annual Builders Choice Design & Planning Awards!

Chico Beach Cottages featured in Professional Builder magazine!
Professional Builder magazine features Chico Beach Cottages in a story entitled 'Young at heart: Designing homes for the new 50+ market'. Thanks to writer Susan Bady!

The Cottage Company is featured in 'On Common Ground's' Winter 2012 issue
The National Association of Realtors Winter 2012 publication 'On Common Ground', features coverage of our pocket neighborhood communities in an article titled 'Building Community on a small scale and at a slower pace'.

The Cottage Company featured in Yahoo Finance Fortune Magazine article
Yahoo Finance posted an article mentioning The Cottage Company! The article profiles four great places and the lifestyles that baby boomers desire in their active retirement. Seattle's great arts scene, urban lifestyle and health care is mentioned as a draw - along with The Cottage Company and our innovative communities! Terrific!

The Cottage Company featured in USA Today
USA Today profiled homeowners in our Greenwood Avenue Cottages pocket neighborhood community!

Alaska Airlines features The Cottage Company!
Alaska Airlines March 2011 in-flight magazine features The Cottage Company in an article by Jennifer Haupt titled 'Low Maintenance Living'. View the digital edition on Page 98.

Home Sweet Cozy Home
The Seattle Times featured our Greenwood Avenue Cottages in 'An Upside to Downsizing'. The cottages that have sprouted around the Seattle area are small, but don't feel that way and are part of a nationwide trend toward smaller homes.

Conover Commons wins 2009 AIA National Housing Award
Conover Commons wins American Institute of Architects 2009 Housing Award! Conover Commons awarded in the One/Two Family Production Housing category, was one of only 17 national winners.

Lehrer News Hour
The Lehrer News Hour on PBS recently featured our Danielson Grove community as an example of 'low impact development' and more sustainable storm water quality management. View the video.

World Changing Seattle
The online publication, World Changing Seattle, published an October 2008 story featuring our Danielson Grove & Third Street Cottages communities.

Seattle Times Pacific NW Magazine
Pacific NW Magazine features our Danielson Grove community in an article by Valerie Easton.

Completed Communities:

Project details

What homeowners say:

"The first thing that sold me was the front porch. It's so warm and inviting, and took me back to the way I grew up. Everyone knew their neighbors, and we'd all sit on our front porches at night and chat. It's the same way here."