A 740-square-foot ADU floats in the air, creating outdoor rooms on the ground floor

“You can still enjoy the traditional aspects of home,” says designer Amy Shock. “Even within the squeeze of a new building type (like the ADU).”  (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

Gail Otter wanted to add an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, without sacrificing her yard.   (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

Citrus trees and sage surround the outdoor patio.   (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

Cement floors keep the outdoor living room, which is located underneath the ADU, cool all year long.   (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

Gail Otter’s ADU blends in with the other Craftsman homes in the neighborhood.  (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

Amy Shock designed three outdoor areas for Otter’s ADU: an entry porch, a covered deck off the master bedroom and a small balcony just off of the dining room.  (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

Gail Otter looks out over the rooftop of her Craftsman home from her Echo Park ADU’s dining room.   (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

Gail Otter wanted the ADU to have the feel of a modern Scandinavian cabin.   (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

The kitchen nook features ceramics by Heather Levine and other local artists.   (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

The kitchen cabinets are custom-built, designed by Amy Shock with Otter’s input. The doors are made of white oak veneered plywood with maple interior cabinet frames.  (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

A gallery wall in Otter’s living room.   (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

The kitchen, on the left, the bathroom on the right. A rolling ladder provides access to the loft.   (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

The bedroom features wood-framed windows and more art..   (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

The ADU has a full bathroom that connects the dining room and bedroom.   (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

Exposed beam ceilings give the ADU the feel of a modern Scandinavian cabin.  (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

A pair of antique chairs that Otter found at Pepe’s Antiques, now closed, and a colorful rug.  (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

A stained-glass artwork in Otter’s bedroom window captures her Labrador, Luna.  (Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)