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Being able to live independently, while still being close to family, is an important choice for many retirees. Atlas Living's stand-alone Eco 58 living space may be the perfect solution

When looking into retirement property options, you want to have a decent balance between your proximity to family and your independence. For northern suburbs retiree Julia Skane, the decision to build an independent studio style home to downsize to was an obvious choice. Already owning a block with a house on it, Julia opted to build a granny flat out back, while renting out her main house.

"I wanted to build on my land so that I could live alone, but be close to my family," she says. As this was her first time building a home, there were a range of needs Julia wanted met by her new home, which ultimately led her to look at Atlas Living and its range of modular designs.

Julia choose to build the Eco 58, a contemporary stand -alone living space that's built with a mix of modern materials and designed for energy efficiency with large windows and sliding doors. The design also comes with optional decks adjacent the living, while for privacy the bedroom and bathroom are situated at the back.

"I wanted plenty of light, energy saving features and a separate bedroom," she says. "I chose to build with Atlas Living because they had good reviews and a reliable history." With 59sqm total size, the base design of the Eco 58 - a one -bedroom, one -bathroom design with one large living/dining and kitchen zone met most of Julia's needs. However she did want to change some aspects of it.

"The only modification was to exclude a bath and have a bigger shower," she says. And the builder was more than happy to modify the design to meet her needs. Vibrantly decorated inside with a veranda adjacent the living zone, her home is welcoming and bright. From signing the contract to getting the keys, the build process took about 12 months and allowed the retiree to move into her home with a relative amount of ease.

"Once the weather cleared enough for work to commence it was completed quickly," Julia says. "I was fortunate to have a flat block, the only issue was very large tree roots which had to be removed, but the site supervisor was most helpful."

Having lived in the new home for just over eight months, Julia says the low maintenance design allows her to enjoy time with family and friends without the stress of and upkeep of a larger home, while still remaining independent. "It's warm, easy to keep clean and very convenient generally," she says.

"I enjoy the veranda very much, I had great fun watching and playing with my grandsons over Christmas and the summer." Although she admits she would make minor changes to the layout if given the chance, Julia is very happy with her home and believes it will keep her comfortable and relaxed well into the future.

Features you'll love

Open plan: The open plan kitchen, dining and lounge area provides plenty of flexibility and having a deck straight off it is a bonus.

Low maintenance: With 59sqm of total space, this design makes the most of its compact size and is ideal for singles or couples, teens or adult children.

Accessibility: Allowing the modification of the bathroom to increase the size of the shower and remove the bath gives homeowners more accessibility which is a necessity for the elderly living independently.

Outdoor entertaining: The optional veranda and deck give occupants the chance to have an independent outdoor space, which is important particularly if you are building a studio at the back of another house.

The Sunday Mail Home Magazine

For more information about the house in this story please look at the Eco 58.

The Eco 59 by Atlas Living is a freestanding living pod that's perfect for the backyard

Adelaide is filled with beautiful character homes, but sometimes these original homes don 't fit the brief for modern lifestyles. A case in point is when adult children are still living at home. They want their own space but perhaps your three-bedroom villa isn't quite cutting it, and the cost of a major addition puts it out of the budget.

So what 's an alternative? A few decades back, if you had a big enough block, the old school detached granny flat was the solution, built in the backyard, usually near the garage. Emulating this idea is a new range of freestanding self-contained pods , bringing this old school concept back into vogue.

Atlas Living's Contemporary Living Spaces are modern versions of the granny flat, and one mid-sized option in the range is the Eco 59, a 57sqm self-contained living studios. It's an ideal size for one or two people to live in permanently, as there 's a fully equipped stylish kitchen (with the option of stone benchtops) which leads out to a deck, and a large bathroom with a wide shower and long vanity.

The bedroom is a generous size as well, and it's made even better as it has the option of opening to a second deck, if your backyard size permits. The living/dining/kitchen also opens to a deck, and with a double aspect and two sets of sliding doors it will be bright no matter which direction it's placed in the yard.

Expect to get as good a finish as you would in any home , and that's what we really like about the Eco 59 - it looks contemporary, it feels spacious and it will be inviting for guests to stay over, or to keep for relatives "The market is evolving and growing because of demand by everyone for more space," says Atlas Living's Juliet Haslam. "Our new Contemporary Living Spaces are the evolution of the traditional granny flat and provide much-needed space for whatever your needs: granny flat, studio, games room, home office, pool room ... they can be whatever you want them to be!"

The Eco 59 is also available as a kit to build yourself.

Home owners have the choice of four exterior profiles, so you can choose a facade that will blend or contrast with your existing home.

The Sunday Mail Home Magazine

For more information about the house in this story please look at the Eco 59.

You don't want to move from your suburb, yet can't bear the thought of knocking down and starting again. So what's the alternative? Just extend. This contemporary, modular system from Atlas Living is a sleek, alternative way to add space

When I think about maximising space in a home, I often gravitate to the idea of knocking down walls and renovating the pre-existing space rather than building on. This is mostly due to my thinking that extensions tend to be expensive projects, however, Atlas Living has recently changed my perception with its Mod 90 - a linked extension that comes in a pre-designed form.

The Mod 90 linked extension offers a large combined living/dining/kitchen zone, one spacious bedroom with built-in storage and a long ensuite with an extra wide shower. A glass link will connect it to an existing home, providing that extra space you could be looking for.

It's on display in a couple of locations around Adelaide: at Cavan*, and a newer, contemporary version, which is pictured here, at Atlas Living's Clovelly Park display village. There it's displayed with two outdoor decks - one shown with an outdoor kitchen - and these are among the many optional extras clients can choose from when configuring a linked extension to their existing home.

The Mod 90 is 6m wide and 14.2m deep and, according to Atlas Living's marketing manager Juliet Haslam, it's proving a popular alternative for homeowners who are renovating.  "Many people look to build a traditional extension and are blown away by how expensive it can be, but an Atlas Living Linked Extension is a very affordable and appealing alternative, " she says.

"It allows optimal use of your backyard space and results in less mess and disruption to your family life compared to conventional extensions." If you watched The Block this  season, you would have seen this concept successfully executed, whereby modern extensions were seamlessly built on to the back of traditional bungalow and villa-style homes.

This melding of old and new sometimes can be hard to get right, yet the new Mod 90 display at Clovelly Park shows homeowners how the simple, classic layout can be effective and ideal to add to many of Adelaide 's older character homes. "The new Modular 90 is a contemporary twist on an old favourite, demonstrating current and interesting architectural trends, " Juliet says.

This can be seen the moment you walk the through the glass breezeway link at the display, where the contemporary styling, on -point colour palette and fluid space feel like an easy  continuation of a home rather than an extension. Compared to the Cavan* display, the Clovelly Park Mod 90 feels more open and contemporary - an integral change, says Langridge Group architect

Sarah Swincer, who is also associated with the Sarah Homes, Gallery Living and Atlas Living brands. "The main differences are in the external form; we have really played with articulating the new Mod 90 by pushing and pulling the design, creating alcoves both internally and externally," Sarah says.

"The other main difference would be the roof, which is displayed as a skillion at Cavan*." Although minor changes structurally, they make all the difference visually, with alcoves creating storage solutions, updated kitchen finishes and the 2.7m-high standard ceilings making the design feel up to the minute , with all the latest home must-haves.

The amount of storage included in this build is a standout, especially the integrated wall of storage in the sleek white and timber-look kitchen, as well as the in-built shelves in the living room and alcove storage in the luxurious double shower.

The attention to detail in this design is outstanding, from the modern finishes to the large windows making it bright, to features such as placing the main bedroom behind the kitchen  for ultimate privacy. It's clear each area has been carefully designed to make the most of the 87sqm layout. "It provides the perfect option to expand rather than relocate," Juliet says.

"It's stylish, roomy, modern, open -plan living that can be linked to your current home and a seamless flow for year round indoor-outdoor living, with dual decks and an integrated barbecue area for entertaining." Initially, I looked at this design as providing extra space for parents, through the master suite, but this area could easily be turned into a teenager 's oasis or guest zone, or for extended family to have their own wing.

With this type of flexibility , it's no wonder designs like the Mod 90 are being noticed by owners of existing homes. "Linked extensions are really catching the market's attention and this particular design is very versatile and meets a wide range of needs," Juliet says.

"We can upgrade or add anything, from exterior materials to cabinetry and benchtops or sanitary fixtures, the new Mod 90 is a contemporary twist on an old favourite. "

The Sunday Mail Home Magazine

For more information about the house in this story please look at the Mod 90.

*No longer on display at Cavan