The Backyard Cottage Comes to the Carolina Yard
Accessory dwelling units are reshaping how families house aging parents, grown children and guests — and quietly densifying the state's neighborhoods.
The most interesting new housing in the Carolinas is often hiding in the backyard.
Small houses, big role
Accessory dwelling units — compact cottages built behind existing homes — are proliferating across the state. Families use them to house aging parents, grown children or guests, and increasingly to generate rental income.
Well-designed, these small structures pack surprising comfort into a modest footprint.
Density, gently
Beyond their household uses, the cottages quietly add housing to established neighborhoods without altering their character — a gentle densification that many cities now encourage.
The trend reflects changing family structures and housing economics alike. In a state grappling with growth and affordability, the humble backyard cottage has emerged as an unexpectedly powerful tool, and a genuinely charming one.
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