Two households take pleasure in widespread room, non-public house in Washington, Mo., residence | House & Backyard

“I’ve by no means heard of the sort of co-housing with people who find themselves not associated,” Phyllis Steckel says referring to the bizarre residence format she and her husband designed, constructed and have occupied since September.

The hallway is the situation of an elevator for entry to the garages and a big widespread space shared by each residents on the decrease degree. “It’s handy when both of us has a celebration or assembly, or every time we want further house for a challenge,” Phyllis says.

Invoice and Deanna Vincent are longtime mates of the Steckels’ who occupy the house on the opposite facet of the widespread hallway. Their relationship with the Steckels makes the bizarre residing association potential and a profit to each {couples}. “We share newspapers and magazines by placing them right into a basket within the hallway,” Phyllis says. “When one among us is touring the opposite watches the home, and even has a couple of groceries and perhaps cookies ready when both of us return. If one among us wants one thing like a C battery, we ask them first.”

The Vincents lease their unit from the Steckels, and the boys have an settlement that makes the co-living much more handy. “Invoice will not be mechanically oriented, and he doesn’t relish yardwork,” Richard Steckel says. “I prefer to restore issues and work outdoor. He’s a pastor and I instructed him I’ll do all of the fixing if he does all of the preaching.”

A number of thought went into the design of the connected houses, which the Steckels sketched out earlier than having Ken Scheer of Horn Architects in Washington full the plans. “We wished one thing power environment friendly, so the surface form design is an oblong, which is extra economical to warmth and funky than an irregular formed residence,” Scheer says. “We additionally oriented the construction to take pleasure in the advantage of inexperienced house behind, as an alternative of looking onto the road in entrance of the home.”

They Steckels had been downsizing and wished a spot the place they might age in place. So the principle residing house (in each residences) is all on one degree and freed from thresholds or steps. Every of the 2 baths within the two-bedroom items characteristic walk-in showers with seize bars, they usually, too, are threshold free and enough dimension to accommodate a wheelchair.

Each houses have kitchens that open to an awesome room and lounge space. A separate residence workplace can also be included within the flooring plan of each residences.

The 2 households each have an abundance of storage house. The decrease degree has an oversize two-car storage for the Vincents, with direct entry to the elevator, thus eliminating steps that may be cumbersome for getting groceries upstairs. A separate two-car storage within the decrease degree has end-to-end house for the Steckels’ two collector vehicles, a 2008 Cadillac XLR and a 2004 Chevrolet SSR.

Upstairs, a three-unit storage for the Steckels opens straight into the pantry and utility room and accommodates their two on a regular basis vehicles and a 30-foot pull-behind camper. Electrical, water and sewer connections had been constructed into the storage to accommodate the camper, so in an emergency it will probably operate as a separate residing house.

Phyllis and Richard had been from California and met when Richard was Phyllis’ flight teacher. When their respective jobs had been winding down in 1984 they joked about shifting to Washington the place Phyllis has deep household roots courting again to the 1830s. “We laughed and laughed concerning the considered relocating to Missouri and residing fortunately ever after, took a breath after which stopped laughing and mentioned, ‘why not,’” Phyllis remembers.

The residences occupy 2 acres of floor, and the Steckels might add two extra related connected houses sooner or later, however it’s probably they are going to be smaller and never characteristic the identical widespread hallway. Nonetheless, they’d all have entry to the widespread sport room. “Or, the lot may stay inexperienced house,” Phyllis says.

“We adore it right here,” Richard remarks. “We benefit from the 4 distinct seasons, the Municipal Opera, and the wonderful medical care at Mercy Hospital right here in Washington.”

Phyllis and Richard Steckel

Ages • He’s 68 and she or he is 70.

Occupations • He was a high quality engineer at Boeing Co. She was a geologist for 30 years specializing in consulting on earthquake hazards and earthquake dangers. (Sure, they’ve earthquake insurance coverage.) Each are retired however stay energetic giving displays each to civic teams pertinent to their respective professions and as visitor lecturers on cruises.

Household • A married son lives in Northwest Arkansas and has one little one. A married daughter lives in Portland, Oregon. The Steckels have three cats, Boo, Alani and Kali, who take pleasure in entry to the deck through cat doorways within the bed room and nice room.