This Luxe In-Law Suite Has an Elevator That Works Like a Bank-Deposit Tube – Washingtonian

The suites pneumatic elevator brings its residents directly up from the houses front entrance.

An attic apartment, up all those steps, might seem a poor choice for an elderly resident. But with the addition of a clever elevator, Jonas Carnemark, owner of Carnemark Design & Build in Bethesda, created what his clients dubbed the Peninsula Suite in their 1920s Tudor in Forest Hills.

The homeowners asked me if they could do something with their attic, but the steep staircase was an issue, says Carnemark. The solution: a three-foot-diameter pneumatic elevator installed in a corner by the foyer, with a stop on the second-floor landing and another in the attic suite. The pneumatic system works just like a bank-deposit tube, riding on a cushion of air, Carnemark says. Though the style isnt big enough for a wheelchair, it can fit up to two people at a time.

ELEVATORS AND THE BOTTOM LINE

$30,000$60,000A small pneumatic elevator fits two people but cant accommodate a wheelchair.

$100,000+Expect to pay six figures for a larger elevator that reaches four floors and requires remodeling on each level.

The configuration works well for the family, not only because the elevator will come in handy if the in-laws develop mobility issues down the road but also because it gives them a direct route from the front door up to their suite. In other words, it allows them to avoid intruding on the rest of the house.

Their suite includes a living area with a coffee bar, a bedroom, and a spa-like bathroom whose shower doesnt have a thresholdfor any future accessibility needs, explains Carnemark.

AVOIDING IN-LAW INSANITY

Dont skip on soundproofingYour in-laws may love their grandchildren, but they probably dont love being woken up by them in the middle of the night.

Do accessibility rightFuture buyersand current elderly parentsdont want a space that looks institutional or built for disabilities.

Create enough private space Without a sitting area and at least a spot to make coffee, an in-law suite is just a guest room.

Build an outdoor spaceEven better than a sitting area: a private deck or patio.

Or go all out A private backyard guesthouse may someday also add value as a rental unit.

This article appears in theNovember 2019issue ofWashingtonian.

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Michele Lerner ([emailprotected]) covers real estate, interior design, and personal finance.

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This Luxe In-Law Suite Has an Elevator That Works Like a Bank-Deposit Tube - Washingtonian