“Our little home is just over 100 years old and is located in the Atwater Village neighborhood of Los Angeles,” says interior designer Nishia Shubert. “We love our neighborhood because it has a real sense of community, with a mix of young families, longtime residents, and professionals. It’s also really central to so many things in L.A. like Dodger Stadium, Griffith Park, and the Rose Bowl, but still has that small neighborhood feel we enjoy!”

Naturally, Nishia is committed to staying put for the long term. When she realized she needed more space to run her design business, Stay Interiors, she looked no further than her own backyard.

“When we bought our home, this space was an old run-down garage,” she recalls. “For years it was primarily a storage space for our garden and sports equipment, and various woodworking and DIY tools. We had always envisioned turning it into an ADU that would serve as an office space, extension of our home, and a place for out-of-town guests.”

The final push came when Nishia was pregnant with their second daughter, and the second bedroom—which had served as her office—was going to be converted into the nursery. “Since both my husband and I both work from home, and both of our lines of work involve lots of physical samples and materials, we realized we’d need a dedicated space separate from the house,” she says.

The original garage was in poor condition, with extensive termite damage throughout the wood. “We ultimately had to rebuild it almost entirely, keeping just one wall in place to comply with city regulations,” she explains. “I first began by creating a floor plan that met our needs, which a structural engineer then refined and finalized for permitting.”

One of the biggest priorities was maximizing storage—both to replace what they were losing from the old garage and to house materials for work. “All of our tools and garden equipment went into a shed in the backyard,” she explains.

Then, Nishia focused on incorporating clever built-ins inside. “The main challenge was figuring out how to incorporate all that storage without making it look like a wall of closet doors,” Nishia says. “Since the casita is essentially one open space, the back wall, where the closet sits, is the first thing you see when you walk in. I wanted that wall to blend seamlessly into the design rather than feel utilitarian.”

Her husband built four custom jib doors that sit flush with the drywall, and the designer chose a wallpaper from These Walls featuring watercolor-style palm trees that was applied to the doors and walls. “The print feels both sophisticated and playful, with a beautifully balanced color palette,” she shares. “One of my favorite small details of the closet is that interior lights turn on automatically when the doors open. It was a brilliant idea from our construction project manager that makes it feel extra polished and functional.”

Today, the finished casita beautifully balances simplicity and personality. “The pastel tones in the bathroom, the palm tree patterned wallpaper, and even the rich brown kitchen cabinets are all inspired by our Los Angeles surroundings that bring warmth and personality to the space,” she reflects. “I hope that whoever walks in feels that it is thoughtfully curated with an effortless and welcoming vibe.”