A Room on Its Own

Kithaus’s new prefab K3 makes building a backyard studio a snap.

Like a lot of prefab housing, K3, a 117-square-foot aluminum-frame structure, is designed to be assembled on-site quickly and easily. But unlike its ready-made brethren, K3 isn’t intended as a residence; it’s a freestanding auxiliary space, perhaps for a home office, guest bedroom, or yoga studio. “We’re selling architecture as a piece of furn­iture,” says Tom Sandonato, who designed the system with Martin Wehmann for their California-based company, Kithaus.

Buyers choose between a $29,500 basic model and a $44,900 deluxe version complete with decking, canopies, and louvers made of sustainably harvested ipe wood. Parts arrive flat-packed within four to six weeks and can be put together without heavy equipment, though Kithaus will install it for an additional $2,000. Here Sandonato walks us through his “dressed-up” box, available through Design Within Reach (www.dwr.com).

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