When interior designer Caitlin Swann spoke to Business Insider about her family’s living arrangement, she described it as “the best” and “a blessing”, and it’s easy to see why. In Fairfield, Connecticut, Swann and her husband live in their main house with their three children, while her retired parents, Patti and Gary Christie, now reside in a custom 725-square-foot cottage just a few steps away in the backyard.

A "granny pod" ad inspired Caitlin Swann to build an ADU in her backyard for her parents when they retired. Now they're steps from their grandkids.

When interior designer Caitlin Swann spoke to Business Insider about her family’s living arrangement, she described it as “the best” and “a blessing”, and it’s easy to see why. In…