In the heart of northeast Los Angeles, architect Hunter Knight has achieved what many would consider impossible in today's real estate market: designing and constructing a beautiful, functional duplex for less than $400,000. Acting as owner, builder, architect, and landscape designer, Knight created a two-unit residence that far exceeds expectations for its modest budget.

The project began when Knight, founder of local firm Weather Projects, discovered a 6,250-square-foot corner lot in Cypress Park that housed only a 1905 bungalow. After purchasing the property for $1.025 million, he strategically renovated the existing house first and rented it out to offset monthly expenses while building the new duplex at the rear of the lot. The entire construction process took nine months, during which Knight wore multiple hats to keep costs manageable.

The finished duplex totals 1,442 square feet and consists of a single-family dwelling on one side and a slightly larger Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) on the other. Current tenants Hannah Go, a designer, and her fiancé Rami Jrade, a songwriter and producer, occupy the ADU and praise its unique character. Standing in their airy living and dining room, with ceilings reaching nearly 15 feet, skylights casting patches of sun on concrete floors, and windows opening to green vistas, there's an undeniable zen quality that masks the auto shop next door and busy boulevard nearby.

Knight's design philosophy centered on "beauty, simplicity, and livability while working within a minimalist budget." He deliberately kept the structure within the neighborhood context of modest, mostly one-story buildings. To enhance the feeling of spaciousness, he vaulted the ceilings and prioritized natural materials, particularly exposed wood. Glass sliders open to a private entrance patio along one side of the ADU's living area, flooding the space with natural light.

The compact but efficient layout includes an open-plan kitchen and living area, connected by what Hannah and Rami call "the tall hall" to a bedroom, office, and skylit bathroom. In the kitchen, Knight combined green IKEA cabinets with affordable leathered granite countertops and backsplash, sourced for just under $19 per square foot. He crafted custom cabinet pulls from incense cedar that he personally sourced in local mountains and hand-turned on his lathe.

Flooring throughout consists of concrete tinted a warm gray, which cost an additional $3,000 but makes the compact space appear larger. Knight specified 15-ply, 3/4-inch European Baltic birch doors for kitchen cabinets, complementing the granite with Samsung appliances and Lumens sconces. Three skylights, including one over the sloping wood ceiling in the kitchen-living area, maximize natural light throughout the day.

The project's detailed budget breakdown reveals Knight's strategic spending priorities. The largest expenses were $93,496 for structure, $69,805 for envelope work, and $62,290 for services. Interior build-out cost $60,258, while landscaping required $23,208. Additional costs included $11,110 for demolition, $10,254 for appliances, $5,601 for millwork, $3,835 for plumbing fixtures, $2,120 for lighting fixtures, and $744 for hardware, with $49,309 in miscellaneous expenses bringing the grand total to $392,030.

Knight kept costs down through strategic material choices, pairing IKEA cabinets with European Baltic birch fronts and cladding the exterior in wood siding and Hardie board, both painted in Benjamin Moore's Burnt Sienna. This approach freed up budget for important splurges like skylights, exposed ceilings, aluminum windows, and granite countertops. The architect also prioritized landscaping, explaining that since "the lot is hemmed in on three sides, softening all those edges was a strategy to invite you outward."

The project draws inspiration from midcentury garden apartments, emphasizing abundant light and exposed wood ceilings throughout. Hannah Go fabricated a custom desk and shelving unit in the shared office space, maximizing functionality in the compact layout. She designed custom nightstands flanking the primary bedroom bed and accented them with whimsical vintage lamps, demonstrating how thoughtful design can make small spaces feel special.

Reflecting on his approach, Knight emphasized the importance of working within his capabilities: "I wanted to keep the house simple and within the friendly box of things I can control, and that was also good for the neighborhood." His background includes over twenty years in architecture and previous experience as a construction manager, which gave him confidence to take on multiple roles in this project.

Hannah Go, speaking as a tenant, highlighted the unique quality of the finished space: "As a renter, it's unique to find a space that has a lens. And the light is fantastic. It feels really special." Her comments underscore Knight's success in creating what he describes as housing that "punches above its price point," proving that thoughtful design and hands-on execution can achieve remarkable results even with budget constraints.