At Home with ‘Ohana

As a design coordinator at Graham Builders, Marissa S. helps local families plan and renovate multigenerational homes. Outside of work, she juggles multigenerational living as well — Marissa resides on an east Honolulu property with her 81-year-old parents, her husband and three young kids, and her younger brother with his wife and child.

According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Hawai‘i ranked highest among the states in its number of multigenerational households. With the rising cost of living in the islands and a culture rooted in the ‘ohana spirit, sharing spaces with keiki, adults and kūpuna comes with benefits for the whole family.

“Someone is always home in case of emergencies,” Marissa says. “Someone can always help to watch the kids, [there’s] almost always food in the house [and] more help to look after [our] parents.”

Accommodating several generations under one roof can be tricky. Industry pros note that intentional home design choices — and a lot of grace — make it possible.

Flexibility and Cooperation

Malia Yee, lead designer at Graham Builders, explains that effective multigenerational living starts with understanding a family’s interpersonal dynamics and individual needs.

“Do they get along?” Yee asks. “Do they want to spend time with each other or not? If they do, then possibly [create] bigger communal areas for them to gather. If not, then possibly bigger private areas. Are there family members with special needs or looking to age-in-place? Need for a wet bar? Do they like to cook?”

Graham Builders President Evan Fujimoto says the entire ‘ohana should be engaged in contractor meetings and design decisions. With different tastes and routines involved, being flexible is important — Marissa’s family, for example, decided to install an elevator to assist their aging parents and they arrange tandem parking for multiple cars on-property.

“Every multigenerational household should sign an ‘Ohana Mission Statement which basically is a shared vision of a family’s purpose, values and goals, created by all members to guide decision-making,” Fujimoto says.

This Windward O‘ahu multigenerational property has an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) that provides living space for additional family members. Homeworks Construction has designed and built the ADU with an open kitchen and living area that makes the most out of its cozy square footage. Photos by Olivier Koning

Maximizing Space and Longevity

Marshall Hickox, president of Homeworks Construction, says there are creative ways to work with your budget and square footage for multigenerational living. Homeowners can adjust bedrooms and bathrooms sizes when separate common areas are limited; they can also explore indoor-outdoor options for additional amenities.

“We can incorporate a small sitting area or private lānai off the bedroom where someone can have some privacy and a little alone time,” Hickox says.

Multigenerational homes should include design elements and products that can stand the test of time. Barrier-free, open layouts are recommended to keep keiki and kūpuna safe. Select durable, low-maintenance materials like quartz countertops and nongrouted stonework for showers and tub surrounds.

“Make sure to incorporate key aging-in-place components such as good lighting, lever handles for doors and fixtures, grab bars … seamless floor transitions and as few elevation changes as possible to avoid trip hazards, and accessible outlets for phones and tablets,” Hickox adds.

Many multigenerational homeowners opt for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on their property. Hickox explains that an ADU is “essentially a second home,” which “can be built completely independent of the existing house, including its own address and utilities” or share utilities and power from the main house.

“If the intent is that, in the future, you would like to have a rental or space for family with them paying rent or for their own utilities, then an ADU with its own utilities is the best option,” Hickox says.

Homeworks Construction incorporates strategic elements for comfort and privacy in multigenerational projects. In the Windward O‘ahu ADU, the bedroom and bathroom spaces are easily accessible for family members of all ages. Photos by Olivier Koning

ADUs Explained

ADUs can be custom-built by contractors or constructed through “packaged home” options like HPM Homes, which are more expedient with permitting and materials.

“Typically, ADUs are either one to two bedrooms,” says Desiree Delo Santos, HPM regional home planning consultant. “Just [like a] regular house [with a] kitchen, living room [and] bathrooms.”

Each county has different rules and regulations for ADUs. HPM home planners like Delo Santos will do extensive research on a property to determine the right square footage for zoning laws and find finishes that best fit your ‘ohana’s budget.

“It’s a one-stop shop,” Delo Santos says. “The home planners are guiding [families] through the design all the way to the issuance of a building permit, get them tied in with a contractor and start building their [ADU]. So, the benefits of that can be the time savings [and] it’s cost-efficient.”

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Project Study: ‘Ohana Unit

By: Darlene Dela Cruz

Local architect Kris Powers (top), founder of Powers Design Studio, sits in the updated ‘ohana unit in which her friend’s family now resides as part of a multigenerational home.

While an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) can be rented out to and occupied by anyone, an ‘ohana unit functions similarly with the caveat that it can only house relatives and in-laws. Architect Kris Powers, founder of Powers Design Studio, shared an example of an ‘ohana unit that was renovated for her friend’s family.

“Three generations had lived in this house already and one of their adult children was thinking about moving home to start a family,” Powers says. “The cost of living made that tough, so the goal was to turn the lower level into a clean, modern place for the next generation, keeping the whole family rooted in the same home. If it worked, four generations of a family would grow up in the same home.”

The ‘ohana unit on the lower level of the family home was empty and unmaintained for more than a decade, outdated with orange shag carpet and sagging drop ceilings. Powers worked on a renovation that included fixing structural and water damage, replacing insulation, raising the ceilings and modernizing finishes.

“The upper level is a three-bedroom home that works well for big gatherings,” Powers says. “Downstairs was originally a cramped three-bedroom, one-bath layout. We shifted it to two bedrooms and two baths with an open kitchen and living area that fits a young family better.”

Powers, who has balanced raising a growing ‘ohana while managing an architecture firm marking five years in business, empathizes with local family dynamics. She says designing for and accommodating multigenerational living requires listening thoughtfully and a lot of trust. As this project shows, the results leave a lasting legacy.

“The most joy is in the process from the first sketches to seeing the family live together,” Powers says. “Their son now lives in the remodeled lower unit with his wife, who’s hāpai with their first child. Their baby will grow up with grandparents just a flight of stairs away, in a home that is the hub of the entire family, where celebrations and holidays are spent together.”

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This story appears in the January/February 2026 print issue of Ku‘u Home magazine.