IF Addition

Modern two-story house with lush garden, featuring a wooden arched front door, large windows, and a balcony with plants.

The IF Addition is a conjunction – a modern addition joined to a miner’s shack turned cottage. Designed and built for a naturalistic gardener, who wanted her home to better connect with the surrounding gardens in a way that coupled house and landscape. The original house was a petite single-story cottage that had lovingly been remodeled in the late 80’s, but that was disconnected from the upper level of the property, was drafty and inefficient, with a failing retaining wall looming outside.

Modern house with metal siding, surrounded by trees, featuring a small porch with steps, outdoor seating, and a vertical garden. Evening lighting creates a warm ambiance.

Addition, Energy Retrofit

TYPE: Addition, Energy Retrofit

SIZE: 533 sf Addition| 1893 sf Completed House

LOCATION: Nevada City, Northern California

DATE: 2017

DESIGN: Mela Breen | Atmosphere Design Build

CONTRACTOR: Atmosphere Design Build

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER: Mark Jokerst, SE

MECHANICAL: Balance Point Home Performance

GARDENS: New Wave Green

Photography by Kat Alves 

Modern house exterior with corrugated metal siding, large windows, and lush garden featuring various flowers and plants, set against a backdrop of trees.

The small two-story addition was designed as a modern intervention that reaches out into orchard and kitchen garden and added to the house a second bedroom and bathroom, along with a maker/workout space. The second story bedroom has a west porch with doors that open out onto the upper garden and orchard. The covered porch is clad in perforated zinc panels to provide the appropriate shading from late afternoon sun and offers dappled light and a ladder for climbing hops.

Two people sitting on the porch steps of a small modern house surrounded by trees and garden plants.
Modern bedroom with light wood flooring, a double bed with a blue-gray blanket, built-in headboard with adjustable reading lamps, and light wood paneled walls. Windows provide natural light, and a pendant light hangs above. A colorful rug is on the floor, and there are doors leading to other areas.
Modern interior with a gray armchair, wooden table, and blue pouf on a blue rug, under a blue pendant light, next to wooden stairs with vertical slats.
Modern gray house with a garden
Terraced garden with concrete and stone retaining walls, green plants, brick walkway, and stone steps.
Lush garden with brick pathway, surrounded by tall trees and various green plants and flowers.

An inside-outside bathroom was created off the main floor - with a covered outdoor shower

Modern bathroom with a double sink, large mirror, and wall-mounted metal shelf. A black towel hangs beside the sink. A sliding glass door leads to a wooden deck. A black and white striped rug is on the floor.
Outdoor shower area with potted plants on a wooden deck, under a clear roof and surrounded by concrete walls.
Green plant climbing on a perforated metal structure
A gray house with a shingled roof surrounded by a lush garden with trees and red roses, set in a forested area.
A person with gray hair in a garden surrounded by lush greenery and various plants, reaching up to touch tree branches.

High Performance Highlights

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Assembly

The existing roof was insulated from the underside with closed cell spray from to create an unvented roof assembly to bring the attic into the conditioned space. Additionally, the existing crawlspace was encapsulated. The addition is thermally isolated from the concrete retaining wall and includes triple pane fiberglass windows, air sealing, and a well-insulated assembly.

House icon with recycling arrows inside, symbolizing sustainable home practices.

Climate Control

A new ducted mini-split provides heating and cooling for the whole house, and all the ducting was brought into the conditioned envelop for improved performance.

Sun icon with a lightning bolt in the center, representing solar energy or power.

Energy

A 3 kw roof mounted photovoltaic system was added to offset the homes electrical usage and a greywater system was designed and installed by the owner.