Quail Hill Remodel

Modern house with white siding, a metal roof, and wooden accents on the front porch, surrounded by trees and landscaped yard with rocks and plants.
A large tree with lush green leaves situated in front of a modern house with a deck, stairs, and light-colored siding, surrounded by a landscaped yard with rocks and plants.

Remodel, Energy Retrofit

TYPE: Remodel, Energy Retrofit, Building Electrification

SIZE: 1858 SF (footprint was unchanged)

LOCATION: Auburn Area, Northern California

DATE: 2024

DESIGN: Mela Breen + Erin Humphrey | Atmosphere Design Build

CONTRACTOR: Atmosphere Design Build

MECHANICAL: Balance Point Home Performance

Photography by Kat Alves

Modern kitchen with wooden cabinets, a marble backsplash, and a round window showing greenery outside. A wooden dining table with matching chairs and a kitchen island with a vase and an open book.

Returning to the family land wasn’t part of the plan for our clients. But when a relative decided to sell their home, a possibility emerged—one that drew them back toward the rhythms of extended family and into stewardship of a property that forms part of a larger family compound where elders still live. The connection to the place ran deep but the house itself lacked connection to the land. Poorly built, aging, and inefficient, it felt disconnected from the landscape it sat above and required excessive air conditioning to remain comfortable during the heat of the summer and was cold in the winter.

Perched on a sloping site overlooking a drainage lined with California buckeye and scattered rocky outcrops, the original house had an awkward relationship to its surroundings. A failing deck clung to the back façade, high above the terrain without access to the land below the shaded oak canopy. Window openings overlooked the least compelling views, and a sequence of quirky remodels—including an incremental encroachment into the attached garage—left the home feeling sealed off from the land that held such significance for the family.

A man and a woman cooking together in a modern kitchen with wooden cabinets and a large wooden island, stove, and stainless steel refrigerator.

Our design approach stayed disciplined: work within the existing footprint while rethinking the way the house lived. The kitchen, dining room, and living space were reorganized to support and inspire the rituals of daily life while providing enough space for gatherings with friends and family. We focused on drawing in natural daylight without overheating the interior, and on creating both visual and physical pathways outward—to the landscape.

A living room with a dining area, large windows, a beige sofa with purple cushions, an armchair with floral upholstery, a wooden side table, and artwork on the wall, with natural light and a view of trees outside.
A dining room with a wooden table surrounded by wooden chairs, a ceiling light fixture, a vase with flowers on the table, and three abstract blue and green paintings on a white wall.

A functional laundry and mudroom were created, offering a space where muddy boots can be kicked off and demands of rural life can be shed before entering the heart of the home

A laundry room with wooden cabinets, a washer and dryer stacked beside an open sliding glass door leading to a balcony with trees outside. Sunlight shines on the tiled floor.
Interior of a dining area with a wooden table, a vase with flowers, a chair, a window, and a hanging pendant light.
Bathroom with a wooden vanity, marble countertop, wall mirror, brass fixtures, white walls, a vase with purple flowers, and open shelving with decorative items.

Natural materials anchor the remodel in warmth and craft. Tadelakt plaster walls, reclaimed redwood cabinetry, and custom marble countertops shape the bathrooms into small, tactile sanctuaries. Regionally made tile adds variation and hand-finished character. Throughout the house, salvaged Douglas fir flooring ties the spaces together, offering continuity, history, and a lived-in authenticity.

Shower area with a gold showerhead, a handheld shower wand, and a built-in shelf with lotion bottles.
Modern bathroom with a white tiled shower area, brass fixtures, a rectangular marble vanity with a brass faucet, a large mirror, a wall-mounted light fixture, and a dark tiled floor.
A bathroom with a white bathtub and brass faucet next to a window showing green foliage outside. Shelves hold decorative items and a potted cactus, with a gold hook on the wall.
A white modern two-story house with a metal roof, surrounded by green trees, a grassy field with wildflowers, and outdoor umbrellas in the yard.
Exterior of a modern multi-story house with wooden siding, balcony, and large windows, surrounded by rocks and greenery in natural daylight.
A wooden deck with outdoor furniture including chairs and umbrellas, surrounded by trees and a natural landscape.

High Performance Highlights

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Assembly

The existing house was stripped to its studs, old critter infested insulation was removed, and the building was re-insulated with blown-in insulation in the ceiling and walls. The crawl space was incapsulated and a continuous air barrier was created with attention to the existing construction using aerobarrier.  New aluminum clad wood, low-e, windows and doors were installed and integrated into a WRB. The existing T1-11 siding was used as shear and the house was clad in cementitious, fire resistant, siding.  A new metal roof replaced a failing composition roof.  

Simple icon of a house with circular arrows inside

Climate Control

A heat pump water heater replaced the existing gas water heater. Indoor climate control is provided by a ducted mini-split system, and all the mechanical equipment was brought into the conditioned space. A small wood stove offers the ambience of a flame and the resilience of back-up heat.

Sun icon with a lightning bolt inside, representing solar energy or power.

Energy

Building electrification, with the removal of all gas fired equipment, contributes to decarbonization. An induction cooktop replaced a gas range, and all the mechanical equipment was replaced with energy efficient heat pump equipment. The 5.7 kW roof mounted photovoltaic system provides renewable energy for the all-electric home.