An extensive addition and whole house remodel to an existing neo-colonial residence in Los Altos California. Traditional trappings of clapboard siding, shutters, and Ionic columns were replaced with a ‘soft modern’ palette of cement plaster, cedar planks, and ashlar limestone. Three sequential gable roofs are the only reminders of the structure’s past, as new forms and volumes are woven into the existing architecture to connect interior spaces and infuse natural light into the once drab interior. A simple yet dramatic interior stair adds a vertical connection to the home’s three levels and reveals a once underutilized basement that is now filled with light. While the front of the home still maintains a stoic street presence, the rear of the house amicably embraces a large tree sculpted courtyard, and now interior volumes seamlessly merge with outside living spaces.