Your home might be cozy, but nothing compares to the fun of a childhood treehouse. Hazel Road Residence combines modern home design with treehouse vibes to showcase the best of both worlds. Completed by Oakland-based firm Buttrick Projects Architecture+Design, this project transformed a 1950s residence into a gorgeous family home with sustainable features.

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A green yard sits in front of wood and concrete steps that lead up to a house.

Located in Berkeley, California, this house began its life in 1952 as a 1,714-square-foot structure. Bringing the home’s “good bones” into the modern era took thoughtful planning. Buttrick Projects Architecture+Design started the transformation with a kitchen remodel in 2012. Warm wood cabinets echo the trees outdoors, while steel appliances keep the kitchen looking modern and fresh. This remodel also laid the groundwork for an upstairs addition, completed with the help of IDA Structural Engineers and Jetton Construction, Inc. The project was completed in 2018.

Related: Residential building from the ’60s gets an energy-efficient remodel

An open living room with wood floors connects to an outdoor deck.

Now a 2,392-square-foot home, Hazel Road can comfortably house a family with kids. But more space isn’t the only welcoming element to the updated house. As stated in a project description, a “unifying concept to the project was to use the yard to greater effect.” This is where Hazel Road’s “tree-house feel” comes into play.

To the left, a window above a kitchen sink surrounded by wood cabinets. To the right, stainless steel appliances in a kitchen with wood floors.

The green yard features inviting wood and concrete stairs leading up to a deck shaded by a gorgeous Magnolia tree. Flush sliders added to the family room/kitchen blur the barrier between indoor and outdoor spaces. Continuing to bring the outdoors in, windows throughout the home frame views of the tree. This includes the upstairs master bedroom’s full-wall sliding windows with an ‘invisible’ glass safety rail.

A white bedroom with a chair next to a large window framed by gray curtains.

Sustainability features reinforce the home’s green perspective. For example, spray foam insulation and energy-efficient LED lighting were used throughout the structure. Exterior shades and deep overhangs control both glare and western light to minimize solar gain. The residence also includes a “state of the art rainscreen wall” with cementitious panel siding.

+ Buttrick Projects Architecture+Design

Photography by Cesar Rubio, Matthew Millman and Buttrick Projects A+D