The budget-setting decision for this Sierra Parkway whole home remodel is whether to replace every window now or keep the existing dual-pane windows and invest first in the rooms themselves. This 1981 custom home in Big Trees Village, Arnold, stands out for its sunny, vaulted living and dining area with triple window walls facing the deck. The current windows have full dual-pane glass and green exterior trim, and their frames are not the slim profiles seen in newer builds. Replacing all windows would claim a major share of the remodel budget. For this house, I recommend keeping the existing window package for now, evaluating their operation and condition over time, and directing the first phase toward lighting, flooring, and the visual and functional connection between the two levels.
This project is for the family living in the two-story, 2,670-square-foot home on Sierra Parkway, with wood siding, a composition shingle roof, and a detached four-car tandem garage plus workshop. The house sits on a 28,314-square-foot lot among mature pine and oak, with a gently sloping grade and a year-round creek nearby. The covered entry porch, natural wood front door with carved panels, and covered breezeway to the garage all reinforce the mountain cabin style. The ground under the house, according to the NRCS soil survey, is a Gerle, deep-Wintoner families complex with 35 to 50 percent slopes, well-drained, and with up to 14% clay, conditions that help explain the stepped entry and two-level layout.
Connecting the Vaulted Great Room and Lower Family Room
The main living and dining room is the heart of this house, with vaulted wood ceilings, exposed beams, and hardwood floors. The triple window walls bring in forest views and daylight, while the freestanding gas stove and propane baseboard heating keep the space comfortable in the cooler mountain climate of Title 24 zone 16. The family room or flex space on the lower level, open to the exterior deck and carpeted, feels somewhat cut off from the main living area. My plan would keep the exposed beams, wood ceilings, and hardwood floors in the great room, preserving the natural finishes that ground the space. I would introduce warmer, more varied wall colors to soften the contrast with the wood, and add layered lighting at multiple heights, sconces and ceiling fixtures, to create a comfortable atmosphere after dark, not just during daylight hours.
The house’s heating is a mix of baseboard, propane, and fireplace, with ceiling fans for cooling. In a vaulted space like this, the temperature can vary by zone, so I would keep the existing systems visible as the lighting and furniture plan develops. The home’s 220-volt electrical service means that any new lighting should be planned with the actual circuits in mind, not just where fixtures look best. According to Calaveras County Building Division, any electrical work, including new circuits or fixtures, requires a permit and plan review (permit details), so I would confirm the electrical scope and submittals with the county before starting.
The kitchen, which opens to the family area, is not the driver of this whole-home plan. I would keep its relationship to the family room and update visible finishes, such as the island and countertops, to coordinate with the new wall colors and the wood that runs through the main living spaces.
Flooring, Stairs, and the Two-Level Plan
The stairs connecting the main and lower levels are carpeted, as are some bedrooms. I would replace the carpet on the stairs and in the bedrooms with a durable wood or wood-look flooring chosen to complement, rather than exactly match, the existing hardwood. This would visually connect the main living spaces with the lower family room and bedrooms, making the two levels feel more unified. In the living area, built-in shelving would make better use of the wall space without blocking the window views or competing with the beams.
This house has three bedrooms and two and a half baths, served by a septic system. I would keep the bedroom and bathroom count unchanged in this plan. If the family ever wants to add a bathroom or convert a flex space to a bedroom, Calaveras County Environmental Management requires a review of the existing septic system’s capacity before such changes (details here). The public water supply does not affect the need for septic review when changing bedroom or bathroom count.
A Remodel Plan Grounded in This Lot and Structure
This house’s 2,670 square feet and .65-acre lot are both well above the Arnold median, which is 1,678 square feet on 16,988 square feet of land (source). There is no reason to shrink the lower family room or compromise the open-plan great room to match a market median. Instead, the plan for this house keeps both living zones useful and puts the early budget focus on flooring, lighting, and finish updates, not window replacement.
Window replacement can be reconsidered after the family has lived with the improved lighting and finishes and has assessed the condition of the existing windows. If you have a two-level mountain home with a vaulted great room and want a remodel plan that respects its wood finishes and unifies its spaces, I invite you to get in touch with me, Amy, to discuss your project for your own home in Big Trees Village.
