diff --git a/interface/src/renderer/MetavoxelSystem.cpp b/interface/src/renderer/MetavoxelSystem.cpp
index 76ad824f65..d813ac1653 100644
--- a/interface/src/renderer/MetavoxelSystem.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/renderer/MetavoxelSystem.cpp
@@ -13,11 +13,13 @@
 class DebugVisitor : public MetavoxelVisitor {
 public:
     
-    virtual bool visit(const QVector<AttributeValue>& attributeValues);
+    virtual bool visit(const MetavoxelInfo& info);
 };
 
-bool DebugVisitor::visit(const QVector<AttributeValue>& attributeValues) {
-    qDebug() << decodeInline<float>(attributeValues.at(0).getValue()) << "\n";
+bool DebugVisitor::visit(const MetavoxelInfo& info) {
+    QRgb color = info.attributeValues.at(0).getInlineValue<QRgb>();
+    qDebug("%g %g %g %g %d %d %d %d\n", info.minimum.x, info.minimum.y, info.minimum.z, info.size,
+        qRed(color), qGreen(color), qBlue(color), qAlpha(color));
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -27,20 +29,12 @@ void MetavoxelSystem::init() {
     p1 += 1;
     p1 += 2;
     
-    AttributePointer blerp = AttributeRegistry::getInstance()->getAttribute("blerp");
+    AttributePointer diffuseColor = AttributeRegistry::getInstance()->getAttribute("diffuseColor");
     
-    void* foo = encodeInline(5.0f);
-    _data.setAttributeValue(p1, AttributeValue(blerp, &foo));
-    
-    //p1 += 0;
-    
-    MetavoxelPath p2;
-    
-    AttributeValue value = _data.getAttributeValue(p2, blerp);
-    
-    qDebug("fliggedy bloo %g\n", decodeInline<float>(value.getValue()));
+    void* white = encodeInline(qRgba(0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF));
+    _data.setAttributeValue(p1, AttributeValue(diffuseColor, &white));
     
     DebugVisitor visitor;
-    _data.visitVoxels(QVector<AttributePointer>() << blerp, visitor);
+    _data.visitVoxels(QVector<AttributePointer>() << diffuseColor, visitor);
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.cpp b/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.cpp
index dcf5008500..7c2a98049e 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.cpp
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.cpp
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 AttributeRegistry AttributeRegistry::_instance;
 
 AttributeRegistry::AttributeRegistry() {
-    registerAttribute(AttributePointer(new InlineAttribute<float, 32>("blerp")));
+    registerAttribute(AttributePointer(new QRgbAttribute("diffuseColor")));
 }
 
 AttributePointer AttributeRegistry::registerAttribute(AttributePointer attribute) {
@@ -75,3 +75,24 @@ Attribute::Attribute(const QString& name) : _name(name) {
 Attribute::~Attribute() {
 }
 
+QRgbAttribute::QRgbAttribute(const QString& name, QRgb defaultValue) :
+    InlineAttribute<QRgb, 32>(name, defaultValue) {
+}
+ 
+void* QRgbAttribute::createAveraged(void* values[]) const {
+    int totalRed = 0;
+    int totalGreen = 0;
+    int totalBlue = 0;
+    int totalAlpha = 0;
+    for (int i = 0; i < AVERAGE_COUNT; i++) {
+        QRgb value = decodeInline<QRgb>(values[i]);
+        totalRed += qRed(value);
+        totalGreen += qGreen(value);
+        totalBlue += qBlue(value);
+        totalAlpha += qAlpha(value);
+    }
+    const int SHIFT_FACTOR = 3;
+    return encodeInline(qRgba(totalRed / AVERAGE_COUNT, totalGreen / AVERAGE_COUNT,
+        totalBlue / AVERAGE_COUNT, totalAlpha / AVERAGE_COUNT));
+} 
+
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.h b/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.h
index 5ec3f2533b..f8eef1788d 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.h
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/AttributeRegistry.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #ifndef __interface__AttributeRegistry__
 #define __interface__AttributeRegistry__
 
+#include <QColor>
 #include <QHash>
 #include <QSharedPointer>
 #include <QString>
@@ -43,6 +44,16 @@ private:
     QHash<QString, AttributePointer> _attributes;
 };
 
+/// Converts a value to a void pointer.
+template<class T> inline void* encodeInline(T value) {
+    return *(void**)&value;
+}
+
+/// Extracts a value from a void pointer.
+template<class T> inline T decodeInline(void* value) {
+    return *(T*)&value;
+}
+
 /// Pairs an attribute value with its type.
 class AttributeValue {
 public:
@@ -56,6 +67,9 @@ public:
     AttributePointer getAttribute() const { return _attribute; }
     void* getValue() const { return _value; }
     
+    template<class T> void setInlineValue(T value) { _value = encodeInline(value); }
+    template<class T> T getInlineValue() const { return decodeInline<T>(_value); }
+    
     void* copy() const;
 
     bool isDefault() const;
@@ -73,6 +87,8 @@ private:
 class Attribute {
 public:
 
+    static const int AVERAGE_COUNT = 8;
+    
     Attribute(const QString& name);
     virtual ~Attribute();
 
@@ -95,14 +111,6 @@ private:
     QString _name;
 };
 
-template<class T> inline void* encodeInline(const T& value) {
-    return *(void**)const_cast<T*>(&value);
-}
-
-template<class T> inline T decodeInline(void* value) {
-    return *(T*)&value;
-}
-
 /// A simple attribute class that stores its values inline.
 template<class T, int bits> class InlineAttribute : public Attribute {
 public:
@@ -128,11 +136,20 @@ private:
 
 template<class T, int bits> inline void* InlineAttribute<T, bits>::createAveraged(void* values[]) const {
     T total = T();
-    for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
+    for (int i = 0; i < AVERAGE_COUNT; i++) {
         total += decodeInline<T>(values[i]);
     }
-    total /= 8;
+    total /= AVERAGE_COUNT;
     return encodeInline(total);
 }
 
+/// Provides appropriate averaging for RGBA values.
+class QRgbAttribute : public InlineAttribute<QRgb, 32> {
+public:
+    
+    QRgbAttribute(const QString& name, QRgb defaultValue = QRgb());
+    
+    virtual void* createAveraged(void* values[]) const;
+};
+
 #endif /* defined(__interface__AttributeRegistry__) */
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.cpp b/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.cpp
index e75b51697c..c99364aaa9 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.cpp
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.cpp
@@ -19,45 +19,58 @@ class Visitation {
 public:
     MetavoxelVisitor& visitor;
     QVector<MetavoxelNode*> nodes;
-    QVector<AttributeValue> attributeValues;
+    MetavoxelInfo info;
 
     void apply();
+
+protected:
+    
+    bool allNodesLeaves() const;
 };
 
+const int X_MAXIMUM_FLAG = 1;
+const int Y_MAXIMUM_FLAG = 2;
+const int Z_MAXIMUM_FLAG = 4;
+
 void Visitation::apply() {
-    Visitation nextVisitation = { visitor, QVector<MetavoxelNode*>(nodes.size()), attributeValues };
-    for (int i = 0; i < nodes.size(); i++) {
-        MetavoxelNode* node = nodes.at(i);
-        if (node) {
-            nextVisitation.attributeValues[i] = node->getAttributeValue(attributeValues[i].getAttribute());
-        }
-    }
-    
-    if (!visitor.visit(nextVisitation.attributeValues)) {
+    if (!visitor.visit(info) || allNodesLeaves()) {
         return;
     }
-    
+    Visitation nextVisitation = { visitor, QVector<MetavoxelNode*>(nodes.size()),
+        { glm::vec3(), info.size * 0.5f, QVector<AttributeValue>(nodes.size()) } };
     for (int i = 0; i < MetavoxelNode::CHILD_COUNT; i++) {
-        bool anyChildrenPresent = false;
         for (int j = 0; j < nodes.size(); j++) {
             MetavoxelNode* node = nodes.at(j);
-            if ((nextVisitation.nodes[j] = node ? node->getChild(i) : NULL)) {
-                anyChildrenPresent = true;
-            }            
+            MetavoxelNode* child = node ? node->getChild(i) : NULL;
+            nextVisitation.info.attributeValues[j] = ((nextVisitation.nodes[j] = child)) ?
+                child->getAttributeValue(info.attributeValues[j].getAttribute()) : info.attributeValues[j];
         }
-        if (anyChildrenPresent) {
-            nextVisitation.apply();
+        nextVisitation.info.minimum = info.minimum + glm::vec3(
+            (i & X_MAXIMUM_FLAG) ? nextVisitation.info.size : 0.0f,
+            (i & Y_MAXIMUM_FLAG) ? nextVisitation.info.size : 0.0f,
+            (i & Z_MAXIMUM_FLAG) ? nextVisitation.info.size : 0.0f);
+        nextVisitation.apply();
+    }
+}
+
+bool Visitation::allNodesLeaves() const {
+    foreach (MetavoxelNode* node, nodes) {
+        if (node != NULL && !node->isLeaf()) {
+            return false;
         }
     }
+    return true;
 }
 
 void MetavoxelData::visitVoxels(const QVector<AttributePointer>& attributes, MetavoxelVisitor& visitor) {
     // start with the root values/defaults
+    const float TOP_LEVEL_SIZE = 1.0f;
     Visitation firstVisitation = { visitor, QVector<MetavoxelNode*>(attributes.size()),
-        QVector<AttributeValue>(attributes.size()) };
+        { glm::vec3(), TOP_LEVEL_SIZE, QVector<AttributeValue>(attributes.size()) } };
     for (int i = 0; i < attributes.size(); i++) {
-        firstVisitation.nodes[i] = _roots.value(attributes[i]);
-        firstVisitation.attributeValues[i] = attributes[i];
+        MetavoxelNode* node = _roots.value(attributes[i]);
+        firstVisitation.nodes[i] = node;
+        firstVisitation.info.attributeValues[i] = node ? node->getAttributeValue(attributes[i]) : attributes[i];
     }
     firstVisitation.apply();
 }
diff --git a/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.h b/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.h
index 11b9db2505..bbdf17c99c 100644
--- a/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.h
+++ b/libraries/metavoxels/src/MetavoxelData.h
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 #include <QScopedPointer>
 #include <QVector>
 
+#include <glm/glm.hpp>
+
 #include "AttributeRegistry.h"
 
 class MetavoxelNode;
@@ -94,14 +96,23 @@ private:
     QBitArray _array;    
 };
 
+/// Contains information about a metavoxel (explicit or procedural).
+class MetavoxelInfo {
+public:
+    
+    glm::vec3 minimum; ///< the minimum extent of the area covered by the voxel
+    float size; ///< the size of the voxel in all dimensions
+    QVector<AttributeValue> attributeValues;
+};
+
 /// Interface for visitors to metavoxels.
 class MetavoxelVisitor {
 public:
     
     /// Visits a metavoxel.
-    /// \param attributeValues the values of the desired attributes
+    /// \param info the metavoxel ata
     /// \param if true, continue descending; if false, stop
-    virtual bool visit(const QVector<AttributeValue>& attributeValues) = 0;
+    virtual bool visit(const MetavoxelInfo& info) = 0;
 };
 
 #endif /* defined(__interface__MetavoxelData__) */