A contemporary two-story house featuring clean lines, a dark blue facade, and striking material contrast. It boasts expansive windows, a white accent section with a glass bi-fold doors, and a small lawn area that seamlessly connects the indoor and outdoor spaces. Modern, minimal, and bold.

Indian Lore Residence

Highland Builders LLC

Modern mountain aesthetic in this fully exposed custom designed ranch. Exterior brings together lap siding and stone veneer accents with welcoming timber columns and entry truss. Garage door covered with standing seam metal roof supported by brackets. Large timber columns and beams support a rear covered screened porch. (Ryan Hainey)

Oakland Hills Modern Ranch

Broadway Design Build

Modern front yard and exterior transformation of this ranch eichler in the Oakland Hills. The house was clad with horizontal cedar siding and painting a deep gray blue color with white trim. The landscape is mostly drought tolerant covered in extra large black slate gravel. Stamped concrete steps lead up to an oversized black front door. A redwood wall with inlay lighting serves to elegantly divide the space and provide lighting for the path.

Sunset Ridge Home

Tim Hollerbach Designs, LLC

This is an example of a mid-sized arts and crafts one-storey blue house exterior in St Louis with concrete fiberboard siding, a gable roof and a shingle roof.

Summit Signature Homes, Inc.

Beechen & Dill Homes

A custom home builder in Chicago's western suburbs, Summit Signature Homes, ushers in a new era of residential construction. With an eye on superb design and value, industry-leading practices and superior customer service, Summit stands alone. Custom-built homes in Clarendon Hills, Hinsdale, Western Springs, and other western suburbs.

Woodland

Kurt Baum Architects

Photo of a traditional two-storey blue exterior in Minneapolis with wood siding and a gable roof.

Contemporary Michigan Farmhouse

Damian Farrell Design Group

A view of the stair tower on the bedroom wing. The stone entry to the right. Fred Golden Photography
Photo of a large contemporary three-storey blue exterior in Detroit with mixed siding.

Chromatic Renaissance

Story LLC

This is a whole house renovation and addition in North Seattle. The lovely clients are accustomed to the warm and vibrant colors of their native country. They asked Story to design an addition and whole-house renovation that would be in keeping with the needs of their busy family. We opened up the home on the first floor, giving a loft feel. Black windows and white, high-ceilinged spaces set a backdrop for splashes of color throughout. Warm wood flooring borders mosaic cement tile, and a large pantry has sliding barn doors that also hide an entrance to the family room. Upstairs, we redesigned the Owner’s Suite bathroom to include a high window for light, and a floating vanity with bold tile accents. These clients also asked us to add a guest suite on the first floor for visiting relatives - something that’s becoming quite common in renovations. These clients were very involved in the interiors for the project, and much of the artwork in the home was made by the client and her mother, who uses the guest suite when she visits for long intervals.

Chulainn- A

Apex Design & Drafting

This beautifully detailed home adorned with rustic elements uses wood timbers, metal roof accents, a mix of siding, stucco and clerestory windows to give a bold look. While maintaining a compact footprint, this plan uses space efficiently to keep the living areas and bedrooms on the larger side. This plan features 4 bedrooms, including a guest suite with its own private bathroom and walk-in closet along with the luxurious master suite.

Kirkwood Craftsman Family Home

Hibbs Luxury Homes - St Louis, MO

This custom craftsman charmer in historic Kirkwood, MO was built for a growing family. Energy-efficient and with exceedingly healthy indoor air quality, this home preserves the character and charm of this beloved historic suburb of St Louis, MO.

Portfolio

Color Touch Painting

This is an example of a mid-sized victorian three-storey blue house exterior in San Francisco with wood siding, a gable roof and a shingle roof.

Nittany Lion on the Lake

Design Works Architecture

Photo credit: John Altobello Photography
Photo of an arts and crafts three-storey blue house exterior in Other with vinyl siding.

North Oaks Residence

Strand Design

Inspiration for a country two-storey blue house exterior in Minneapolis with metal siding, a shed roof and a metal roof.

Breach Inlet Getaway

Herlong Architects

This is an example of a beach style three-storey blue house exterior in Charleston with mixed siding and a metal roof.

Regatta Blue Home

Lang Home Exteriors

This charming home shows upgraded Crane Board insulated siding in a gorgeous Regatta Blue color.
Mid-sized traditional two-storey blue house exterior in Chicago with vinyl siding, a gable roof and a shingle roof.

Split Box

SALA Architects

The clients for this project approached SALA ‘to create a house that we will be excited to come home to’. Having lived in their house for over 20 years, they chose to stay connected to their neighborhood, and accomplish their goals by extensively remodeling their existing split-entry home.

Hickory Hill | Rustic Modern Cottage

Vision Interiors

This cozy lake cottage skillfully incorporates a number of features that would normally be restricted to a larger home design. A glance of the exterior reveals a simple story and a half gable running the length of the home, enveloping the majority of the interior spaces. To the rear, a pair of gables with copper roofing flanks a covered dining area and screened porch. Inside, a linear foyer reveals a generous staircase with cascading landing. Further back, a centrally placed kitchen is connected to all of the other main level entertaining spaces through expansive cased openings. A private study serves as the perfect buffer between the homes master suite and living room. Despite its small footprint, the master suite manages to incorporate several closets, built-ins, and adjacent master bath complete with a soaker tub flanked by separate enclosures for a shower and water closet. Upstairs, a generous double vanity bathroom is shared by a bunkroom, exercise space, and private bedroom. The bunkroom is configured to provide sleeping accommodations for up to 4 people. The rear-facing exercise has great views of the lake through a set of windows that overlook the copper roof of the screened porch below.

Fenwick Shoals

Excel Builders

This is an example of a large arts and crafts two-storey blue house exterior in Other with mixed siding, a gable roof and a shingle roof.

Beautiful Family Home in Webster, NY

Gerber Homes

The exterior is a mix of blue siding and stone veneer with white trim.
Inspiration for an expansive country two-storey blue house exterior in New York with mixed siding, a gable roof and a shingle roof.

Beach Style Exterior

Beach style one-storey blue house exterior in Other with a gable roof.

Blue Exterior Design Ideas

The front exterior of your home – the driveway, front yard, verandah and entrance – is a fantastic place to start making that all-important first impression on house guests. Even mailboxes and house numbers can have a wonderful way of grabbing people’s attention. The architectural design should reflect the overall style of your house and the family that live there; while your choice of materials will help your house blend in with its surrounds. Browse the photos on Houzz for ideas and inspiration for the exterior of your house, and strike up a conversation with the architects and designers of your favourite picks. You’ll find house designs for contemporary, eclectic, modern, traditional styles and more.

How do I decide on the exterior style of my home?

Your location, overall sense of style, budget and current home layout will dictate the style of your exterior. If you’re renovating a period home, the materials and features you use should reflect the date in which it was built, while a unique colour scheme could add contemporary flair. New homes may prefer to look to modern or contemporary designs with structural simplicity, whereas, if you live by the ocean, a beach-style design may better suit your locale. That’s not to say you can’t build a new home that has period influences. If you’re a traditionalist, you can borrow architectural details from the Art Deco period, for instance, or use finishes that reflect more of a Scandinavian style, too.

What exterior house colours and materials should I use?

Traditional homes typically use brick and timber building materials, while stone, board-formed concrete and metal cladding are popular contemporary options. Again, the materials you use will depend on your location and the statement you want to make. Your budget will also affect your choice. Vinyl siding is affordable and easy to install, while stone is more expensive but durable and low maintenance. If you’re not ready to renovate but want to update the exterior of your home, you can still paint it. Look to your neighbours when choosing exterior house colours. Consider the streetscape and what type of colours are already in use, firstly, so you don’t replicate next door’s shade; and secondly, so you don’t stand out like a sore thumb. If you’re renovating a period home, you could paint features or intricate details in a bold, standout hue. Front doors, garage doors and window trims also look great in eye-catching colours, even if the rest of the house’s facade is neutral.

How can I maximise my home’s street appeal?

To spice up your home’s architectural design, landscape the surrounding area with plants and pathways that accent the style of your home. If you just need a quick revamp, look at your cement and pavers – these can split and crack over time; and repairing or replacing them can do wonders for your street appeal, especially if it’s a large area like your driveway. Plants, garden paths or low walls can can also add structure to your front yard. Light up your home with sufficient outdoor lighting to make walking up to the front door easy at night. You could use bollard lights along your entry path, or replace tiny wall sconces with statement pendant lighting at the entrance or on your verandah. Decorative elements such as house numbers, mailboxes and doormats will also add character. And if you're looking to sell your house, it may be worth hiring a stylist to help make the most of your property.