Modern prefab home located in the suburbs of Boston. This custom home features a wall of windows on the backside of the house, bringing the outdoors in.

Rothesay Bay House

Creative Arch

The client brief was to undertake alterations of an existing family home on the cliff top edge of Rothesay Bay on Auckland's North Shore. The design provides a modern four bedroom home, designed around the existing garage and building footprint, with a new master bedroom with a discrete lounge attached. The home recycles much of the existing slab and groundwork structures. A combination of cedar shiplap vertical and horizontal, metal cladding and plaster have been used combined with low lying roofs help to break up the buildings form. Working with the existing parameters and layered approach, has resulted in a modern home that rests comfortably between neighbouring high and low properties on a cliff top site. Photography by DRAW Photography Limited

Mountain Modern

Pearson Design Group

This is an example of an expansive contemporary two-storey brown exterior in Other with wood siding and a flat roof.

40 French Creek

DRACO

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary one-storey brown house exterior in San Francisco with wood siding and a flat roof.

Austin, Texas | Sun Chase – Landmark Paramount Exterior

Brightland Homes

This is an example of a contemporary one-storey brick brown house exterior in Austin with a hip roof, a shingle roof, a grey roof and board and batten siding.

Beecroft

Studio J Architects

The property was originally a bungalow that had had a loft conversion with 2 bedrooms squeezed in and poor access. The ground floor layout was dated and not functional for how the client wanted to live. In order to convert the bungalow into a true 2 storey house, we raised the roof and created a new stair and landing / hallway. This allowed the property to have 3 large bedrooms and 2 bathrooms plus an open study area on the first floor. To the ground floor we created a open plan kitchen-dining-living room, a separate snug, utility, WC and further bedroom with en-suite.

3 bedroom / 3 bathroom custom home

BAM Builders & Remodeling

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary one-storey brick brown house exterior in Austin with a gable roof and a shingle roof.

Klassisches Haus in Brandenburg

Bauunion 1905

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary two-storey brick brown house exterior in Berlin with a gable roof and a tile roof.

Toronto Design Modern House Exterior

Bananarch Design Studio

Mid-sized contemporary three-storey brick brown townhouse exterior in Toronto with a flat roof.

Green Mountain Getaway - Guest House

Flavin Architects

The guesthouse of our Green Mountain Getaway follows the same recipe as the main house. With its soaring roof lines and large windows, it feels equally as integrated into the surrounding landscape. Photo by: Nat Rea Photography

[Bracketed Space] House

Matt Fajkus Architecture

The site descends from the street and is privileged with dynamic natural views toward a creek below and beyond. To incorporate the existing landscape into the daily life of the residents, the house steps down to the natural topography. A continuous and jogging retaining wall from outside to inside embeds the structure below natural grade at the front with flush transitions at its rear facade. All indoor spaces open up to a central courtyard which terraces down to the tree canopy, creating a readily visible and occupiable transitional space between man-made and nature. The courtyard scheme is simplified by two wings representing common and private zones - connected by a glass dining “bridge." This transparent volume also visually connects the front yard to the courtyard, clearing for the prospect view, while maintaining a subdued street presence. The staircase acts as a vertical “knuckle,” mediating shifting wing angles while contrasting the predominant horizontality of the house. Crips materiality and detailing, deep roof overhangs, and the one-and-half story wall at the rear further enhance the connection between outdoors and indoors, providing nuanced natural lighting throughout and a meaningful framed procession through the property. Photography Spaces and Faces Photography

Passive Mews House, Camberwell, London

RDA Architects

RDA's first certified Passivhaus. This is in a South London Mews at the back of a Grade II listed building. The building used to be a coach house. The aesthetic was to design a house with a slightly industrial feel. The house itself is built with SIPs panels and uses a brick slip cladding system. The client's requested that this house be Passivhaus certified. The house was highly commended at the 2014 greenbuild awards and was shortlisted for the 2014 UK Passivhaus awards. The project is currently being monitored by the University of Kent and the occupiers are very satisfied with its performance which keeps energy bills to a minimum. Photo by Tim Soar

Modern Extension

Studio NOO Design

Anne B.
This is an example of a small contemporary one-storey brown exterior in Montreal with concrete fiberboard siding.

Deck

User

Nick Ryan
Inspiration for an expansive contemporary two-storey brown exterior in New York with wood siding and a clipped gable roof.

Creek House

Miramonti Architect PC

Design ideas for a large contemporary three-storey brown house exterior in Denver with wood siding and a gable roof.

Alaska Vacation Home

Nicholas Moriarty Interiors (NMI, LLC.)

Nicholas Moriarty Interiors
Inspiration for a large contemporary two-storey brown exterior in Chicago with wood siding.

Mazama Ranchero

CAST architecture

CAST architecture
Small contemporary one-storey brown exterior in Seattle with mixed siding and a shed roof.

Electric Avenue Residence

Electric Bowery

This renovation transformed a Venice bungalow that many thought to be a teardown into a bright and open cottage by the beach.
Inspiration for a small contemporary brown exterior in Los Angeles.

frying pan valley pop top

AXIS Productions

A detail shot of the cement fiber board siding, also known as Hardy board.
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary two-storey brown exterior in Denver with concrete fiberboard siding and a shed roof.

Lakefront NW Contemporary

RW Anderson Homes

A contemporary home with high ceilings, a 2 story fireplace, and large windows that lookout over a tranquil lake.
Photo of a large contemporary two-storey brown exterior in Seattle with wood siding.

Contemporary Brown 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 contemporary 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 contemporary 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 contemporary 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.