Mid-sized contemporary two-storey multi-coloured exterior in Paris with wood siding.

Ben Wrigley
Inspiration for a small contemporary one-storey brick multi-coloured house exterior in Canberra - Queanbeyan with a flat roof and a metal roof.

Simon Kennedy
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary one-storey brick multi-coloured duplex exterior in London with a flat roof and a shingle roof.

Архитектор Александра Федорова Фото Илья Иванов
Mid-sized contemporary two-storey multi-coloured exterior in Moscow with mixed siding and a flat roof.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary one-storey multi-coloured house exterior in Sydney with mixed siding.

Inspiration for a large contemporary three-storey multi-coloured house exterior in Denver with mixed siding and a flat roof.

Benjamin Benschneider
Design ideas for a large contemporary three-storey multi-coloured house exterior in Seattle with wood siding, a flat roof and a green roof.

This new build Eco home uses GSHP, PVT, and Thermal inertia, combined with a contemporary aesthetic to ensure the best possible internal environment for its owners. As a replacement dwelling the site was largely defined by the previous bungalow’s location and the substantial numbers of trees retained. The design is based on a concept of two wings connected by a glazed link to maintain separation. The principle wing is designed as open plan combining entertaining spaces with a feature stair leading to the master suite and the bridging link. The second wing contains the more private spaces of a snug, WC, office and utility as well as a large garage and workshop with bedrooms to the first floor. The Scheme was designed throughout to accommodate an evolution and flexibility over the lifetime of the building. Externally a full landscaping scheme ties the building to its site whilst vistas through and from the building celebrate the mature trees which surround two sides.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary two-storey multi-coloured house exterior in Glasgow with wood siding, a gable roof and a tile roof.

Photo of a contemporary three-storey multi-coloured exterior in Los Angeles with a shed roof.

Playful colors jump out from their white background, cozy outdoor spaces contrast with widescreen mountain panoramas, and industrial metal details find their home on light stucco facades. Elements that might at first seem contradictory have been combined into a fresh, harmonized whole. Welcome to Paradox Ranch. Photos by: J. Walters Photography

Design ideas for a large contemporary two-storey multi-coloured house exterior in San Francisco with metal siding, a flat roof, a metal roof, a brown roof and clapboard siding.

Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary two-storey multi-coloured house exterior in Melbourne with mixed siding and a flat roof.

Colorado contemporary, or sometimes referred to as mining architecture, is a stunning style that combines rustic elements with more modern forms and shapes.

A house designed for indoor and outdoor living. Top floor master is surrounded by a green roof and generous patio space. Outdoor patio space features a concrete and Corten water feature beside a Corten fireplace. Naturalize garden paths circulate through lush gardens of ornamental grasses and pollenating perennials.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary one-storey multi-coloured house exterior in Orange County with wood siding, a gable roof and a shingle roof.

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

Mid-sized contemporary one-storey brick multi-coloured house exterior in Dusseldorf with a gable roof, a tile roof and a black roof.

Design ideas for an expansive contemporary two-storey multi-coloured house exterior in Miami with mixed siding, a flat roof and a metal roof.