This gorgeous modern farmhouse features hardie board board and batten siding with stunning black framed Pella windows. The soffit lighting accents each gable perfectly and creates the perfect farmhouse.

The goal for this Point Loma home was to transform it from the adorable beach bungalow it already was by expanding its footprint and giving it distinctive Craftsman characteristics while achieving a comfortable, modern aesthetic inside that perfectly caters to the active young family who lives here. By extending and reconfiguring the front portion of the home, we were able to not only add significant square footage, but create much needed usable space for a home office and comfortable family living room that flows directly into a large, open plan kitchen and dining area. A custom built-in entertainment center accented with shiplap is the focal point for the living room and the light color of the walls are perfect with the natural light that floods the space, courtesy of strategically placed windows and skylights. The kitchen was redone to feel modern and accommodate the homeowners busy lifestyle and love of entertaining. Beautiful white kitchen cabinetry sets the stage for a large island that packs a pop of color in a gorgeous teal hue. A Sub-Zero classic side by side refrigerator and Jenn-Air cooktop, steam oven, and wall oven provide the power in this kitchen while a white subway tile backsplash in a sophisticated herringbone pattern, gold pulls and stunning pendant lighting add the perfect design details. Another great addition to this project is the use of space to create separate wine and coffee bars on either side of the doorway. A large wine refrigerator is offset by beautiful natural wood floating shelves to store wine glasses and house a healthy Bourbon collection. The coffee bar is the perfect first top in the morning with a coffee maker and floating shelves to store coffee and cups. Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) flooring was selected for use throughout the home, offering the warm feel of hardwood, with the benefits of being waterproof and nearly indestructible - two key factors with young kids! For the exterior of the home, it was important to capture classic Craftsman elements including the post and rock detail, wood siding, eves, and trimming around windows and doors. We think the porch is one of the cutest in San Diego and the custom wood door truly ties the look and feel of this beautiful home together.

Photo of an expansive country three-storey white house exterior in Denver with mixed siding, a gable roof, a metal roof, a black roof and board and batten siding.

Photo of an expansive contemporary two-storey stucco white house exterior in Los Angeles with a flat roof.

The Home Aesthetic
Design ideas for an expansive country two-storey brick white house exterior in Indianapolis with a gable roof and a metal roof.

Designed by MossCreek, this beautiful timber frame home includes signature MossCreek style elements such as natural materials, expression of structure, elegant rustic design, and perfect use of space in relation to build site. Photo by Mark Smith

Inspiration for an expansive mediterranean two-storey stucco white house exterior in Orange County with a hip roof and a tile roof.

Inspiration for an expansive tropical two-storey beige house exterior in Miami with mixed siding, a hip roof and a tile roof.

Conceptually the Clark Street remodel began with an idea of creating a new entry. The existing home foyer was non-existent and cramped with the back of the stair abutting the front door. By defining an exterior point of entry and creating a radius interior stair, the home instantly opens up and becomes more inviting. From there, further connections to the exterior were made through large sliding doors and a redesigned exterior deck. Taking advantage of the cool coastal climate, this connection to the exterior is natural and seamless Photos by Zack Benson

The problem this Memorial-Houston homeowner faced was that her sumptuous contemporary home, an austere series of interconnected cubes of various sizes constructed from white stucco, black steel and glass, did not have the proper landscaping frame. It was out of scale. Imagine Robert Motherwell's "Black on White" painting without the Museum of Fine Arts-Houston's generous expanse of white walls surrounding it. It would still be magnificent but somehow...off. Intuitively, the homeowner realized this issue and started interviewing landscape designers. After talking to about 15 different designers, she finally went with one, only to be disappointed with the results. From the across-the-street neighbor, she was then introduced to Exterior Worlds and she hired us to correct the newly-created problems and more fully realize her hopes for the grounds. "It's not unusual for us to come in and deal with a mess. Sometimes a homeowner gets overwhelmed with managing everything. Other times it is like this project where the design misses the mark. Regardless, it is really important to listen for what a prospect or client means and not just what they say," says Jeff Halper, owner of Exterior Worlds. Since the sheer size of the house is so dominating, Exterior Worlds' overall job was to bring the garden up to scale to match the house. Likewise, it was important to stretch the house into the landscape, thereby softening some of its severity. The concept we devised entailed creating an interplay between the landscape and the house by astute placement of the black-and-white colors of the house into the yard using different materials and textures. Strategic plantings of greenery increased the interest, density, height and function of the design. First we installed a pathway of crushed white marble around the perimeter of the house, the white of the path in homage to the house’s white facade. At various intervals, 3/8-inch steel-plated metal strips, painted black to echo the bones of the house, were embedded and crisscrossed in the pathway to turn it into a loose maze. Along this metal bunting, we planted succulents whose other-worldly shapes and mild coloration juxtaposed nicely against the hard-edged steel. These plantings included Gulf Coast muhly, a native grass that produces a pink-purple plume when it blooms in the fall. A side benefit to the use of these plants is that they are low maintenance and hardy in Houston’s summertime heat. Next we brought in trees for scale. Without them, the impressive architecture becomes imposing. We placed them along the front at either corner of the house. For the left side, we found a multi-trunk live oak in a field, transported it to the property and placed it in a custom-made square of the crushed marble at a slight distance from the house. On the right side where the house makes a 90-degree alcove, we planted a mature mesquite tree. To finish off the front entry, we fashioned the black steel into large squares and planted grass to create islands of green, or giant lawn stepping pads. We echoed this look in the back off the master suite by turning concrete pads of black-stained concrete into stepping pads. We kept the foundational plantings of Japanese yews which add green, earthy mass, something the stark architecture needs for further balance. We contoured Japanese boxwoods into small spheres to enhance the play between shapes and textures. In the large, white planters at the front entrance, we repeated the plantings of succulents and Gulf Coast muhly to reinforce symmetry. Then we built an additional planter in the back out of the black metal, filled it with the crushed white marble and planted a Texas vitex, another hardy choice that adds a touch of color with its purple blooms. To finish off the landscaping, we needed to address the ravine behind the house. We built a retaining wall to contain erosion. Aesthetically, we crafted it so that the wall has a sharp upper edge, a modern motif right where the landscape meets the land.

Photo by Mark Weinberg
Expansive traditional two-storey brick white exterior in Salt Lake City with a gable roof.

Ann Lowengart Interiors collaborated with Field Architecture and Dowbuilt on this dramatic Sonoma residence featuring three copper-clad pavilions connected by glass breezeways. The copper and red cedar siding echo the red bark of the Madrone trees, blending the built world with the natural world of the ridge-top compound. Retractable walls and limestone floors that extend outside to limestone pavers merge the interiors with the landscape. To complement the modernist architecture and the client's contemporary art collection, we selected and installed modern and artisanal furnishings in organic textures and an earthy color palette.

White limestone, slatted teak siding and black metal accents make this modern Denver home stand out!
Design ideas for an expansive modern three-storey house exterior in Denver with wood siding, a flat roof, a mixed roof, a black roof and clapboard siding.

Architecture: Noble Johnson Architects Interior Design: Rachel Hughes - Ye Peddler Photography: Studiobuell | Garett Buell
Photo of an expansive transitional three-storey house exterior in Nashville with mixed siding, a gable roof and shingle siding.

This shingle style New England home was built with the ambiance of a 19th century mountain lodge. The exterior features monumental stonework--large chimneys with handcarved granite caps—which anchor the home.

The Estate by Build Prestige Homes is a grand acreage property featuring a magnificent, impressively built main residence, pool house, guest house and tennis pavilion all custom designed and quality constructed by Build Prestige Homes, specifically for our wonderful client. Set on 14 acres of private countryside, the result is an impressive, palatial, classic American style estate that is expansive in space, rich in detailing and features glamourous, traditional interior fittings. All of the finishes, selections, features and design detail was specified and carefully selected by Build Prestige Homes in consultation with our client to curate a timeless, relaxed elegance throughout this home and property. Build Prestige Homes oriented and designed the home to ensure the main living area, kitchen, covered alfresco areas and master bedroom benefitted from the warm, beautiful morning sun and ideal aspects of the property. Build Prestige Homes detailed and specified expansive, high quality timber bi-fold doors and windows to take advantage of the property including the views across the manicured grass and gardens facing towards the resort sized pool, guest house and pool house. The guest and pool house are easily accessible by the main residence via a covered walkway, but far enough away to provide privacy. All of the internal and external finishes were selected by Build Prestige Homes to compliment the classic American aesthetic of the home. Natural, granite stone walls was used throughout the landscape design and to external feature walls of the home, pool house fireplace and chimney, property boundary gates and outdoor living areas. Natural limestone floor tiles in a subtle caramel tone were laid in a modular pattern and professionally sealed for a durable, classic, timeless appeal. Clay roof tiles with a flat profile were selected for their simplicity and elegance in a modern slate colour. Linea fibre cement cladding weather board combined with fibre cement accent trims was used on the external walls and around the windows and doors as it provides distinctive charm from the deep shadow of the linea. Custom designed and hand carved arbours with beautiful, classic curved rafters ends was installed off the formal living area and guest house. The quality timber windows and doors have all been painted white and feature traditional style glazing bars to suit the style of home. The Estate has been planned and designed to meet the needs of a growing family across multiple generations who regularly host great family gatherings. As the overall design, liveability, orientation, accessibility, innovative technology and timeless appeal have been considered and maximised, the Estate will be a place for this family to call home for decades to come.

The indoor and outdoor kitchen is connected by sliding doors that stack back for easy access to both spaces. This angle shows how headers and rails in the exterior’s frame manage the motorized screens. When the glass doors are open and the screens are down, the indoor/outdoor division is eliminated and the options for cooking, lounging and dining expand. Additionally, this angle shows a close up of the stepping stones that serve as a bridge over the shallow lounge area of the pool.

Expanded wrap around porch with dual columns. Bronze metal shed roof accents the rock exterior.
Inspiration for an expansive beach style two-storey beige house exterior in San Francisco with concrete fiberboard siding, a gable roof and a shingle roof.

Burdge Architects- Traditional Cape Cod Style Home. Located in Malibu, CA. Traditional coastal home exterior.
This is an example of an expansive beach style two-storey white house exterior in Los Angeles with wood siding and a shingle roof.