Lands End Development - Designers & Builders

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

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Photo by John Sutton Photography.

Pinnacle Falls

Springtime Builders

Timber frame covered porch with poplar bark and cedar shingle accents. The vertical siding is cypress that was factory finished by Delkote. All exterior finishes on rainscreen systems.

Mid-Century Remodel

David Henig, Architect

Eric Rorer
Design ideas for a large midcentury two-storey grey exterior in San Francisco with mixed siding and a gable roof.

Family Coastal Cottage Renovation

Oceanside Builders, LLC.

The swooping roof line is carried over from the original coastal cottage.
This is an example of a large beach style two-storey blue exterior in Portland Maine with wood siding and a hip roof.

House in Barnes

DUST Architecture

Ian Harding
Photo of a contemporary two-storey brick beige exterior in London.

1 bedroom grannyflat / small house

Baahouse + Baastudio Pty Ltd

Darren Kerr photography
Small contemporary exterior in Brisbane with a shed roof.

Hieberstraße

Wezel Architektur

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

Underground house

Lees Munday Architects

Lees Munday Architects. Detail of the feature window that terminates the glazed roof light which 20 metres long.
Design ideas for a large modern exterior in London with stone veneer.

Craftsman Exterior Paint Color Consultation

Masterworks Window Fashions & Design, LLC

This house is adjacent to the first house, and was under construction when I began working with the clients. They had already selected red window frames, and the siding was unfinished, needing to be painted. Sherwin Williams colors were requested by the builder. They wanted it to work with the neighboring house, but have its own character, and to use a darker green in combination with other colors. The light trim is Sherwin Williams, Netsuke, the tan is Basket Beige. The color on the risers on the steps is slightly deeper. Basket Beige is used for the garage door, the indentation on the front columns, the accent in the front peak of the roof, the siding on the front porch, and the back of the house. It also is used for the fascia board above the two columns under the front curving roofline. The fascia and columns are outlined in Netsuke, which is also used for the details on the garage door, and the trim around the red windows. The Hardie shingle is in green, as is the siding on the side of the garage. Linda H. Bassert, Masterworks Window Fashions & Design, LLC

San Felipe Addition

Tomrose Construction Inc.

Photo of a mid-sized modern one-storey brown exterior in San Francisco with vinyl siding and a flat roof.

Waterfront Villa on Merritt Island Florida

Daily Holdings

Mediterranean exterior in Melbourne.

Hope Ranch Residence

DesignARC

Jim Bartsch
Inspiration for a mediterranean one-storey stucco white house exterior in Santa Barbara with a gable roof and a tile roof.

Rustic Barn

VanderHorn Architects

Inspiration for a large country two-storey brown exterior in New York with wood siding and a gable roof.

Farmhouse Exterior

Design ideas for a large country two-storey brown exterior in Los Angeles with wood siding.

camino de oeste residence

repp + mclain design and construction

Liam Frederick
Photo of a large modern one-storey glass exterior in Phoenix with a flat roof.

Vintage Timber Frame Barn Addition

The McKernon Group

This barn addition was accomplished by dismantling an antique timber frame and resurrecting it alongside a beautiful 19th century farmhouse in Vermont. What makes this property even more special, is that all native Vermont elements went into the build, from the original barn to locally harvested floors and cabinets, native river rock for the chimney and fireplace and local granite for the foundation. The stone walls on the grounds were all made from stones found on the property. The addition is a multi-level design with 1821 sq foot of living space between the first floor and the loft. The open space solves the problems of small rooms in an old house. The barn addition has ICFs (r23) and SIPs so the building is airtight and energy efficient. It was very satisfying to take an old barn which was no longer being used and to recycle it to preserve it's history and give it a new life.

Heavy Metal

Hufft

The façade is detailed as a rain screen and the space between is used for integrated lighting. Photography by Andrew Fabin
Contemporary exterior in Kansas City.

River Road Home

Colonial Homecrafters, Ltd.

Copper gutter and drain box
Expansive traditional three-storey beige exterior in Richmond with stone veneer.

Beck Lake House

John M. Holmes Architect

Stephen Ironside
Design ideas for a large country two-storey grey house exterior in Birmingham with a shed roof, metal siding and a metal roof.

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.