Ginnifer Heinrichs
This is an example of a large country exterior in Oklahoma City.

As a cottage, the Ridgecrest was designed to take full advantage of a property rich in natural beauty. Each of the main houses three bedrooms, and all of the entertaining spaces, have large rear facing windows with thick craftsman style casing. A glance at the front motor court reveals a guesthouse above a three-stall garage. Complete with separate entrance, the guesthouse features its own bathroom, kitchen, laundry, living room and bedroom. The columned entry porch of the main house is centered on the floor plan, but is tucked under the left side of the homes large transverse gable. Centered under this gable is a grand staircase connecting the foyer to the lower level corridor. Directly to the rear of the foyer is the living room. With tall windows and a vaulted ceiling. The living rooms stone fireplace has flanking cabinets that anchor an axis that runs through the living and dinning room, ending at the side patio. A large island anchors the open concept kitchen and dining space. On the opposite side of the main level is a private master suite, complete with spacious dressing room and double vanity master bathroom. Buffering the living room from the master bedroom, with a large built-in feature wall, is a private study. Downstairs, rooms are organized off of a linear corridor with one end being terminated by a shared bathroom for the two lower bedrooms and large entertainment spaces. Photographer: Ashley Avila Photography Builder: Douglas Sumner Builder, Inc. Interior Design: Vision Interiors by Visbeen

Contemporary Lake Home

Anthony Thomas Builders

G.Taylor
This is an example of a mid-sized contemporary two-storey stucco grey house exterior in Milwaukee with a hip roof and a shingle roof.

Front Porch Entry

Meyer Design

This stunning black double door provides a great front entry contrast against the whtie siding on this elegant farmhouse with wrap around porch. Meyer Design

Greenville SC Custom Modern Southern Plantation

Goodwin Foust Custom Homes, LLC

Goodwin Foust Custom Homes | Design Build | Custom Home Builder | Serving Greenville, SC, Lake Keowee, SC, Upstate, SC
Photo of a traditional two-storey white exterior in Other.

Built Work

User

Design ideas for a contemporary yellow exterior in Miami with mixed siding.

Porter Street Bungalow

Moore Architects, PC

The Cleveland Park neighborhood of Washington, D.C boasts some of the most beautiful and well maintained bungalows of the late 19th century. Residential streets are distinguished by the most significant craftsman icon, the front porch. Porter Street Bungalow was different. The stucco walls on the right and left side elevations were the first indication of an original bungalow form. Yet the swooping roof, so characteristic of the period, was terminated at the front by a first floor enclosure that had almost no penetrations and presented an unwelcoming face. Original timber beams buried within the enclosed mass provided the only fenestration where they nudged through. The house, known affectionately as ‘the bunker’, was in serious need of a significant renovation and restoration. A young couple purchased the house over 10 years ago as a first home. As their family grew and professional lives matured the inadequacies of the small rooms and out of date systems had to be addressed. The program called to significantly enlarge the house with a major new rear addition. The completed house had to fulfill all of the requirements of a modern house: a reconfigured larger living room, new shared kitchen and breakfast room and large family room on the first floor and three modified bedrooms and master suite on the second floor. Front photo by Hoachlander Davis Photography. All other photos by Prakash Patel.

Turret + Stone

Lisa Tharp Design

Photo of an exterior in Boston.

Villa "vis-à-vis"

hdg Architekten BDA

Design ideas for a large contemporary two-storey black exterior in Other with metal siding, a gable roof, a metal roof, a black roof and clapboard siding.

Kath Home

Jkath Design Build + Reinvent

Photo of a transitional exterior in Minneapolis.

Saratoga

Melissa Nierman Designs

Inspiration for a large country one-storey white house exterior in San Francisco with board and batten siding and a grey roof.

Downtown Greenville Residence II

Ridgeline Construction Group, Inc

This is an example of a country exterior in Other.

Avondale Natural Thin Stone Veneer Exterior Chimney

Quarry Mill

This beautiful dutch colonial style home showcases the Quarry Mill's Avondale natural thin stone veneer. Avondale is a colorful blend of real thin cut limestone veneer. This natural stone is unique in that the pieces of stone showcase a large color variation but all come from the same quarry. Avondale’s unique color variation comes from using different parts of the quarried slabs of natural stone. The quarry is naturally layered and the stone slabs or sheets are peeled up by pushing a wedge between the layers. The sheets vary in size with the largest being roughly 12’x2’ with a thickness ranging from 1”-12”. The outer portion of the sheets of stone are colorful due to the rainwater washing in minerals over millennia. The interior portion is the grey unadulterated limestone. We use hydraulic presses to process the slabs and expose the inner part of the limestone.

庭見る小居

株式会社エキップ

ファサード夕景
Inspiration for a mid-sized scandinavian two-storey stucco beige house exterior in Tokyo with a gable roof, a metal roof and a black roof.

Scandinavian Modern Exterior Entry

10K Architecture

A Scandinavian modern home in Shorewood, Minnesota with simple gable roof forms and black exterior. The entry has been sided with Resysta, a durable rainscreen material that is natural in appearance.

Exterior Painting

Color World House Painting

Design ideas for a mid-sized arts and crafts two-storey grey house exterior in Charlotte with a grey roof.

Warm Modern Exterior

Zaharias Design

Architect : CKA Light grey stained cedar siding, stucco, I-beam at garage to mud room breezeway, and standing seam metal roof. Private courtyards for dining room and home office.

Whispering Meadows XX

Glas Associates

Fresh, classic white styling with brick accents and black trim
Mid-sized country three-storey white house exterior in Grand Rapids with a gable roof, a shingle roof, concrete fiberboard siding and board and batten siding.

Lake Travis Overlook

Marion Interior Design

Design ideas for a large modern two-storey beige house exterior in Austin with mixed siding, a hip roof and a metal roof.

Brand Rd. | New Construction

The Bellepoint Company

Inspiration for a country exterior in Columbus.

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.