Custom made Copper framed 3 vista window Colorbond standing seam roof and cladding
Contemporary glass exterior in Sydney.

Brentwood

Corr Contemporary Homes

Large contemporary two-storey glass beige house exterior in Los Angeles.

Shavano Park House

McKinney York Architects

The client for this home wanted a modern structure that was suitable for displaying her art-glass collection. Located in a recently developed community, almost every component of the exterior was subject to an array of neighborhood and city ordinances. These were all accommodated while maintaining modern sensibilities and detailing on the exterior, then transitioning to a more minimalist aesthetic on the interior. The one-story building comfortably spreads out on its large lot, embracing a front and back courtyard and allowing views through and from within the transparent center section to other parts of the home. A high volume screened porch, the floating fireplace, and an axial swimming pool provide dramatic moments to the otherwise casual layout of the home.

the Cable House

Tom Robertson Architects

Lillie Thompson
Contemporary two-storey glass white house exterior in Melbourne with a gable roof and a metal roof.

Through House

Hier Architects

Inspiration for a contemporary three-storey glass townhouse exterior in Singapore with a gable roof.

Rush Hill Road

Granit Architects + Interiors

Photo Credit : Andy Beasley
This is an example of a contemporary one-storey glass exterior in London.

Upper Orara

Utz-Sanby Architects

Marian Riabic
Inspiration for a large contemporary one-storey glass house exterior in Sydney with a flat roof and a metal roof.

Glass House in the Garden

Flavin Architects

Modern glass house set in the landscape evokes a midcentury vibe. A modern gas fireplace divides the living area with a polished concrete floor from the greenhouse with a gravel floor. The frame is painted steel with aluminum sliding glass door. The front features a green roof with native grasses and the rear is covered with a glass roof. Photo by: Gregg Shupe Photography

Piedmont Residence

Carlton Edwards

This modern lake house is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The residence overlooks a mountain lake with expansive mountain views beyond. The design ties the home to its surroundings and enhances the ability to experience both home and nature together. The entry level serves as the primary living space and is situated into three groupings; the Great Room, the Guest Suite and the Master Suite. A glass connector links the Master Suite, providing privacy and the opportunity for terrace and garden areas. Won a 2013 AIANC Design Award. Featured in the Austrian magazine, More Than Design. Featured in Carolina Home and Garden, Summer 2015.

Modern Exterior

Inspiration for a modern glass exterior in Charlotte.

Seven Sticks Lakehouse

User

Built on telephone poles and once nicknamed "7 sticks house," a client with an existing house at Smith Lake (outside Birmingham) wanted to add on to maximize the view and their site. The site was comprised of a gaggle of scrappy pines and I wanted to honor their displacement with seven telephone poles. Using only one solid wall for the kitchen, all other sides are glass for a tree-house effect. The design won an AIA Award in 2007.

Wing House

McClellan | Tellone

Andrea Brizzi
Photo of a large tropical one-storey glass beige house exterior in Hawaii with a hip roof and a metal roof.

Glass House

Thomas Roszak Architecture, LLC

Photography-Hedrich Blessing Glass House: The design objective was to build a house for my wife and three kids, looking forward in terms of how people live today. To experiment with transparency and reflectivity, removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. To construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. To tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with the nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the concrete beams support the steel beams; and in terms of how the entire house is enveloped in glass as if it was poured over the bones to make it skin tight. To engineer the house to be a smart house that 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. To develop a planning module based on a 16 foot square room size and a 8 foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The base of the interstitial spaces also become skylights for the basement gallery. This house is all about flexibility; the family room, was a nursery when the kids were infants, is a craft and media room now, and will be a family room when the time is right. Our rooms are all based on a 16’x16’ (4.8mx4.8m) module, so a bedroom, a kitchen, and a dining room are the same size and functions can easily change; only the furniture and the attitude needs to change. The house is 5,500 SF (550 SM)of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 8200 SF (820 SM). The mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hardscapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot.

Greenhouse Studio Exterior

Cynthia B. Wilson Interior Design

CB Wilson Interior Design Bruce Thompson Photography
Inspiration for a large traditional one-storey glass white house exterior in Milwaukee with a gable roof and a mixed roof.

Loftcube

AISSLINGER + ASSOZIIERTE | ARCHITEKTEN BAUBERATER

Beirut 2012 Die großen, bislang ungenutzten Flachdächer mitten in den Städten zu erschließen, ist der Grundgedanke, auf dem die Idee des Loftcube basiert. Der Berliner Designer Werner Aisslinger will mit leichten, mobilen Wohneinheiten diesen neuen, sonnigen Lebensraum im großen Stil eröffnen und vermarkten. Nach zweijährigen Vorarbeiten präsentierten die Planer im Jahr 2003 den Prototypen ihrer modularen Wohneinheiten auf dem Flachdach des Universal Music Gebäudes in Berlin. Der Loftcube besteht aus einem Tragwerk mit aufgesteckten Fassadenelementen und einem variablen inneren Ausbausystem. Schneller als ein ein Fertighaus ist er innerhalb von 2-3 Tagen inklusive Innenausbau komplett aufgestellt. Zudem lässt sich der Loftcube in der gleichen Zeit auch wieder abbauen und an einen anderen Ort transportieren. Der Loftcube bietet bei Innenabmessungen von 6,25 x 6,25 m etwa 39 m2 Wohnfläche. Die nächst größere Einheit bietet bei rechteckigem Grundriss eine Raumgröße von 55 m2. Ausgehend von diesen Grundmodulen können - durch Brücken miteinander verbundener Einzelelemente - ganze Wohnlandschaften errichtet werden. Je nach Anforderung kann so die Wohnfläche im Laufe der Zeit den Bedürfnissen der Nutzer immer wieder angepasst werden. Die gewünschte Mobilität gewährleistet die auf Containermaße begrenzte Größe aller Bauteile. design: studio aisslinger Foto: Aisslinger

Council Crest Remodel

Robert Miller FAIA Architects

The Council Crest Residence is a renovation and addition to an early 1950s house built for inventor Karl Kurz, whose work included stereoscopic cameras and projectors. Designed by prominent local architect Roscoe Hemenway, the house was built with a traditional ranch exterior and a mid-century modern interior. It became known as “The View-Master House,” alluding to both the inventions of its owner and the dramatic view through the glass entry. Approached from a small neighborhood park, the home was re-clad maintaining its welcoming scale, with privacy obtained through thoughtful placement of translucent glass, clerestory windows, and a stone screen wall. The original entry was maintained as a glass aperture, a threshold between the quiet residential neighborhood and the dramatic view over the city of Portland and landscape beyond. At the south terrace, an outdoor fireplace is integrated into the stone wall providing a comfortable space for the family and their guests. Within the existing footprint, the main floor living spaces were completely remodeled. Raised ceilings and new windows create open, light filled spaces. An upper floor was added within the original profile creating a master suite, study, and south facing deck. Space flows freely around a central core while continuous clerestory windows reinforce the sense of openness and expansion as the roof and wall planes extend to the exterior. Images By: Jeremy Bitterman, Photoraphy Portland OR

Forty-One Oaks

Field Architecture

Set amongst a splendid display of forty-one oaks, the design for this family residence demanded an intimate knowledge and respectful acceptance of the trees as the indigenous inhabitants of the space. Crafted from this symbiotic relationship, the architecture found natural placement in the beautiful spaces between the forty-one, acknowledging their presence and pedagogy. Conceived as a series of interconnected pavilions, the home hovers slightly above the native grasslands as it settles down amongst the oaks. Broad overhanging flat plate roofs cantilever out, connecting indoor living space to the nature beyond. Large windows are strategically placed to capture views of particularly well-sculptured trees, and enhance the connection of the grove and the home to the valley surround.

Camp Runamok

BraytonHughes Design Studios

Photo of a country one-storey glass exterior in San Francisco.

Mountain side Modern Nest

Stillwater Architecture L.L.C.

Gibeon Photography
Design ideas for an expansive modern two-storey glass brown exterior in Other.

Santa Fe Residence

Studio DuBois

Frank Oudeman
Expansive modern split-level glass house exterior in Albuquerque with a flat roof and a tile roof.

Glass 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.