With a grand total of 1,247 square feet of living space, the Lincoln Deck House was designed to efficiently utilize every bit of its floor plan. This home features two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a two-car detached garage and boasts an impressive great room, whose soaring ceilings and walls of glass welcome the outside in to make the space feel one with nature.

Schuler

KC Custom Builders

Design ideas for a large traditional one-storey stucco green house exterior in San Francisco with a gable roof and a shingle roof.

Leo Cottage

Big Chill

Design Credit: @katemarkerinteriors @leocottage Photographer: @margaretrajic
Inspiration for a beach style one-storey black house exterior in Grand Rapids with a gable roof.

Traditional Farmhouse

Jonathan Miller Architects

Inspiration for a large country three-storey white house exterior in Other with concrete fiberboard siding, a metal roof and a gable roof.

Certified Luxury Builders - 41 West - Coquina Sands Custom Home A

CRx - The Cure for the Common Build

Design ideas for a large tropical one-storey stucco white house exterior in Other with a hip roof and a shingle roof.

Seamless Indoor- Outdoor Living

Make Architecture

Horizontal planes extend over expansive openings with seamless extension of the living space from interior to exterior. A rectangular infinity edge pool and the canyon the home resides within are drawn in as visual features.

Park Place

Vertical Arts Architecture

Design ideas for a large country three-storey multi-coloured house exterior in Denver with mixed siding, a gable roof and a mixed roof.

Holladay Residence

Clayton Vance Architecture

Photo of a mid-sized traditional one-storey brown house exterior in Salt Lake City with stone veneer, a gable roof and a shingle roof.

David Farmhouse-1063

Manuel Builders, LLC

Photo of a mid-sized country one-storey white house exterior in New Orleans with concrete fiberboard siding, a gable roof and a shingle roof.

Trinity Bellwoods House

Lewitt Construction Inc.

Photo of a small modern three-storey grey house exterior in Toronto with mixed siding and a flat roof.

Urban Design New Build

MK Building Solutions

This urban designed home is wrapped with Matt Black Colorbond. This house has several wall finishes varying from texture render, Equitone cladding and bronze powder coated screen feature walls.

Project Bain

Contempo Studio

Design ideas for a contemporary three-storey grey townhouse exterior in Toronto with mixed siding.

The Dawson - Enfort Homes

Enfort Homes

Enfort Homes - New Construction 2019
Mid-sized contemporary three-storey house exterior in Seattle with a flat roof.

47 Draper Road, Wayland, MA

Amy Mizner, Benoit Mizner Simon & Co.

http://47draperroad.com This thoughtfully renovated Colonial is prominently situated in Claypit Hill, one of Wayland's most sought after neighborhoods. The designer Chef's kitchen and breakfast area open to a large family room that captures picturesque views from its large bay window and French doors. The formal living room with a fireplace and elegant dining room are ideal for entertaining. A fabulous home office with views to the backyard is designed to provide privacy. A paneled study with a fireplace is tucked away as you enter the foyer. In addition, a second home office is designed to provide privacy. The new cathedral ceiling in the master suite with a fireplace has an abundance of architectural windows and is equipped with a tremendous dressing room and new modern marble bathroom. The extensive private grounds covering over an acre are adorned with a brick walkway, wood deck and hot tub.

The Mullet House

Susan Yeley Homes

This gem of a house was built in the 1950s, when its neighborhood undoubtedly felt remote. The university footprint has expanded in the 70 years since, however, and today this home sits on prime real estate—easy biking and reasonable walking distance to campus. When it went up for sale in 2017, it was largely unaltered. Our clients purchased it to renovate and resell, and while we all knew we'd need to add square footage to make it profitable, we also wanted to respect the neighborhood and the house’s own history. Swedes have a word that means “just the right amount”: lagom. It is a guiding philosophy for us at SYH, and especially applied in this renovation. Part of the soul of this house was about living in just the right amount of space. Super sizing wasn’t a thing in 1950s America. So, the solution emerged: keep the original rectangle, but add an L off the back. With no owner to design with and for, SYH created a layout to appeal to the masses. All public spaces are the back of the home--the new addition that extends into the property’s expansive backyard. A den and four smallish bedrooms are atypically located in the front of the house, in the original 1500 square feet. Lagom is behind that choice: conserve space in the rooms where you spend most of your time with your eyes shut. Put money and square footage toward the spaces in which you mostly have your eyes open. In the studio, we started calling this project the Mullet Ranch—business up front, party in the back. The front has a sleek but quiet effect, mimicking its original low-profile architecture street-side. It’s very Hoosier of us to keep appearances modest, we think. But get around to the back, and surprise! lofted ceilings and walls of windows. Gorgeous.

NW Duffy, Bend, OR

Curtis Homes

Photo of a large arts and crafts one-storey green house exterior in Portland with mixed siding, a gable roof and a shingle roof.

Diamond Heights

Martinkovic Milford Architects

Contemporary three-storey multi-coloured house exterior in San Francisco with mixed siding and a flat roof.

Menlo Park Custom Addition and Remodel

Phillip Price Construction

Photo of a mid-sized arts and crafts one-storey green house exterior in San Francisco with concrete fiberboard siding, a gable roof and a shingle roof.

Marshall House

Paul Cashin Architects

Photography by Richard Chivers https://www.rchivers.co.uk/ Marshall House is an extension to a Grade II listed dwelling in the village of Twyford, near Winchester, Hampshire. The original house dates from the 17th Century, although it had been remodelled and extended during the late 18th Century. The clients contacted us to explore the potential to extend their home in order to suit their growing family and active lifestyle. Due to the constraints of living in a listed building, they were unsure as to what development possibilities were available. The brief was to replace an existing lean-to and 20th century conservatory with a new extension in a modern, contemporary approach. The design was developed in close consultation with the local authority as well as their historic environment department, in order to respect the existing property and work to achieve a positive planning outcome. Like many older buildings, the dwelling had been adjusted here and there, and updated at numerous points over time. The interior of the existing property has a charm and a character - in part down to the age of the property, various bits of work over time and the wear and tear of the collective history of its past occupants. These spaces are dark, dimly lit and cosy. They have low ceilings, small windows, little cubby holes and odd corners. Walls are not parallel or perpendicular, there are steps up and down and places where you must watch not to bang your head. The extension is accessed via a small link portion that provides a clear distinction between the old and new structures. The initial concept is centred on the idea of contrasts. The link aims to have the effect of walking through a portal into a seemingly different dwelling, that is modern, bright, light and airy with clean lines and white walls. However, complementary aspects are also incorporated, such as the strategic placement of windows and roof lights in order to cast light over walls and corners to create little nooks and private views. The overall form of the extension is informed by the awkward shape and uses of the site, resulting in the walls not being parallel in plan and splaying out at different irregular angles. Externally, timber larch cladding is used as the primary material. This is painted black with a heavy duty barn paint, that is both long lasting and cost effective. The black finish of the extension contrasts with the white painted brickwork at the rear and side of the original house. The external colour palette of both structures is in opposition to the reality of the interior spaces. Although timber cladding is a fairly standard, commonplace material, visual depth and distinction has been created through the articulation of the boards. The inclusion of timber fins changes the way shadows are cast across the external surface during the day. Whilst at night, these are illuminated by external lighting. A secondary entrance to the house is provided through a concealed door that is finished to match the profile of the cladding. This opens to a boot/utility room, from which a new shower room can be accessed, before proceeding to the new open plan living space and dining area.

16581 S. Pacific Ave., Sunset Beach

Mur-Sol Builders Inc

Design ideas for a mid-sized modern three-storey stucco white house exterior in Los Angeles with a flat roof and a mixed roof.

One-storey and Three-storey 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.