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8 Ever-Popular Exterior Looks... and How to Create Them

A fabulous facade is guaranteed to boost your kerb appeal – here are eight of the most appealing styles

Naomi Findlay 3 December 2019

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Your home’s facade is the first thing people see when they visit, and it gives a hint into the decorative delights that lie beyond the threshold. If you’re on the hunt for ideas, look no further; here are eight enchanting exterior looks, along with tips on the colours and materials you’ll need to choose to create them.

Couvaras Architects

1. Coastal
With our beautiful year-round sunshine and love of indoor/outdoor living, it’s no surprise that the coastal look is a perennial favourite in Australia.

This style is quite easy to achieve and the result can make a home look fresh, calm and balanced. Designing a coastal exterior is as much about creating a lifestyle as it is about aesthetics. For this reason, don’t just think about the look you want to create, but also how you want to live in your home. For example, add in plenty of usable outdoor ‘rooms’ or spaces for entertaining and relaxing, and large windows that draw in the light.

Aboda Design Group

Create the look with:

Neutral tones.
Plenty of white with nautical-inspired accent colours, such as navy or sea green.
Blackbutt and spotted gum.
Curves and organic lines.
Touches of aged or weathered metallics, such as bronze.
A smooth connection to decks and outdoor spaces via bi-fold or french doors.

Exterior looking a little blah? Find a local painter on Houzz to give it a new lease on life

Dalecki Design

2. Contemporary
This is an appealing look for those who love clean lines and a cutting-edge feel. Simplicity is the key to making an ultra-contemporary aesthetic work – but don’t confuse it with boring. Think interesting textural and material mixes, and intriguing plays of shadow and light.

The look should feel calm, contemporary and visually arresting. Keep detailing to a minimum – for example, consider a zero-threshold front door. And be sure to leave plenty of breathing space on and around your exterior for the eye to rest.

Robert Nichol and sons

Create the look with:

A simple colour palette of no more than three shades. Warm neutrals work well.
Clean, minimalist lines – the less visual fuss, the better.
Interesting angles, shadows and features that catch the eye and prevent the look from becoming too clinical.

Base Architecture

3. Designer
There are many ways to create a home with a designer aesthetic, and it’s a look that suits various architectural styles. But homes with a designer vibe will generally have a few things in common – they will feel fresh and fashion-forward, and feature premium finishes. They will often also integrate the latest smart-home technology.

These are high-end homes that deliver contemporary good looks, functionality and energy efficiency.

Luigi Rosselli Architects

Create the look with:

Considered design choices.
Play with scale – this can be an effective way to achieve the sense of grandeur associated with a high-end home.
Smart-home technology, such as smart door locks, automated lighting, awnings and audio systems.
A large, statement front door and oversize windows.
Sleek and seamless energy-saving features, such as solar roof panels that sit flush with the roofline.
Careful attention to detail.

Basset and Lobaza Architects

4. Traditional
A traditional home can be anything from a beautiful, old Victorian terrace to a classic Queenslander, but what gives it everlasting appeal is the focus on balance and sophisticated features.

LAK Constructions Pty Ltd

Create the look with:

Symmetry in terms of door and window placement.
Understated features.
Soft colours, such as light grey and white.
Refined timbers and fretwork.
Manicured gardens.
You can add a traditional flavour to an existing home by placing identical planters on either side of the front door and installing traditional wall sconces on the exterior.

Lindon Homes Pty Ltd

5. Hamptons
This timeless and laid-back style is known for its coastal origins, but it’s sophisticated enough to work in an urban setting too. Think relaxed, light-filled and spacious homes with a focus on natural materials and simple styling.

Monier Roofing

Create the look with:

Soft, weathered tones including white and pale grey.
Coastal-inspired accents for trims, such as duck-egg blue and charcoal.
Weatherboards.
Timber fretwork and trims.
Coastal-inspired features, such as porthole windows.
Pretty greenery including magnolia trees, star jasmine and wisteria.

Pilcher Residential

6. Country
Classic country exteriors are known for their beautiful use of timber, rustic features and simple embellishments. A rambling, cottage-style front garden filled with fragrant blooms makes the perfect finishing touch for this exterior look.

Teal Timber Windows and Doors

Create the look with:

Weathered and lime-washed timbers.
Natural building materials.
Hand-finished surfaces.
Timber fretwork, post bracings and panelling.
A white picket fence.

Contemporary Exterior Contemporary Exterior

7. Industrial
With its raw and gritty feel, this look works particularly well in urban areas. It’s packed with character; think recycled timbers with a story to tell contrasting with eye-catching metallics.

dcf design group

Create the look with:

Raw materials and metallic finishes.
Exposed concrete.
Recycled and weathered timbers.
A minimal, tonal colour palette – think grey, charcoal and earthy browns.
Plenty of texture.
Edgy fixtures, such as exposed bulbs.
A front deck that is simply sanded and painted black.

Madeleine Blanchfield Architects

8. Scandi
Muted colours and refined timbers are the cornerstones of a Scandi exterior. These homes also tend to feature bold, simple lines (such as vertical cladding) and slender roof tiles.

Peter Vincent Architects

Create the look with:

Either a crisp and light or a dark and bold palette – both work for a Scandi exterior.
Touches of an accent colour – think a front door in muted pink, duck-egg blue or jade green.
Refined timbers with little variation.
Polished metallic surfaces.
Fuss-free lines.

Monier Roofing

Above: Monier Roofing InlineSOLAR roof panels

Your turn
Which exterior look is your favourite? Tell us in the Comments, like this story, save the images and join the conversation.

More
Want more exterior ideas? Read up on 5 Ways to Make Your Exterior Look Incredible With Cladding

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Jo Martin

I'm a traditional girl, clean lines a bit of fretwork and beautiful gardens. Definitely number 4

1 Like 4 December 2019 at 1:36pm

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HU-319610855

60’s is probably on its way back to being appealing. it is 80’s, 90’s and 0’s (and even the more recent ’s ) (esp volume builds)- where the whole new suburb is the same) that are not so appealling

1 Like 3 July 2021 at 5:47pm

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Margaret Barkley

How about an article on how to spruce up the exterior of an 80s brick veneer. Beautiful houses abound in Houzz. But what are we to do with our ugly ducklings?

2 Likes 7 October 2021 at 2:10am