AV Architects + Builders Location: McLean, VA, USA Our newest custom modern home, located in the heart of McLean, Virginia measures just over 8,700 square feet. Situated on a beautiful lot on Old Chesterbrook Road, the modern home design takes advantage of the lot’s natural contours and sight-lines. Spread throughout three levels, the home contains five bedrooms, six full bathrooms, one half-bath, and a three-car garage. The main level of our modern home design features an open-floor plan designed to entertain family and friends. The entry flows into both the grand dining room and the central area, dedicated to the kitchen, breakfast and a double height great room that opens to a large outdoor deck with picturesque views of the expansive backyard. Located just off the garage is a functional mudroom that features plenty of storage space. In addition to a large home office and powder room, the entire left wing is dedicated to a private master suite with an expansive custom his/her walk-in closet, a master bath with a rainfall shower and a free-standing soaking tub with his/her vanities. The upper level of our modern home design features three generously sized en-suite bedrooms with full baths and closets with a full-size laundry room with plenty of storage space. The lower level of our modern home design also features an en-suite guest bedroom with full bath and walk-in closets amenities. It also includes an expansive recreational room with a glass enclosed wine cellar to house your prized wine collection. To finish out the lower level, we added a full exercise room paired with a full bath with direct access to the outdoor terrace and complimented the house with plenty of storage space. The materials we used for our modern home design are of the highest quality brands. We wanted to hand-select materials that would last for years to come, require little to no maintenance, and compliment the modern aesthetic of the home. The home features aluminum-clad oversized windows, Nichiha rectangular siding, and brick with a pastel finish; all brought together under a vacation style hip roof. Overall, we wanted to create a modern home design that feels like a retreat but still offers all the required amenities a family needs to keep up with the fast pace of Northern Virginia.

Cotton Exchange® Lantern

BEVOLO GAS & ELECTRIC LIGHTS

Front View - Dusk

The House Designers

Front view of The Durham Modern Farmhouse. View THD-1053: https://www.thehousedesigners.com/plan/1053/

Quince house

Región 4 Arquitectura

The Big House

Carl Mattison Design

This 1909 home had been turned into a quadplex that served the neighborhood well for many years, but after a fire destroyed much of the home, it got turned back into a single family home worthy of the original intent of the home and more.

Hedgesville, Modern, Black and White Farmhouse

Fine Line Home Design LLC

Victorian Mansion Redevelopment Project

Bauer Design Group

This is the exterior of the main home after complete restoration. When purchase, the third floor of the home had been devastated by a fire.

Three Car Garage Addition w/ Guest Suite & Office

Hopkins & Porter

The dormers in the newly designed and built three car garage make this farmhouse absolutely perfect. www.hopkinsandporter.com

Botanical Abode

Tempus Design Studio Pty Ltd

Liz Andrews Photography and Design

Street Setting

Lapis Design Partners

Ocean view setting for the new home. Photographer: Clark Dugger

American Farmhouse, Bend Oregon

Curtis Homes

The Picture Frame House

DSDG Architects

The concept began with creating an international style modern residence taking full advantage of the 360 degree views of Sarasota downtown, the Gulf of Mexico, Sarasota Bay and New Pass. A court yard is surrounded by the home which integrates outdoor and indoor living. This 6,400 square foot residence is designed around a central courtyard which connects the garage and guest house in the front, to the main house in the rear via fire bowl and lap pool lined walkway on the first level and bridge on the second level. The architecture is ridged yet fluid with the use of teak stained cypress and shade sails that create fluidity and movement in the architecture. The courtyard becomes a private day and night-time oasis with fire, water and cantilevered stair case leading to the front door which seconds as bleacher style seating for watching swimmers in the 60 foot long wet edge lap pool. A royal palm tree orchard frame the courtyard for a true tropical experience. The façade of the residence is made up of a series of picture frames that frame the architecture and the floor to ceiling glass throughout. The rear covered balcony takes advantage of maximizing the views with glass railings and free spanned structure. The bow of the balcony juts out like a ship breaking free from the rear frame to become the second level scenic overlook. This overlook is rivaled by the full roof top terrace that is made up of wood decking and grass putting green which has a 360 degree panorama of the surroundings. The floor plan is a reverse style plan with the secondary bedrooms and rooms on the first floor and the great room, kitchen and master bedroom on the second floor to maximize the views in the most used rooms of the house. The residence accomplishes the goals in which were set forth by creating modern design in scale, warmth, form and function.

Country Farm Home #1

Robbins Contracting

Craftsman Style Stone with Board and Batten

Wyrick Residential Design

15125 valley vista boulevard - mls & instagram size (56).jpg

JJP Construction

Villa Hernandez

Jorge Ulibarri Custom Homes

Villa Hernandez is a 6,300 square foot home designed and built by Orlando Custom Home Builder Jorge Ulibarri in the gated enclave of Acuera in Seminole County, Florida. Photo by Harvey Smith

Exterior Facade

369 Building Design

Modern coastal appeal in surrounding heritage zoning

New Home - Arlington NY

Hudson-Valley-Home

Realville

Wright Jenkins Home Design

MidCentury Modern Design

Mar Vista Hill Farmhouse

Hamilton Architects

A wood trellis provides human scale and a place for the vines to grow on the back of this modren farmhouse.

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.