Dark paint color and a pop of pink invite you into this families lakeside home. The cedar pergola over the garage works beautifully off the dark paint.

Urbanwood

Divine Custom Homes

Spacecrafting

"Amplified" Tiny House

Asha Mevlana

Who lives there: Asha Mevlana and her Havanese dog named Bali Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas Size: Main house (400 sq ft), Trailer (160 sq ft.), 1 loft bedroom, 1 bath What sets your home apart: The home was designed specifically for my lifestyle. My inspiration: After reading the book, "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying," I got inspired to just live with things that bring me joy which meant scaling down on everything and getting rid of most of my possessions and all of the things that I had accumulated over the years. I also travel quite a bit and wanted to live with just what I needed. About the house: The L-shaped house consists of two separate structures joined by a deck. The main house (400 sq ft), which rests on a solid foundation, features the kitchen, living room, bathroom and loft bedroom. To make the small area feel more spacious, it was designed with high ceilings, windows and two custom garage doors to let in more light. The L-shape of the deck mirrors the house and allows for the two separate structures to blend seamlessly together. The smaller "amplified" structure (160 sq ft) is built on wheels to allow for touring and transportation. This studio is soundproof using recycled denim, and acts as a recording studio/guest bedroom/practice area. But it doesn't just look like an amp, it actually is one -- just plug in your instrument and sound comes through the front marine speakers onto the expansive deck designed for concerts. My favorite part of the home is the large kitchen and the expansive deck that makes the home feel even bigger. The deck also acts as a way to bring the community together where local musicians perform. I love having a the amp trailer as a separate space to practice music. But I especially love all the light with windows and garage doors throughout. Design team: Brian Crabb (designer), Zack Giffin (builder, custom furniture) Vickery Construction (builder) 3 Volve Construction (builder) Design dilemmas: Because the city wasn’t used to having tiny houses there were certain rules that didn’t quite make sense for a tiny house. I wasn’t allowed to have stairs leading up to the loft, only ladders were allowed. Since it was built, the city is beginning to revisit some of the old rules and hopefully things will be changing. Photo cred: Don Shreve

Rosa Farmhouse

John Lively & Associates

Builder: Hayes Signature Homes Photography: Costa Christ Media

upper long lake house

kevin akey - azd associates - michigan

Newest Project

Pat Miller Baker Interior Designs

Private House in Surbiton

Francesco Pierazzi Architects

This detached Victorian house was extended to accommodate the needs of a young family with three small children. The programme was organized into two distinctive structures: the larger and higher volume is placed at the back of the house to face the garden and make the best use of the south orientation and to accommodate a large Family Room open to the new Kitchen. A longer and thinner volume, only 1.15m wide, stands to the western side of the house and accommodates a Toilet, a Utility and a dining booth facing the Family Room. All the functions that are housed in the secondary volume have direct access either from the original house or the rear extension, thus generating a hierarchy of served and servant volumes, a relationship that is homogeneous to that between the house and the extension. The timber structures, while distinctive in their proportions, are connected by a shallow volume that doubles as a bench to create an architectural continuum and to emphasize the effect of a secondary volume wrapped around a primary one. While the extension makes use of a modern idiom, so that it is clearly distinguished from the original house and so that the history of its development becomes immediately apparent, the size of the red cedar cladding boards, left untreated to allow a natural silvering process, matches that of the Victorian brickwork to bind house and extension together. As the budget did not make possible the use a bespoke profile, an off-the-shelf board was selected and further grooved at mid point to recreate the brick pattern of the façade. A tall and slender pivoting door, positioned at the boundary between the original house and the new intervention, allows a direct view of the garden from the front of the house and facilitates an innovative relationship with the outside. Photo: Gianluca Maver

Contemporary Cottage

DeFalco Home Design

Arlington Cape Cod completely gutted, renovated, and added on to.

St. Helena Farmhouse Infill

James McCalligan Architect

Juniper

MARCUSSE CONSTRUCTION

Modern Farmhouse Exterior

Develop Architects LLC

Modern Farmhouse. White & black. White board and batten siding combined with painted white brick. Wood posts and porch soffit for natural colors.

Dream Cottage with a View

Mary Hannah Interiors

Front Exterior Daytime

Denver Modern with natural stone accents.

Des Moines Craftsman

Structur Design + Interiors

Passarelli Custom Homes - Grayfriars

Nedoff Fotography

Virginia Contemporary

M.S. Vicas Interiors

Glenridge Custom Spec. 2

Robert Nehrebecky AIA, Re:New Architecture

Robert Nehrebecky AIA, Re:New Architecture LLC

Craftsman in Cumberland Valley

Roland Builder, Inc.

Alan Wycheck Photography

Exterior Design Ideas with Mixed Siding

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.