This project was built on spec and pushed for affordable sustainability without compromising a clean modern design that balanced visual warmth with performance and economic efficiency. The project achieved far more points than was required to gain a 5-star builtgreen rating. The design was based around a small footprint that was located over the existing cottage and utilized structural insulated panels, radiant floor heat, low/no VOC finishes and many other green building strategies.

HFN House

Compendium Group LLC

Modern Clean Design Home

Design DCA

The Miller

Architects Magnus

This Pacific Beach home is walking distance to the surf.

The Suncatcher ADU

Modern ADU Plans

The large roof overhang shades the windows from the high summer sun but allows winter light to penetrate deep into the interior. The living room and bedroom open up to the outdoors through large glass doors.

Bow Mar Ranch Remodel

KGA Studio Architects, PC

Lake Forest Residence

Sasquatch Architecture

the elemental

Ashwin Architects

Lifestyle Garden

We Love Plants - Garden Design by Nic Howard

Kitchen and Bathroom Remodel, Arlington Heights

Design First Builders

Creekside

Rehkamp Larson Architects, Inc.

Contractor: Dovetail Renovation Interiors: Martha Dayton Design Landscape: Keenan & Sveiven Photography: Spacecrafting

Breakwater Scandinavian// Scandinavian Farmhouse

Younger Homes

Smoky Ash Raised Ranch

Diamond Kote Siding System

This beautiful Craftsman home built into a hill uses Staggered Edge Shake Siding and board and batten to highlight the home's architectural features. The use of White trim and white gable accents creates high contrast, making this custom home stand out while cruising by on a boat. Builder: John Joseph Construction

Modern Mediterranean

Model Remodel

White and wood contemporary home with black windows in the Pacific Northwest.

Franklin Park Residence

Purple Cherry Architects

This new residence seamlessly blends the romanticism of a Tudor home with clean transitional lines, creating a Modern Tudor aesthetic expressed through painted brick, steeply pitched roof lines, and swept projected bays with copper metal roofs.

Grove Conservation Area

Metre Squared Architecture

Charming One Story Home

Widespread Solutions

This beautiful one-story brick rancher located in Henrico County is impressive. Painting brick can be a hard decision to make but it’s a tried and true way of updating your home’s exterior without replacing the masonry. While some brick styles have stood the test of time, others have become dated more quickly. Moreover, many homeowners prefer a solid color for their home as compared to the natural variety of brick. This home was painted with Benjamin Moore’s Mayonnaise, a versatile bright white with a touch of creamy yellow.

Greener Pastures | Oregon City Home Addition

Mountainwood Homes

The exterior of this modern farmhouse exterior uses board and batten as well as horizontal Hardie siding with a crisp color palette of Pure White (SW 7005), Iron Ore (SW 7069), and Tricorn Black (SW 6258).

Strass Residence

DK Studio

Our team of Austin architects transformed a 1950s home into a mid-century modern retreat for this renovation and addition project. The retired couple who owns the house came to us seeking a design that would bring in natural light and accommodate their many hobbies while offering a modern and streamlined design. The original structure featured an awkward floor plan of choppy spaces divided by various step-downs and a central living area that felt dark and closed off from the outside. Our main goal was to bring in natural light and take advantage of the property’s fantastic backyard views of a peaceful creek. We raised interior floors to the same level, eliminating sunken rooms and step-downs to allow for a more open, free-flowing floor plan. To increase natural light, we changed the traditional hip roofline to a more modern single slope with clerestory windows that take advantage of treetop views. Additionally, we added all new windows strategically positioned to frame views of the backyard. A new open-concept kitchen and living area occupy the central home where previously underutilized rooms once sat. The kitchen features an oversized island, quartzite counters, and upper glass cabinets that mirror the clerestory windows of the room. Large sliding doors spill out to a new covered and raised deck that overlooks Shoal Creek and new backyard amenities, like a bocce ball court and paved walkways. Finally, we finished the home's exterior with durable and low-maintenance cement plank siding and a metal roof in a palette of neutral grays and whites. A bright red door creates a warm welcome to this newly renovated Austin home.

Piedmont Renovation

The Brooks & Studio

1910 Historic Farmhouse renovation

Grey, White 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.