White Nucedar shingles and clapboard siding blends perfectly with a charcoal metal and shingle roof that showcases a true modern day farmhouse.

607 Columbia Dr Tampa FL on Davis Island

Stress Free Construction, LLC

The Aurora : 2019 Clark County Parade of Homes : Modern Farmhouse Exterior

Cascade West Development

Inspired by the majesty of the Northern Lights and this family's everlasting love for Disney, this home plays host to enlighteningly open vistas and playful activity. Like its namesake, the beloved Sleeping Beauty, this home embodies family, fantasy and adventure in their truest form. Visions are seldom what they seem, but this home did begin 'Once Upon a Dream'. Welcome, to The Aurora.

Mid Century Remodel

VFLA Architecture + Interiors

Entry Door, Sliding Glass Door, Venice, Florida

Black Pod House

Philip Leeson Architects

Anthony Basheer

Upscale Transitional

Arjay Builders Inc.

The Hansen Project

Truss Interiors & Renovations

Nest in the Trees

Anchor Builders

Design & Build Team: Anchor Builders, Photographer: Andrea Rugg Photography

Complete Custom Remodel

J NORD WOLFE General Contracting Inc.

Craftsman Twist (Chapel Hill, NC)

Steven Clipp Architecture

loosely based on Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House, prow ends like two ships passing, deep overhangs, great window bays Steven Clipp, AIA

Rear Yard

ODS Architecture

A beautiful sunset shot of the backyard showing the new great room in the middle, flanked by the master bedroom at left and kitchen to the right. The ipe deck wraps together all of these rooms and the heritage oak tree.

Eleanor - Low Country Farmhouse

Visbeen Architects

The best of past and present architectural styles combine in this welcoming, farmhouse-inspired design. Clad in low-maintenance siding, the distinctive exterior has plenty of street appeal, with its columned porch, multiple gables, shutters and interesting roof lines. Other exterior highlights included trusses over the garage doors, horizontal lap siding and brick and stone accents. The interior is equally impressive, with an open floor plan that accommodates today’s family and modern lifestyles. An eight-foot covered porch leads into a large foyer and a powder room. Beyond, the spacious first floor includes more than 2,000 square feet, with one side dominated by public spaces that include a large open living room, centrally located kitchen with a large island that seats six and a u-shaped counter plan, formal dining area that seats eight for holidays and special occasions and a convenient laundry and mud room. The left side of the floor plan contains the serene master suite, with an oversized master bath, large walk-in closet and 16 by 18-foot master bedroom that includes a large picture window that lets in maximum light and is perfect for capturing nearby views. Relax with a cup of morning coffee or an evening cocktail on the nearby covered patio, which can be accessed from both the living room and the master bedroom. Upstairs, an additional 900 square feet includes two 11 by 14-foot upper bedrooms with bath and closet and a an approximately 700 square foot guest suite over the garage that includes a relaxing sitting area, galley kitchen and bath, perfect for guests or in-laws.

Florida Coastal Style

Fieldstone Architecture and Engineering

Florida coastal style home using a gray color palette.

Infill Houses

McIntosh Poris Associates

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

Lake Keowee Reserve

Altura Architects

mountain view modern mountain

Mid-sized and Expansive 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.