Adding onto an existing house, the Owners wanted to push the house more modern. The new "boxes" were clad in compatible material, with accents of concrete block and mahogany. Corner windows open the views.

Coastal Contemporary

BBH Projects Pty Ltd

Rear elevation

Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Inc.

Westbourne Road

Arden Kitt: architects

Arden Kitt architects were commissioned to rethink the ground floor layout of this period property and design a new glazed family room with direct access to the rear gardens. The project develops key themes in our work, with a particular focus on the clients' home life and the creation of generous, light filled spaces with large areas of glazing that connect with the landscape throughout the seasons.

Meridian Residence

Click Architects

Front

Mountain Sun Building & Design

Schaffer's Mill Custom 11

Tanamera Construction / TC Homes

Vance Fox

The Mullet House

Susan Yeley Homes

This gem of a house was built in the 1950s, when its neighborhood undoubtedly felt remote. The university footprint has expanded in the 70 years since, however, and today this home sits on prime real estate—easy biking and reasonable walking distance to campus. When it went up for sale in 2017, it was largely unaltered. Our clients purchased it to renovate and resell, and while we all knew we'd need to add square footage to make it profitable, we also wanted to respect the neighborhood and the house’s own history. Swedes have a word that means “just the right amount”: lagom. It is a guiding philosophy for us at SYH, and especially applied in this renovation. Part of the soul of this house was about living in just the right amount of space. Super sizing wasn’t a thing in 1950s America. So, the solution emerged: keep the original rectangle, but add an L off the back. With no owner to design with and for, SYH created a layout to appeal to the masses. All public spaces are the back of the home--the new addition that extends into the property’s expansive backyard. A den and four smallish bedrooms are atypically located in the front of the house, in the original 1500 square feet. Lagom is behind that choice: conserve space in the rooms where you spend most of your time with your eyes shut. Put money and square footage toward the spaces in which you mostly have your eyes open. In the studio, we started calling this project the Mullet Ranch—business up front, party in the back. The front has a sleek but quiet effect, mimicking its original low-profile architecture street-side. It’s very Hoosier of us to keep appearances modest, we think. But get around to the back, and surprise! lofted ceilings and walls of windows. Gorgeous.

The Addison I - Front Exterior

Snowden Builders LLC

Gillespie Park

Cairn

Peter Landers

Brodecky House: Front Facade

Atlas Architects

The front facade is composed of bricks, shiplap timber cladding and James Hardie Scyon Axon cladding, painted in Dulux Blackwood Bay. Photography: Tess Kelly

Bailey Creek Ranch

LaRue Architects

Photo Credit: Paul Bardagjy

Cowan Spec House 1

Beyond Interior Design, LLC

Surbiton House Rear Extension

VORBILD Architecture

Photo by Chris Snook

Serene Design Vacabulary, Richmond

Yoko Kloeden Design

Sagebrush Modern

Shannon White Design

Aaron Kraft / Krafty Photos

Exterior Renovation + Modern Addition

moss

Corten steel addition in the back of house. The addition creates a double-height master suite with a private deck and directs rainwater to be collected for use in the garden. The overhangs provide shade from the Chicago summer sun and allows natural light to flood in to passively heat the room during winter.

Broxash Road

Granit Architects + Interiors

Andrew Beasley

Mid-sized Contemporary 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 contemporary 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 contemporary 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 contemporary 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.