The Pool House was pushed against the pool, preserving the lot and creating a dynamic relationship between the 2 elements. A glass garage door was used to open the interior onto the pool.

Outdoor Fire Pits and Fireplaces, Arizona

The Yard Stylist

This project in Morrison Ranch, Gilbert, AZ, comprises an Alumawood pergola, firepit, pavers, and decorative lighting. The installation of all these features has created an all-encompassing outdoor entertainment area for the homeowners. The brown and tan pavers work well with the earth tones of the firepit. The outdoor dining area coupled with the lighting means that the homeowner can enjoy meals outdoors when the sun goes down. After dinner, family and guests can relax around the firepit.

Midcentury Kling Residence Renovation

k YODER design, LLC

Low slung stone gable end walls create the iconic form and frame the glass open areas that bisects the center of the cruciform plan. © Jeffrey Totaro, photographer

Travis Peak - 2

Showcase Builders

Woodcrest Residence

Highland Builders LLC

Stone ranch with French Country flair and a tucked under extra lower level garage. The beautiful Chilton Woodlake blend stone follows the arched entry with timbers and gables. Carriage style 2 panel arched accent garage doors with wood brackets. The siding is Hardie Plank custom color Sherwin Williams Anonymous with custom color Intellectual Gray trim. Gable roof is CertainTeed Landmark Weathered Wood with a medium bronze metal roof accent over the bay window. (Ryan Hainey)

Jarratt Avenue Historic Landmark

Avenue B Development

C. L. Fry Photo

HOUSE IN CHILMARK

MacNelly Cohen Architects P.C.

New England Stone Farmhouse in Los Angeles, CA

Ward Jewell Architect AIA

Ward Jewell, AIA was asked to design a comfortable one-story stone and wood pool house that was "barn-like" in keeping with the owner’s gentleman farmer concept. Thus, Mr. Jewell was inspired to create an elegant New England Stone Farm House designed to provide an exceptional environment for them to live, entertain, cook and swim in the large reflection lap pool. Mr. Jewell envisioned a dramatic vaulted great room with hand selected 200 year old reclaimed wood beams and 10 foot tall pocketing French doors that would connect the house to a pool, deck areas, loggia and lush garden spaces, thus bringing the outdoors in. A large cupola “lantern clerestory” in the main vaulted ceiling casts a natural warm light over the graceful room below. The rustic walk-in stone fireplace provides a central focal point for the inviting living room lounge. Important to the functionality of the pool house are a chef’s working farm kitchen with open cabinetry, free-standing stove and a soapstone topped central island with bar height seating. Grey washed barn doors glide open to reveal a vaulted and beamed quilting room with full bath and a vaulted and beamed library/guest room with full bath that bookend the main space. The private garden expanded and evolved over time. After purchasing two adjacent lots, the owners decided to redesign the garden and unify it by eliminating the tennis court, relocating the pool and building an inspired "barn". The concept behind the garden’s new design came from Thomas Jefferson’s home at Monticello with its wandering paths, orchards, and experimental vegetable garden. As a result this small organic farm, was born. Today the farm produces more than fifty varieties of vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers; many of which are rare and hard to find locally. The farm also grows a wide variety of fruits including plums, pluots, nectarines, apricots, apples, figs, peaches, guavas, avocados (Haas, Fuerte and Reed), olives, pomegranates, persimmons, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and ten different types of citrus. The remaining areas consist of drought-tolerant sweeps of rosemary, lavender, rockrose, and sage all of which attract butterflies and dueling hummingbirds. Photo Credit: Laura Hull Photography. Interior Design: Jeffrey Hitchcock. Landscape Design: Laurie Lewis Design. General Contractor: Martin Perry Premier General Contractors

Comal County Ranch House

Dibello Architects, PLLC

The 3,400 SF, 3 – bedroom, 3 ½ bath main house feels larger than it is because we pulled the kids’ bedroom wing and master suite wing out from the public spaces and connected all three with a TV Den. Convenient ranch house features include a porte cochere at the side entrance to the mud room, a utility/sewing room near the kitchen, and covered porches that wrap two sides of the pool terrace. We designed a separate icehouse to showcase the owner’s unique collection of Texas memorabilia. The building includes a guest suite and a comfortable porch overlooking the pool. The main house and icehouse utilize reclaimed wood siding, brick, stone, tie, tin, and timbers alongside appropriate new materials to add a feeling of age.

Lake Stone

Carter Skinner Residential Design

A classicist with an artist’s vision, Carter Skinner ultimately derives his inspiration from the daily lives of his clients. Whether designing a coastal home, country estate, city home or historic home renovation, Carter pairs his architectural design expertise with the preferences of his clients to design a home that will truly enhance their lives.

An Artist's Studio

Arthur Chabon Architect

Farmhouse Landscape

AJF Design

Ranch House

Upchurch Architects, Inc.

photo by Thomas Hayne Upchurch, FAIA

14600 Sawyer Ranch - Entry

TEK Construction, Inc.

Les Landes Farm

CCD Architects

Tom Warry Photography

Remodeling

User

Louis XV Chateau patio

Restored American International Style Home

Cushman Design Group

Photography by Carolyn Bates

Hobbit House at Dragonfly Knoll

Archer & Buchanan Architecture, Ltd.

Front entry to the Hobbit House at Dragonfly Knoll with custom designed rounded door.

One-storey Exterior Design Ideas with Stone Veneer

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.