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  1. House Exterior
  2. soffit lighting

Contemporary House Exterior Ideas and Designs

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Home Design - The Raffles
Home Design - The Raffles
Webb & Brown-NeavesWebb & Brown-Neaves
Photo of a white contemporary two floor house exterior in Perth with a hip roof.
Royal River Home + Studio
Royal River Home + Studio
BRIBURN – Architecture for LifeBRIBURN – Architecture for Life
Irvin Serrano
This is an example of a brown and large contemporary bungalow detached house in Portland Maine with wood cladding.
Ames Backyard
Ames Backyard
Smart SpaceSmart Space
Design ideas for a gey contemporary two floor house exterior in San Francisco with a lean-to roof and mixed cladding.
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Maison de la Lumiere
Maison de la Lumiere
DAMILANOSTUDIOARCHITECTSDAMILANOSTUDIOARCHITECTS
Andrea Martiradonna
Design ideas for a large contemporary two floor house exterior in Bologna with mixed cladding and a flat roof.
18th avenue house
18th avenue house
In Situ ArchitectureIn Situ Architecture
Photo by Built Photo
Photo of a brown contemporary two floor detached house in Portland with wood cladding and a flat roof.
520 House
520 House
First LampFirst Lamp
John Granen
This is an example of a medium sized contemporary house exterior in Seattle with three floors, a lean-to roof and mixed cladding.
Modern Cabin in the Woods
Modern Cabin in the Woods
CJ South PhotographyCJ South Photography
CJ South
This is an example of a large and green contemporary two floor house exterior in Detroit with wood cladding.
Rosedale - Calgary - SOLD!
Rosedale - Calgary - SOLD!
Krista Legue - CalgaryKrista Legue - Calgary
Luxury home built by Riverview Custom Homes. Photos by Rob Moroto.
Inspiration for a contemporary two floor house exterior in Calgary with a flat roof.
Rear Elevation
Rear Elevation
SPACE ARCHITECTURE + PLANNINGSPACE ARCHITECTURE + PLANNING
Inspiration for a medium sized contemporary two floor brick and rear extension in Manchester with a hip roof.
Casa Finestrat. Sierra Cortina
Casa Finestrat. Sierra Cortina
GestecGestec
Inspiration for a large and white contemporary two floor house exterior in Alicante-Costa Blanca with mixed cladding and a flat roof.
CASA-ESTUDIO EN SAN SEBASTIÁN
CASA-ESTUDIO EN SAN SEBASTIÁN
estudio MAHO arquitecturaestudio MAHO arquitectura
Alex Peña
Inspiration for a large and white contemporary two floor house exterior in Other with mixed cladding and a flat roof.
Rockingham Residence
Rockingham Residence
Forsite StudioForsite Studio
NEW CONSTRUCTION MODERN HOME. BUILT WITH AN OPEN FLOOR PLAN AND LARGE WINDOWS. NEUTRAL COLOR PALETTE FOR EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR AESTHETICS. MODERN INDUSTRIAL LIVING WITH PRIVACY AND NATURAL LIGHTING THROUGHOUT.
Lincoln Square Residence
Lincoln Square Residence
Searl Lamaster Howe ArchitectsSearl Lamaster Howe Architects
The front of the house features an open porch, a common feature in the neighborhood. Stairs leading up to it are tucked behind one of a pair of brick walls. The brick was installed with raked (recessed) horizontal joints which soften the overall scale of the walls. The clerestory windows topping the taller of the brick walls bring light into the foyer and a large closet without sacrificing privacy. The living room windows feature a slight tint which provides a greater sense of privacy during the day without having to draw the drapes. An overhang lined on its underside in stained cedar leads to the entry door which again is hidden by one of the brick walls.
Front Yard Design
Front Yard Design
UserUser
This is an example of a large and gey contemporary two floor house exterior in Perth with a flat roof.
鶴溜山荘
鶴溜山荘
株式会社エムズ・アーキテクツ株式会社エムズ・アーキテクツ
Brown contemporary bungalow house exterior in Other with a lean-to roof.
Attadale, WA
Attadale, WA
Imperial HomesImperial Homes
Inspiration for a beige contemporary two floor render detached house in Perth with a flat roof.
Garden house
Garden house
株式会社moKA 建築工房株式会社moKA 建築工房
Inspiration for a white contemporary bungalow house exterior in Nagoya with mixed cladding.
Grüner Mäander
Grüner Mäander
Atelier STAtelier ST
Foto: Werner Huthmacher
Design ideas for a green and medium sized contemporary bungalow house exterior in Leipzig with a hip roof and wood cladding.
338 Worsleys
338 Worsleys
Young ArchitectsYoung Architects
Jamie Armstrong
Photo of a brown and medium sized contemporary bungalow detached house in Christchurch with wood cladding, a flat roof and a metal roof.

Contemporary House Exterior Ideas and Designs

With so much attention devoted to interior design, the exterior of a home can often get overlooked, but as the first thing that welcomes both us and our guests, it is worth devoting some time tending to the outside of your house. Furthermore, focusing on the contemporary kerb appeal of your home can add significant value if and when it comes time to sell up. Georgian, Edwardian and Victorian homes, with their bay windows and elegant plasterwork, often benefit from built in architecture advantages, but even if your house design is unassuming from the outside, small decorative and structural improvements to the contemporary exterior of your home can equal huge impact. Key areas of building design to focus on are the front door, the driveway or approach to your home, the porch area, the windows, the facade and the roof. And just a note of caution... before any significant contemporary exterior architecture gets under way, check first whether you need planning permission for your exterior house designs– this applies particularly to listed houses or buildings in a conservation area, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Take a look through the house designs, exterior architecture and images of front doors and driveways on Houzz to inspire your facade or building design, or read on for a few more pointers when it comes to redesigning your exterior.

How do I give my home an exterior facelift?

You may feel like your home’s exterior architecture is unalterable but there are a wide range of options available to improve its external building design, no matter what raw materials you begin with. Begin with the front door and the pathway or driveway that lead up to your home as these are easy to improve without huge budgets. A driveway or pathway must be kept neat and tidy and you can consider replacing tarmac with attractive tiles or gravel. Repainting or replacing the fence, wall or gate that fronts your home can also offer an overnight transformation without breaking the bank. An area to not cut corners however is the front door, where spending a little extra can make a huge difference in quality, and painting it in a colour you love will pay you back every time it welcomes you home! Updating your windows can be a significant building design project but it is one that has benefits both inside and out, as well as potentially saving you money on energy later. If you are lucky enough to have period windows such as bay windows with sash or leaded windows, then maintaining them should be a top priority, but if they are beyond repair then there are plenty of window professionals that will offer modern, double or triple glazed equivalents that could still work in your bay window. Working with uPVC? Not a problem – the best improvement you can make is to ensure your windows are the right size and shape for your home's overall proportions.

How do I update my home’s facade?

When it comes to updating the facade of your home, painting is the quickest and most affordable way to achieve a contemporary makeover, and if you opt for a colour other than white it can really make a statement (although sticking within the palette of your road and local area is advisable). A makeover that requires a bit more patience but can add romance and character to the most mundane of homes is to adorn the walls with climbing plants – delicate trailing wisteria is ever a British favourite, whilst roses and jasmine offer fragrance as well as beauty. If you’re looking to make more significant changes to the exterior of your home, whether that is adding timber cladding, hanging tiles, installing a bay window or rendering, then you should first check whether your house designs require planning permission. A New England style wood boarded home is beautiful and bright, but remember that it will need frequent repainting if it is going to stay looking its best, whilst stucco render or Tyrolean render can tidy up a home's exterior but think carefully before covering over original brickwork.

What should I consider if building a home from scratch?

If you’re working with an architect on a brand new build, the options are endless when it comes to deciding on the exterior architecture. But first things first, you will need to check planning permissions, building regulations and local restrictions, such as being in a conservation area, to make sure your plans for your exterior house designs will meet stipulations. If you are building in a street with predominantly Victorian facades, with bay windows and side returns, you might need to ensure your house designs fit in with the rest of the homes on the street, but if you’re building in a more remote area you’ll probably have more freedom for your building design. There are many architectural decisions to make, do you want a flat, gabled, hipped, mansard or perhaps even a curved roof? Do you want bay windows? Crittall windows? Perhaps external shutters? Do you want glass walls? Do you want wood cladding? Do you want a very symmetrical building design or something more contemporary? The decision is all yours but remember to consider the benefits of various materials over others and the effects that some architecture styles will have on everyday life, for example glass walls will look attractive but will give you less privacy. Your architect or builder will be able to guide you through the best contemporary exterior architecture choices for your house designs.
Harbor House
Harbor House
April BallietteApril Balliette
Ryan Gamma Photography
Photo of a large and white contemporary render detached house in Tampa with three floors and a flat roof.
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