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Contemporary House Exterior Ideas and Designs

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Westgarth Timber Project
Westgarth Timber Project
Ben Callery ArchitectsBen Callery Architects
photography by Nic Granleese
This is an example of a contemporary two floor house exterior in Melbourne with wood cladding and a lean-to roof.
Russian River Studio
Russian River Studio
Cathy Schwabe ArchitectureCathy Schwabe Architecture
View from Terrace. Cathy Schwabe Architecture. Photograph by David Wakely
Design ideas for a contemporary house exterior in San Francisco with wood cladding and a lean-to roof.
M House
M House
JAMIE FALLAJAMIE FALLA
Richard Brine
Design ideas for a contemporary bungalow house exterior in Channel Islands with wood cladding and a pitched roof.
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Exterior
Exterior
Carlos Delgado ArchitectCarlos Delgado Architect
Photo of an expansive and multi-coloured contemporary detached house in Portland with wood cladding, a lean-to roof and a metal roof.
Mazama Ranchero
Mazama Ranchero
CAST architectureCAST architecture
CAST architecture
This is an example of a small and brown contemporary bungalow house exterior in Seattle with metal cladding and a lean-to roof.
Mountain Loft
Mountain Loft
Littlewolf ArchitectureLittlewolf Architecture
New canitlevered decks clad in ipe are trimmed with stainless steel railings and set on hidden beams anchored to helical metal piers.
Photo of a large and brown contemporary bungalow detached house in Boston with wood cladding, a pitched roof and a metal roof.
Martis CAmp Residence
Martis CAmp Residence
Kelly & Stone ArchitectsKelly & Stone Architects
Tim Stone
Contemporary house exterior in San Francisco with wood cladding.
house in the woods
house in the woods
Johnston ArchitectsJohnston Architects
This highly sustainable house reflects it's owners love of the outdoors. Some of the lumber for the project was harvested and milled on the site. Photo by Will Austin
ÁPH80. ©Juan Baraja
ÁPH80. ©Juan Baraja
ÁBATONÁBATON
ÁBATON's Portable Home ÁPH80 project, developed as a dwelling ideal for 2 people, easily transported by road and ready to be placed almost anywhere. Photo: Juan Baraja
San Marino Residence
San Marino Residence
Ron Yeo, FAIA ArchitectRon Yeo, FAIA Architect
Steeping stones leading to the Art Studio tucked into the woods... Photo - Tim Street-Porter
This is an example of a contemporary house exterior in Los Angeles with wood cladding.
Sugar Bowl Residence - John Maniscalco Architecture
Sugar Bowl Residence - John Maniscalco Architecture
John Maniscalco ArchitectureJohn Maniscalco Architecture
Inspiration for a contemporary house exterior in Sacramento with wood cladding and a flat roof.
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.
Fish Creek Compound Guest House
Fish Creek Compound Guest House
CLB ArchitectsCLB Architects
Matthew Millman Photography
Photo of a small contemporary house exterior in Salt Lake City.
IndigoJungle Garden Studio
IndigoJungle Garden Studio
Vanessa CribbVanessa Cribb
Architecture by Marc&Co Build by MCD Constructions InteriorStyling by IndigoJungle Landscaping by Steven Clegg Design Photography by Alicia Taylor
This is an example of a small contemporary house exterior in Brisbane.
Canyon Point
Canyon Point
RKD Architects, IncRKD Architects, Inc
The reflecting pool from the exterior. Photo: Gibeon Photography
Design ideas for a large and brown contemporary bungalow house exterior in Denver with wood cladding and a flat roof.
Contemporary Exterior
Contemporary Exterior
This is an example of a contemporary house exterior in Burlington with wood cladding and a pitched roof.
New Age Farmhouse - Boulder CO
New Age Farmhouse - Boulder CO
Jon Eady Photographer LLCJon Eady Photographer LLC
2011 Jon Eady Photographer
This is an example of a contemporary house exterior in Denver with wood cladding.
MC 27
MC 27
Mountain ConceptsMountain Concepts
The original objective was to design an efficient, mountain contemporary cabin with emphasis on light, layout and landscape. Each form delivers natural light to its respective space while contributing to the composition as a whole. Local granite flows in and out bringing the natural environment into the home. A detached pavilion and covered patios with opening wall doors provide living area for all seasons. The low pitch contemporary shed roof forms balance with the mountain gables and timber details. The contemporary roof forms bathe the rustic stone and wood material palate in sunlight creating a warm, inviting space. Photo by Matt Waclo.
Mountain Loft
Mountain Loft
Littlewolf ArchitectureLittlewolf Architecture
A modest ranch house with good bones is gutted to create a modern, sunny, loft-like interior.
Design ideas for a large and brown contemporary bungalow detached house in Boston with wood cladding, a pitched 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.
house in the woods
house in the woods
Johnston ArchitectsJohnston Architects
This highly sustainable house reflects it's owners love of the outdoors. Some of the lumber for the project was harvested and milled on the site. Photo by Will Austin
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