Large House Exterior Ideas and Designs

Stratum

Unique Homestays

Inspiration for a large contemporary two floor front detached house in Cornwall with a pitched roof.

Sevenoaks House

Tye Architects

Client’s brief A modern replacement dwelling designed to blend seamlessly with its natural surroundings while prioritizing high-quality design and sustainability. It is crafted to preserve the site's openness through clever landscape integration, minimizing its environmental impact. The dwelling provides five bedrooms, five bathrooms, an open-plan living arrangement, two studies, reception/family areas, utility, storage, and an integral double garage. Furthermore, the dwelling also includes a guest house with two bedrooms and one bathroom, as well as a pool house/leisure facility. Programme The original 72-week programme was extended due to COVID and lockdown. Following lockdown, there were issues with supplies and extra works were requested by the clients (tennis court, new landscape, etc.). It took around two years to complete with extra time allocated for the landscaping. Materials The construction of the building is based on a combination of traditional and modern techniques. Structure: reinforced concrete + steel frame External walls: concrete block cavity walls clad in natural stone (bonded). First floor has areas of natural stone ventilated facade. Glazing: double glazing with solar protection coating and aluminium frames. Roof and terraces: ceramic finish RAF system Flooring: timber floor for Sky Lounge and Lower Ground Floor. Natural stone for Upper Ground Floor and ceramic tiles for bathrooms. Landscape and access: granite setts and granite stepping stones. Budget constraints The original project had to be adjusted which implied some value engineering and redesign of some areas including removing the pond, heated pool, AC throughout. How the project contributes to its environment Due to the sensitive location within the Metropolitan Green Belt, we carefully considered the scale and massing to achieve less impact than that of the existing. Our strategy was to develop a proposal which integrates within the setting. The dwelling is built into the landscape, so the lower ground floor level is a partial basement opening towards the rear, capturing downhill views over the site. The first-floor element is offset from the external envelope, reducing its appearance. The dwelling adopts a modern flat roof design lowering the roof finish level and reducing its impact. The proposed material palette consists of marble and limestone; natural material providing longevity. Marble stone finishes the lower ground floor levels, meeting the landscape. The upper ground floor has a smooth limestone finish, with contemporary architectural detailing. The mirror glazed box on top of the building containing the Sky Lounge appears as a lighter architectural form, sitting on top of the heavier, grounded form below and nearly disappearing reflecting the surrounding trees and sky. The project aims to minimize waste disposal by treating foul water through a treatment plant and discharging surface water back to the ground. It incorporates a highly efficient Ground Source Heat Pump system that is environmentally friendly, and the house utilizes MVHR to significantly reduce heat loss. The project features high-spec insulation throughout to minimize heat loss. Experience of occupants The clients are proud of the house, the fantastic design (a landmark in the area) and the everyday use of the building.

1930s Modernist Masterpiece

ABQ Studio

This is an example of a large contemporary house exterior in Sussex.

River House - Riverside New Build in Oxfordshire

HollandGreen Architecture, Interiors & Landscapes

Modern new build overlooking the River Thames with oversized sliding glass facade for seamless indoor-outdoor living.
Photo of a large and white modern bungalow render detached house in Oxfordshire with a flat roof.

A simple Farm and Barn

Egon Hansen Architects

Design ideas for a large and black contemporary two floor front house exterior in Other with metal cladding, a pitched roof, a tiled roof and a brown roof.

Manhattan Beach Modern

SoCal Contractor

This is an example of a large and multi-coloured contemporary detached house in Los Angeles with three floors and mixed cladding.

Northeast Farmhouse Remodel

Beth Gilbert Interiors

This is an example of a large and white country two floor house exterior in Grand Rapids with wood cladding.

Hilltop House | Grand Vista Subdivision

Jordan Iverson Signature Homes

2012 KuDa Photography
This is an example of a large and gey contemporary house exterior in Portland with metal cladding, three floors and a lean-to roof.

Green Tea

SV Design

Located within a gated golf course community on the shoreline of Buzzards Bay this residence is a graceful and refined Gambrel style home. The traditional lines blend quietly into the surroundings. Photo Credit: Eric Roth

Stone Residence 1

Norris Architecture

A traditional house that meanders around courtyards built as though it where built in stages over time. Well proportioned and timeless. Presenting its modest humble face this large home is filled with surprises as it demands that you take your time to experience it.

Modern & Contemporary Rustic House in Hartford Austin Texas Project By Darash

By Darash - Kitchen Cabinets, Vanities & Closets

Beautiful landscaping design path to this modern rustic home in Hartford, Austin, Texas, 2022 project By Darash
Photo of a large and white contemporary two floor detached house in Austin with wood cladding, a lean-to roof, a shingle roof, a grey roof and board and batten cladding.

Family Hobby Farm

Ecraft LLC.

This custom home was built for empty nesting in mind. The first floor is all you need with wide open dining, kitchen and entertaining along with master suite just off the mudroom and laundry. Upstairs has plenty of room for guests and return home college students. Photos- Rustic White Photography

Viola E

Prodigy Homes Inc.

Karen Jackson Photography
Large and white contemporary two floor render detached house in Seattle with a hip roof and a shingle roof.

Sunnyland Residence

Rosewood Custom Builders

Jenn Baker
This is an example of a large and multi-coloured urban two floor detached house in Dallas with a flat roof and mixed cladding.

Black Is The New Farmhouse

a.d.d. concept + design

Large and black rural two floor house exterior in San Francisco with wood cladding.

Broken Arrow

Bella Vista Company

Shoot2Sell Bella Vista Company This home won the NARI Greater Dallas CotY Award for Entire House $750,001 to $1,000,000 in 2015.
Large and beige mediterranean two floor render house exterior in Dallas.

A new home in the New York Suburbs

User

Design ideas for a large and black classic house exterior in New York with three floors and a pitched roof.

Brick & Limestone Facade

Wellborn Inc.

Brick and Cast Stone Exterior
Inspiration for a large classic two floor brick house exterior in Dallas with a pitched roof.

Modern Mediterranean

Model Remodel

The kitchen counter extends to the outside for a 3-person bar seating area.
Large and white contemporary detached house in Seattle with three floors, mixed cladding, a metal roof and a black roof.

Franklin Park Residence

Purple Cherry Architects

This new residence seamlessly blends the romanticism of a Tudor home with clean transitional lines, creating a Modern Tudor aesthetic expressed through painted brick, steeply pitched roof lines, and swept projected bays with copper metal roofs.

Large 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 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 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 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 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 exterior architecture choices for your house designs.

United Kingdom

Tailor my experience with cookies

Houzz uses cookies and similar technologies to personalise my experience, serve me relevant content, and improve Houzz products and services. By clicking ‘Accept’ I agree to this, as further described in the Houzz Cookie Policy. I can reject non-essential cookies by clicking ‘Manage Preferences’.