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House Exterior Ideas and Designs

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Colourful Morden Family House
Colourful Morden Family House
Claudia Dorsch Interior Design LtdClaudia Dorsch Interior Design Ltd
Photo of a contemporary house exterior in London.
St Augustine
St Augustine
Square Feet HomeSquare Feet Home
Zinc clad rear extension with garden seating area
This is an example of a contemporary house exterior in London.
Contemporary House Exterior
Contemporary House Exterior
Contemporary rear house exterior in London.
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Holly Lodge
Holly Lodge
Spatial Design ArchitectsSpatial Design Architects
Our client set out from the start that he did not want a traditional home and supported us in creating a home that would be interesting, tested the planning system and made use of the lie of the land and views into the forest to the rear, the forest connects to the ‘Site of Special Scientific Interest’ of ‘Thorndon Country Park’. Spatial Design Architects undertook a full site analysis and feasibility study, that included a full understanding of the site and the local context, the existing dwelling was elevated 4m above the lower garden level, the plot was within a historic hamlet that dated back to the ‘Domesday Book’ of 1086, within the metropolitan greenbelt, conservation area and was adjacent to a Grade II listed dwelling. These were many points that we had to consider our design proposals upon and its impact. We developed many possible contemporary design forms and ideas; the main design principles were to create a dwelling that provided fantastic internal views out to the forest and garden. We formed an idea of a house that functioned with the main living spaces on the upper floor and the ancillary spaces on the lower ground floor. The main entrance would be via the upper level, an internal and external staircase would allow transition to the lower garden level, angled boundaries allowed a form that was fractured from the central core, that created two designated spaces. The use of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) was suggested for the main upper-level structure, this was chosen for fast on-site construction and low environmental impact. We developed a pre-application design document showing our design ethos for the site with the potential mass and form. This began great pre-application discussions with the local planning authority and ‘Design Council’, from the presentation further height, volume and placement restrictions were confirmed. A final design was approved and developed further into technical design, 3 no. intersecting anthracite zinc pods, balanced upon the gabion clad wall podium. The front was designed as a subtle contemporary cottage with a bridged entrance and the rear with cantilevered a-symmetric gabled structures with glazed facades. Spatial Design Architects have project managed the design, detailing and delivery of this unique bespoke home.
Rosebery Road
Rosebery Road
Matthew Giles ArchitectsMatthew Giles Architects
Design ideas for a traditional house exterior in London.
Wilmar
Wilmar
Fiddes ArchitectsFiddes Architects
Design ideas for a multi-coloured contemporary two floor detached house in Other with mixed cladding, a lean-to roof and a grey roof.
Bringing a Victorian Farmhouse to Life!
Bringing a Victorian Farmhouse to Life!
Architectural Bronze CasementsArchitectural Bronze Casements
In the meticulous restoration of this architectural gem, timber sub-frames have been thoughtfully integrated into the brick and stone reveals, serving as the perfect receptacle for elegant bronze casements with very pretty leaded detail to the top windows. The renovation also showcases several sets of timber doors, expertly accented with bronze inserts. A delightful touch is in the form of a steep pointed window, artfully executed using the Heritage system.
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R.B. Gerrards Cross Project
R.B. Gerrards Cross Project
GLHÖSSGLHÖSS
This is an example of a classic house exterior in London.
Full Refurbishment, Extension & Loft Conversion, Kensal Rise
Full Refurbishment, Extension & Loft Conversion, Kensal Rise
Trevor Brown ArchitectsTrevor Brown Architects
Design ideas for a traditional house exterior in London.
Surrey Cottage
Surrey Cottage
Aflux DesignsAflux Designs
This is an example of a traditional house exterior in London.
Wyvern House
Wyvern House
Clear ArchitectsClear Architects
Inspiration for a black contemporary detached house in Essex with three floors.
The Goat Shed - Devon
The Goat Shed - Devon
TFQ ArchitectsTFQ Architects
The Goat Shed - Devon. The house was finished with a grey composite cladding with authentic local stone to ensure the building nestled into the environment well, with a country/rustic appearance with close references to its original site use of an agricultural building.
Brackenbury House
Brackenbury House
Sophie Nguyen ArchitectsSophie Nguyen Architects
New project for the extension and refurbishment of a victorian house located in the heart of Hammersmith’s beautiful Brackenbury Village area. Design Studies in Progress!
Bethnal Green House 2
Bethnal Green House 2
Brian O'Tuama ArchitectsBrian O'Tuama Architects
Inspiration for a contemporary house exterior in London.
The Orchard House
The Orchard House
AR Design Studio LtdAR Design Studio Ltd
Design ideas for a traditional rear house exterior in Hampshire.
Bury Road
Bury Road
Western Design Architects LtdWestern Design Architects Ltd
Contemporary detached house in Dorset with three floors and wood cladding.
Modern Barn, Sussex
Modern Barn, Sussex
Fiona Walker-ArnottFiona Walker-Arnott
Photo of a rural house exterior.
Moorsfort
Moorsfort
Juliet Murphy PhotographyJuliet Murphy Photography
This is an example of a yellow traditional brick and front house exterior in London with three floors, a pitched roof, a tiled roof and a brown roof.

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.
Holland Park
Holland Park
Simpson StudioSimpson Studio
This is an example of a traditional house exterior in London.
Dandelion
Dandelion
Unique HomestaysUnique Homestays
Photo of a large and beige traditional brick detached house in Gloucestershire with three floors and a pitched roof.
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