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Small Traditional House Exterior Ideas and Designs

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Cozy Cottage
Cozy Cottage
Gatling DesignGatling Design
Photo by Ed Gohlich
Photo of a small and white traditional bungalow detached house in San Diego with wood cladding, a pitched roof and a shingle roof.
Exterior
Exterior
Knight Construction Design Inc.Knight Construction Design Inc.
How do you make a split entry not look like a split entry? Several challenges presented themselves when designing the new entry/portico. The homeowners wanted to keep the large transom window above the front door and the need to address “where is” the front entry and of course, curb appeal. With the addition of the new portico, custom built cedar beams and brackets along with new custom made cedar entry and garage doors added warmth and style. Final touches of natural stone, a paver stoop and walkway, along professionally designed landscaping. This home went from ordinary to extraordinary! Architecture was done by KBA Architects in Minneapolis.
Vineyard Haven Village
Vineyard Haven Village
John AbramsJohn Abrams
On a tiny lot on a quiet little dead-end street, we tucked this high-performance gem between two other small houses. Photo: Brian vanden Brink
Design ideas for a small classic two floor house exterior in Boston with wood cladding.
Ferndale, MI Exterior Makeover
Ferndale, MI Exterior Makeover
MainStreet Design BuildMainStreet Design Build
This post-war, plain bungalow was transformed into a charming cottage with this new exterior detail, which includes a new roof, red shutters, energy-efficient windows, and a beautiful new front porch that matched the roof line. Window boxes with matching corbels were also added to the exterior, along with pleated copper roofing on the large window and side door. Photo courtesy of Kate Benjamin Photography
Modern Adu in Del Rey, Alexandria, Virginia
Modern Adu in Del Rey, Alexandria, Virginia
Four Brothers Design + BuildFour Brothers Design + Build
Design ideas for a small and gey classic tiny house in DC Metro with wood cladding, a metal roof and a grey roof.
Side and Back Door Porticos
Side and Back Door Porticos
Georgia Front PorchGeorgia Front Porch
Bracket portico for side door of house. The roof features a shed style metal roof. Designed and built by Georgia Front Porch.
Small classic bungalow brick detached house in Atlanta with an orange house, a lean-to roof and a metal roof.
Compact Ski Cabin
Compact Ski Cabin
Reilly DesignReilly Design
Deck view
Design ideas for a small and black traditional two floor detached house in Boston with wood cladding, a pitched roof and a metal roof.
Custom Home Addition & Kitchen Remodel Fairfax VA
Custom Home Addition & Kitchen Remodel Fairfax VA
Thomas Custom BuildersThomas Custom Builders
Design ideas for a small and red traditional bungalow house exterior in DC Metro with mixed cladding, a hip roof and a shingle roof.
Project Carr
Project Carr
Tommy Daspit PhotographerTommy Daspit Photographer
Exterior front of remodeled home in Homewood Alabama. Photographed for Willow Homes and Willow Design Studio by Birmingham Alabama based architectural and interiors photographer Tommy Daspit. See more of his work on his website http://tommydaspit.com All images are ©2019 Tommy Daspit Photographer and my not be reused without express written permission.
Mother-in-law Cottage
Mother-in-law Cottage
Noble Johnson ArchitectsNoble Johnson Architects
Photography: Garett + Carrie Buell of Studiobuell/ studiobuell.com
Small and green traditional bungalow detached house in Nashville with concrete fibreboard cladding and a shingle roof.
Purington Natick Home
Purington Natick Home
i3 Architectsi3 Architects
This is an example of a small and yellow traditional two floor detached house in Boston with wood cladding, a pitched roof and a shingle roof.
My Projects
My Projects
Manage My ProjectManage My Project
Photo of a small and beige classic two floor detached house in Philadelphia with stone cladding, a pitched roof and a shingle roof.
Indoor Outdoor dog run Fairfield County, Ct
Indoor Outdoor dog run Fairfield County, Ct
RoSal EnterprisesRoSal Enterprises
Gates on each end to enable cleaning.
Photo of a small and gey traditional bungalow detached house in New York with mixed cladding, a lean-to roof and a mixed material roof.
Heights Remodel
Heights Remodel
Jay Baker ArchitectsJay Baker Architects
Small and gey traditional two floor house exterior in Houston with wood cladding and a pitched roof.
Pine Hill Farm Cozy Craftsman Traditional Hybrid
Pine Hill Farm Cozy Craftsman Traditional Hybrid
Chris Cook Homes LLCChris Cook Homes LLC
This is a narrow lot Craftsman home made to fir on a 44 foot wide lot. The home has an amazing interior and features some of the finest craftsmanship in the US. Chris Cook
Trex Porch by Atlas Homes
Trex Porch by Atlas Homes
Cardinal Home CenterCardinal Home Center
Inspiration for a small and blue traditional two floor detached house in Other with vinyl cladding, a hip roof and a shingle roof.
Stanford Wood Lodge
Stanford Wood Lodge
Absolute ArchitectureAbsolute Architecture
Stanford Wood Cottage extension and conversion project by Absolute Architecture. Photos by Jaw Designs, Kitchens and joinery by Ben Heath.
Small and white classic two floor render house exterior in Berkshire with a pitched roof.
Media, PA and Decorative Outdoor Lighting Fixtures
Media, PA and Decorative Outdoor Lighting Fixtures
Outdoor Lighting Perspectives - Delaware ValleyOutdoor Lighting Perspectives - Delaware Valley
These beautiful decorative outdoor lighting fixtures in this Garnet Valley, PA home shine throughout the year. The cast of a brilliant play of light and shadow against, not only the landscape, but the stonework of the home as well.
East Nashville Craftsman
East Nashville Craftsman
Leverick HomesLeverick Homes
Photo of a small and white traditional bungalow brick house exterior in Nashville.
My Houzz: Creativity Flows in a New Hampshire Cottage
My Houzz: Creativity Flows in a New Hampshire Cottage
Rikki SnyderRikki Snyder
Photo: Rikki Snyder © 2014 Houzz
Small traditional house exterior in New York.

Small Traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional 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 traditional exterior architecture choices for your house designs.
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