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Traditional House Exterior Ideas and Designs

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Oberlin Bungalow
Oberlin Bungalow
Jody Brown Architecture, pllcJody Brown Architecture, pllc
Jody Brown Architecture, pllc.
Blue traditional two floor house exterior in Raleigh with a pitched roof.
Mill Valley Classic Cottage
Mill Valley Classic Cottage
HEYDT DESIGNSHEYDT DESIGNS
Residential Design by Heydt Designs, Interior Design by Benjamin Dhong Interiors, Construction by Kearney & O'Banion, Photography by David Duncan Livingston
Porter Street Bungalow
Porter Street Bungalow
Moore Architects, PCMoore Architects, PC
The Cleveland Park neighborhood of Washington, D.C boasts some of the most beautiful and well maintained bungalows of the late 19th century. Residential streets are distinguished by the most significant craftsman icon, the front porch. Porter Street Bungalow was different. The stucco walls on the right and left side elevations were the first indication of an original bungalow form. Yet the swooping roof, so characteristic of the period, was terminated at the front by a first floor enclosure that had almost no penetrations and presented an unwelcoming face. Original timber beams buried within the enclosed mass provided the only fenestration where they nudged through. The house, known affectionately as ‘the bunker’, was in serious need of a significant renovation and restoration. A young couple purchased the house over 10 years ago as a first home. As their family grew and professional lives matured the inadequacies of the small rooms and out of date systems had to be addressed. The program called to significantly enlarge the house with a major new rear addition. The completed house had to fulfill all of the requirements of a modern house: a reconfigured larger living room, new shared kitchen and breakfast room and large family room on the first floor and three modified bedrooms and master suite on the second floor. Front photo by Hoachlander Davis Photography. All other photos by Prakash Patel.
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Медное озеро
Медное озеро
Фролова СветланаФролова Светлана
Green traditional bungalow detached house in Saint Petersburg with wood cladding and a pitched roof.
Hamptons Cottage
Hamptons Cottage
Wettling ArchitectsWettling Architects
photo credit: David Gilbert
Design ideas for a classic house exterior in New York with wood cladding and a half-hip roof.
Belmont Heights Craftsman Bungalow
Belmont Heights Craftsman Bungalow
Pretty SmartPretty Smart
Front yard view of craftsman bungalow in historic California neighborhood featuring sage siding and red accents.
Small and green classic bungalow detached house with wood cladding.
Small Houses
Small Houses
D. W. Chase RAD. W. Chase RA
This is an example of a small and yellow classic two floor detached house in Other with concrete fibreboard cladding, a hip roof and a shingle roof.
Greenlake Custom Home
Greenlake Custom Home
Ventana Construction LLCVentana Construction LLC
Photo of a classic bungalow extension in Seattle with wood cladding.
East Nashville Craftsman
East Nashville Craftsman
Leverick HomesLeverick Homes
Photo of a small and white traditional bungalow brick house exterior in Nashville.
Backyard Cottage
Backyard Cottage
Arleta ChangArleta Chang
Front facade- Jarvis Architects
This is an example of a small and brown classic bungalow house exterior in Milwaukee with wood cladding.
Little Cottage on Chester
Little Cottage on Chester
Gill Design Co.Gill Design Co.
We found a sweet little cottage in east Nashville and fell in love. The seller's expectation was that we would tear it down and build a duplex, but we felt that this house had so much more it wanted to give. The interior space is small, but a double-swing front porch, large rear deck and an old garage converted into studio space make for flexible living solutions.
Healdsburg Weekend
Healdsburg Weekend
Bevan AssociatesBevan Associates
This is an example of a traditional bungalow house exterior in San Francisco with wood cladding.
Jefferson Park bungalow remodel
Jefferson Park bungalow remodel
ArtCraft Homes LLCArtCraft Homes LLC
A classic 1922 California bungalow in the historic Jefferson Park neighborhood of Los Angeles restored and enlarged by Tim Braseth of ArtCraft Homes completed in 2015. Originally a 2 bed/1 bathroom cottage, it was enlarged with the addition of a new kitchen wing and master suite for a total of 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. Original vintage details such as a Batchelder tile fireplace and Douglas Fir flooring are complemented by an all-new vintage-style kitchen with butcher block countertops, hex-tiled bathrooms with beadboard wainscoting, original clawfoot tub, subway tile master shower, and French doors leading to a redwood deck overlooking a fully-fenced and gated backyard. The new en suite master retreat features a vaulted ceiling, walk-in closet, and French doors to the backyard deck. Remodeled by ArtCraft Homes. Staged by ArtCraft Collection. Photography by Larry Underhill.
Front Porch
Front Porch
Candace M P Smith ArchitectCandace M P Smith Architect
Alterations and additions transformed a Queen Anne home into a craftsman cottage with new porch, dormers and windows. New walkway and abundant gardens frame the view. --Photo credit: Candace M.P. Smith Architect, PC
Small Craftsman with a Big Artistic Bang
Small Craftsman with a Big Artistic Bang
Kimberley BryanKimberley Bryan
Kimberley Bryan
This is an example of a green classic house exterior in Seattle.
5-star Green Bungalow
5-star Green Bungalow
UserUser
Medium sized classic house exterior in Austin.
Brand New Bungalow
Brand New Bungalow
Richard Taylor ArchitectsRichard Taylor Architects

Inspiration for a traditional two floor house exterior in Columbus with wood cladding.
2033 Andreo Ave
2033 Andreo Ave
Archer Building GroupArcher Building Group
Nicole Leone
Inspiration for a small and blue traditional bungalow house exterior in Los Angeles with wood cladding.
Bird Rock, San Diego CA
Bird Rock, San Diego CA
Doug Simon ARCHITECTUREDoug Simon ARCHITECTURE
Photo by Ed Golich
Photo of a medium sized and blue traditional bungalow house exterior in San Diego with wood cladding and a hip roof.

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.
Craftsman Lodge
Craftsman Lodge
Smallwood Design & Construction Inc.Smallwood Design & Construction Inc.
Photos by Art Grice
Photo of a classic house exterior in Seattle with stone cladding.
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