Really great suggestions, i agree that the proportions look off, here is another angle to the house. Maybe we need to recosider the front design...i just can't put my fingers on how to change the front of the house...thank you for your input.

Do you have an architect, designer or draftsman at this point?

Is this an infill urban lot and you are limited with the width of the house?

Did you raise the house so much in the front to get a walk-out basement in the rear?

What are you using all that headroom in the garage for?

A home needs to be designed with the interior and exterior in tandem. Here are the simplifications I would make. But, I'm curious what in the interior caused you to design the exterior in this fashion to start with.

The red areas point to sections I would eliminate to reduce the jogs in walls and rooflines. But I am not an architect. Are you working with an architect?

Are you excavating the land for this or are you designing around an existing hillside? I'd much prefer garage doors on the left side of your home so they are not the front view of your house, however that might not be possible on this land. I presume there is a great view out of the back?

We'd need to see a picture of your land and the vegetation to make good recommendations for exterior materials and colors. The stone feels random and skimpy.

There is a house on the lake near me that has almost this exact front (although they have a single gable two car). Presumably they are limited on their width so you get garage in front, house in back. They tried to gussy up their garage facade almost exactly like you have and it looks ridiculous to me. Fake stone, multiple materials, multiple colors.

A garage is a garage, and yours is unfortunately defining your house. I would get rid of the stone completely and if you're not doing anything on the other sides of the house, just match that.

Why the odd windows above the door?

We are limited by the LOT size, i love the inside layout and even the rest of the exterior. House is lakeside facing, very beautiful. My issue is the front, i just don't love it. The garage height is 16 feet, and window above are for extra lighting, they can be moved. My husband needs the oversize garage for his work. I am working with an architect, this is the first draft, i was hoping to get few ideas for my next meeting, i guess i am looking for inspiration. Thanks all for your feedback.

I feel you as a fellow lot restricted homeowner with a forward facing garage. I think less is more. We have a very basic lap siding around the entire first floor and simplifying things really made it look better.

When you say he needs it for his work, does he need the tall garage door to store vehicles/equipment/boat, or simply needs a workspace in the garage? If it's the latter, do regular garage doors and build space on the upper interior of the garage as the workspace. It's the height of the garage doors that looks bad to me -- it makes the house itself looks like a pole barn.

If he needs to get tall vehicles or equipment in and out, then obviously that's a different story. Is there space anywhere on the lot for an outbuilding that would meet his needs? You said lot size is limiting, but that's not very specific -- is there enough room out back behind the house for an outbuilding? Would that completely ruin the view if there was? Is an outbuilding even allowed?

He is storing equipment, so we can't change the size of the garage door or height of the garage.There is no access or room in the back.

i guess i am looking for inspiration

Inspiration needs to come from you. Give your architect something to work with.

I'd rethink the design. Here is a concept. Hip roof, wide eaves, make the oversized garage part of the design.

Sorry to say this but the massing of your house is kind of a lump. It's just not visually attractive and almost no one gets to see the back of the house, even you.

Here's that one narrow house I posted along with the floor plan.

Those are some crazy roof lines. If you ever have to re-roof, it will add to the cost.

But that aside, can you lower the front porch and make up for the elevation with interior steps from a foyer? Some options:

Porch lowered, allows roof line from garage to continue and probably give you a deeper porch. Removes that peak over the porch for a cleaner line.

Lowered porch, cleaner roof lines, change in windows over garage. If you have to have them, at least have them line up with something.

Keep us posted on the final design.

Figured you were limited. The only way to make this look ok is by making it a two story house, but that doesn't seem to be what you want.

I might consider extending the single stall forward and using a single gable, with 1-2 larger windows above instead of low squat windows (making it look like a second story). Just know that people will be able to see into those windows so you might want to consider how you're finishing the garage roof. Or consider remote shades.

skylights in the garage may be preferable to those extra windows. I agree, you can never have too much light in a garage, especially if you're working in there. Don't know your climate though, skylights might not be feasible.

We are in the north so cold weather, i like your suggestion on the clear line and lowering the porch. It looks better.maybe i need to remove the stone work, looks busy.

Your roofline should be far simpler, especially if you will be dealing with snow!

I like this type of garage door, maybe not this exact colour but something in wood tone(lighter colour) and then perhaps match the wood somewhere else. I really would love light stucco and maybe some black accents... the roof is too much, i agree. I think the challenge is making it look nice given how hight the garage ceiling is and then elevating the rest of the home. Living room will be vaulted. I have never had a bungalow so i have hard time imagining the details. Appreciate everyone's ideas.. super helpful!

There is a school of thought on this site that suggests the garage he same colour as house. Just a consideration

What is your definition of a bungalow?

I would never describe the drawing you showed as a bungalow. I would call it a Neo-eclectic suburban lake house.

Single story home, open floor plan, in this case walk out basement.

As far as getting light in the garage is concerned, you have two full walls of garage that you could put windows on, and if you put them in the front door side it might make it feel like you're walking by house, not garage. Might also look better than the windows over the garage door.

If you needed wall space in the garage for things plan that now and see if you can get some windows on the walls.

You mentioned removing the stone, I think that is a really good idea - simplifying the materials will help for sure

Quickly done and needs plenty of refinement.

Thank you, this looks nice.

I wouldn’t even do brick/stone to be honest