The original house was a nondescript green stucco box with a low hip roof. To create architectural interest and dimension, we added the shed dormer and the pilasters, extended the front eaves to capture the pilasters, and we built the block wall with horizontal rails. The shed dormer adds height and depth to the hip roof, which would otherwise be too plain. It was difficult to find any inspiration photos for a modern house with a hip roof and shed dormer. After a couple mock-ups, we refined the dormer slope and proportions to work well with the rest of the design. Most of the house's cladding is the wide gray lap siding. White stucco with a smooth Santa Barbara finish and the white flush panel garage door provide a strong contrast. Thanks to Architect Marc Fredrickson for the inspiration sketches that evolved into the final exterior design.