Exterior Photos

Terraced steel plate steps up with the entry stairs. Old olive trees create shade at the outdoor dining in front of a steel plate fireplace.
Small trendy gray one-story stucco flat roof photo in San Francisco

This bold, modern home is located in the West Plaza neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri, which has seen rapid growth in development of new construction over the past few years. A visionary investor, purchased this lot with the intent to build a unique, modern home with an open floor plan to maximize any owner’s style and creativity.

The Ballard Haus is an exciting Passive House design meant to fit onto a more compact urban lot while still providing an open and airy feeling for our clients. We built up to take full advantage of the extra sunlight for solar gain during the winter, and we crafted an open concept floor plan to maximize our client's space and budget. Part of the goal of the Ballard Haus project was to create a design that could be used in a multitude of urban settings as we get ready to expand our reach into prefab Passive House options. In this iteration of the Ballard Haus, yakisugi cedar and smooth hardi siding were chosen to complement and blend into the beautiful Pacific NW. The entrance to our client's home manages both a timeless welcoming quality, while providing an elegant contemporary look.

Small contemporary exterior home idea in DC Metro

Andrew Wightman
Inspiration for a small contemporary beige two-story stucco flat roof remodel in San Francisco

Small trendy gray two-story mixed siding exterior home photo in Other

Small contemporary two-story mixed siding house exterior idea in Austin with a shed roof and a metal roof

Inspiration for a small contemporary green one-story concrete fiberboard exterior home remodel in Austin with a shed roof

Erik Bishoff Photography
Small contemporary gray one-story wood house exterior idea in Other with a shed roof and a metal roof

Modern duplex located in the MStreets of Dallas, TX. Home built and designed by Dallas home builder, Cambridge Homes. www.cambridgehomes.com Photo Credit: Shoot2Sell.net

Photos by Brian Reitz, Creative Vision Studios
Small contemporary gray one-story stucco house exterior idea in Los Angeles with a shed roof

For more than a decade the owners of this property dreamed of replacing a well-worn trailer, parked by a previous owner onto a forested corner of the site, with a permanent structure that took advantage of breathtaking views across South Park basin. Accompanying a mutual friend nearly as long ago, the architect visited the site as a guest and years later could easily recall the inspiration inherent in the site. Ultimately dream and inspiration met to create this weekend retreat. With a mere 440 square feet planted in the ground, and just 1500 square feet combined across three levels, the design creates indoor and outdoor spaces to frame distant range views and protect inhabitants from the intense Colorado sun and evening chill with minimal impact on its surroundings. Designed by Bryan Anderson Construction by Mountain View Homes Photographs by Troy Thies

Paul Bardagjy
Small trendy white two-story wood flat roof photo in Austin

New zoning codes paved the way for building an Accessory Dwelling Unit in this homes Minneapolis location. This new unit allows for independent multi-generational housing within close proximity to a primary residence and serves visiting family, friends, and an occasional Airbnb renter. The strategic use of glass, partitions, and vaulted ceilings create an open and airy interior while keeping the square footage below 400 square feet. Vertical siding and awning windows create a fresh, yet complementary addition. Christopher Strom was recognized in the “Best Contemporary” category in Marvin Architects Challenge 2017. The judges admired the simple addition that is reminiscent of the traditional red barn, yet uses strategic volume and glass to create a dramatic contemporary living space.

The high grade and living green roof help to insulate the casita with thermal mass. The home has a tandem two car garage.
Inspiration for a small contemporary brown one-story wood exterior home remodel in Sacramento with a shed roof

This Bozeman, Montana tiny house residence blends an innovative use of space with high-performance Glo aluminum doors and proper building orientation. Situated specifically, taking advantage of the sun to power the Solar panels located on the southern side of the house. Careful consideration given to the floor plan allows this home to maximize space and keep the small footprint. Full light exterior doors provide multiple access points across this house. The full lite entry doors provide plenty of natural light to this minimalist home. A full lite entry door adorned with a sidelite provide natural light for the cozy entrance. This home uses stairs to connect the living spaces and bedrooms. The living and dining areas have soaring ceiling heights thanks to the inventive use of a loft above the kitchen. The living room space is optimized with a well placed window seat and the dining area bench provides comfortable seating on one side of the table to maximize space. Modern design principles and sustainable building practices create a comfortable home with a small footprint on an urban lot. The one car garage complements this home and provides extra storage for the small footprint home.

Joe Fletcher
Small contemporary one-story townhouse exterior idea in San Francisco

Corona Del Mar Orange County California front landscape remodel, grass pavers, artificial turf
Inspiration for a small contemporary exterior home remodel in Orange County

After living in an earthship in New Mexico, this couple wanted a more practical, net-zero energy home for their retirement. A modest 1400sf, clerestory windows provide daylighting and passive solar heating. The house is super-insulated, per Passivhaus standards, with triple pane windows, 90% efficient heat-recovery ventilator for continuous fresh air, and a mini-split heat pump for heating when it’s needed. A single row of solar photovoltaics provide sufficient energy to make this home net zero on energy.