10 Exterior Design Before + Afters You Must See

In this article you will see ten examples of home transformations and the beautiful curb appeal these homeowners achieved through their exterior renovations. These exterior design before and afters range from the simple to the complex, both achieving dramatic results to help make their home more noticeable. We will also point out the few techniques that helped shape the exterior design results!

1. Bland to Grand Midcentury Modern Exterior Design:

Keys to this Remodel:

1. Bring Attention to the Main Entry:The gabled portico clearly tells the passerby where to go.

2. Color + Wood Accents: The modern blue in contrast to the warm wood tones works so well with this home. The dark window trim and beams accents also help add some depth to the color scheme

3. Kept the Original Stone: I see more and more of this every year. Homeowners are opting to paint their stone or brick in the name of cleanliness and modernism. I believe there is definitely a time and place to paint or stain natural materials however, let this be a case study that the existing natural material can look great too!

2. Coastal Modern Exterior Transformation:

Yellow stucco get's a fresh coat of paint and some colorful accents to bring this home into the modern era.

Keys to this Exterior Renovation:

1. Entry Cover/Front patio: The covered entry/porch brings much-needed attention to the entry and functional outdoor space.

2. Lighter Color w/ Bright Accents: The white color tones down the body of the home while letting the bright colored bahama shutters, front door, and accents do most of the talking.

3. New Landscaping: Bright mulch, low-lying plants and beds help to soften the edges of the home, making the home appear much more settled into the landscape.

3. Modest Ranch Redo:

Keys to this Exterior Renovation:

1. Entry Cover/Front patio:This basic ranch home get's a fresh look with some ledger stone, modern blue paint, wider window and door trim, and updated landscaping. Moving the sapling away from the front window would do so much more in opening up the front of this home.

2. Updated Landscaping: Some fresh plants around the front of the home and carried down the front walk help soften the homes hard edges and add some needed color to the composition.

3. Large White Trim: Removing the shutters and adding some larger ornate trim around help the features of this home stand out and give it a more modern appeal.

4. Traditional To Modern Makeover:

Keys to this Exterior Renovation:

1. Expansive Windows: Going for a more modern look almost always requires larger/more expansive glass. This remodel found success with that.

2. Standing Seam Roof: The standing seam roof continues the verticality of the design. This subtle improvement really helps complete the composition.

3. Bold Dark Colors: The black windows and dark gray field color give this home an updated modern look. A few wood accents would go a long way to add a bit of warmth too.

4. Landscaping: The gabion retention walls help make the landscape usable but it also helps the home to feel more apart of its surroundings instead of just plopped into place.

5. Raised Ranch Remodel:

Check out the incredible new digs on this raised ranch!

Keys to this Exterior Renovation:

1. Complimentary Color Scheme: The modern cool blue paired with the orange-wood tones and the warm front door draw that wanted curbside attention.

2. Walkway: If you've been following Visioneering Homes at all then you know how partial I am towards an approachable footpath to the home. In short, it makes this home much more approachable!

3. Black Windows/White Trim:

The black windows and mullions make the windows appear more expansive and modern. Love it!

6. Craftsman Upper Addition:

While not strictly an exterior renovation, these craftsman 2nd story additions are difficult to pull off and this is one exceptional example of one done right!

Keys To This Exterior Renovation:

1. Squatty 2nd Floor: It's really easy when doing a second floor addition to make a home appear more vertical. This craftsman renovation does an excellent job at keeping the 2nd floor from overpowering the design by hiding most of it behind the existing gables and using the new height to continue the larger gable up.

2. Cranberry Windows: The Cranberry used in the windows help to add the fun exterior while keeping the traditional craftsman scheme.

7. Garage Front Craftsman:

Let's be honest, homes where the garage takes 90% of the home's front are difficult to work with. This is a pretty good example of how to make lemonade when your home is all garage.

Keys To This Renovation:

1. Color: The modern color that hides much of the dirt and grime is a welcomed change to this home. The old siding was looking tired and dated and the new color really helped spruce things up!

2. Materials: I probably wouldn't have nixed the brick for a full ledger stone here, but the results look great! Notice the shaker style shingle and the extra white trim used in the gable ends? Really adds some flair.

In a perfect world I would have definitely changed out the garage door and I would have made the entry as prominent as possible with some landscaping and walkway changes but overall, this is a nice renovation of this type of home!

8. Brick Ranch Blowup

Take a look at this exterior renovation before & after— it's hard to believe this is even the same house!

Keys To This Renovation:

1. Outdoor Living Space: The Patio created off of the front of the home is probably my favorite part of this renovation. I can picture a bistro table and some seating (dare I say a front-yard-fire-pit!?) on that paver paradise that makes this home come alive!

2. Landscaping: Although lacking a bit of color and variety, the landscaping is actually pretty well done, softening some of the hardscaped areas and accent the house is nice ways.

9. Marvelous Modern Makeover:

Keys To This Renovation:

1. Paneled Siding!: This blocky home was made for this panel siding treatment! Look at how the joints and color blocking really compliment the home! Outstanding! Also love the wood accented soffit!

2. Glass Faced Garage Doors: Before there was not much glazing on the front of the home. Adding the glass inlay garage doors not only help build into that modern vibe, but they also increase the transparency two-fold!

Next step would be to redo the walkway and handrail to match the home and make it a more inviting journey to the front door!

10. Fabulous Farmhouse Flip:

Keys To This Renovation:

1. Open Porch: One of the most dramatic updates to this home is the beautiful porch that was opened up to reveal the proud columns. Notice too how even the stairs and deck skirting received a decorative update!

2. Decorative Gable: The red expanse may have been a bit too dramatic without the beautiful ornamental gable peak. This decorative element helps break up the large gable and adds the decorative bracketing to help add a bit of style.

3. Contrasting Color Palette: The contrasting color palette helps bring out the architecture on this home. The before picture looked flat and not very interesting while the deep red helps bring this home to life!

If you need help with your home exterior design projects, then you need to contact Visioneering Homes!

No matter what project you are tackling Visioneering Homes is here to help! From helping you decide the right exterior paint color, to designing your complete home exterior remodel, our services are geared to help you discover the curb appeal that best fits your personal style and your home. You send us photos - we help you design. It's simple, easy, and a ton fun! Don't spend another day designing your home without checking out our website. You'll be glad you did!

Check out this blog post to see our client's homes transformed! Or check out the example below!

Use the slider to see the before and after!

About the Author: Brad is the CEO & Founder of Visioneering Homes. He is passionate about all things architecture, residential design, and providing easy access for homeowners to professional design services. Him and his wife have 3 kids and enjoy an adventurous life in the mountains of the American west.