How to Design a Modern Home Exterior
A Guide to Modern Home Exteriors
Updating the outside of your home is a great way to add value and curb appeal to your residence. You may want to do this to increase resale value, appeal to renters or for aesthetic reasons. But there's no wrong reason for wanting to modernize the exterior of your home. From small budget changes like lighting updates to larger jobs, like new roofing, learn how to give that dated home a facelift. Use our guide for 12 ideas and unique tips to update a ranch, split-level or colonial home.
How Much Does Home Exterior Renovation Cost?
The cost of modernizing your home can vary depending on the types of projects you’re completing. For example, tackling all the ideas on this list could cost anywhere from $30,000 to $124,000 though choosing just one or two of these projects is an easy way to keep your spend to just a few hundred dollars. However, this depends on labor, material costs and your location.
How to Determine a Budget
To determine your budget, it's easiest to first make a list of all the updates you'd like to make. Then, find an average cost for those projects and decide what is manageable for your budget. Some great low-cost ways to modernize your home include updating a few light fixtures, changing your front door hardware and power washing the siding. This can completely transform your home for about $300 if you tackle it all yourself.
Another factor to consider is whether you plan on doing the work or hiring a professional. Making this decision can be tricky, but DIYing a job can save you up to 80% on a project. Keep in mind that the average homeowner can't do every project alone. Whether you need specific equipment or years of experience, sometimes working with a contractor is a more affordable and safer option.
When Should You Hire a Contractor?
Sometimes the repairs and replacements you’re completing need a contractor. Maybe you have some physical limitations that prevent you from finishing a job. Or it’s possible you don’t have the equipment or manpower it takes to remove your driveway. In these cases, you should hire a contractor. Some examples of jobs that are best for contractors include pouring concrete, roofing projects or moving the entryway of your home.
How to Design a Modern Home Exterior: 12 Ideas
1. Clean and Repair the Exterior of Your Home
One inexpensive but effective way to update your home is to clean and repair. A lot of times, you don’t notice the dirt, grime and cracks on your old driveway and siding since it took so long to build up.
Rent, borrow or buy a power washer and clean your home. Start with any pathways, the sidewalk and the driveway. This way, you don’t kick up dirt from the ground onto an already clean house. Then if needed, move on to your roof and scrape moss off the shingles. Once you’re finished, power wash your siding, gutters and windows to reveal a new home under layers of dirt. Damaged sidewalk or driveway? Fill the cracks or replace the sidewalk entirely to get a fresh look.
2. Update Your Entryway
Not all your renovations have to be total gut jobs. Adding decor can be a great way to transform a dated home. Shop for modern pieces that fit your style and add them to your home's entryway. A new doormat, signage or other decorations can add the personality you were once missing. You can also consider adding lighting or new outdoor furniture. Swinging porch beds are another option to add style and seating to your entryway.
3. Add New Landscaping or Hardscaping
Add curb appeal to your home without major renovations by adding landscaping and hardscaping. You can work with a landscaper or design the space yourself to cut costs.
Remove old dated shrubs and replace them with a variety of plants. This way you get more depth in your flower beds. Or, use modern landscaping trends, like adding driveway borders or growing an alternative lawn. When you’re done with your project, use our yard waste disposal guide to find out how to remove any unwanted debris.
How Do I Choose the Right Landscaping to Modernize My Home?
Landscape your yard to match its natural environment and use plants that thrive in your growing zone. You can also research modern landscaping trends. Check out places like Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest for inspiration. Consider your needs for the space — do you need a safe area for kids to play? If you’re lost, hire a landscaper or go to your local nursery to talk to a professional.
If you live in a dry climate, don’t be afraid to hardscape. Use rocks and wood to create pathways or retaining walls. You can find hardscaping supplies at most home improvement stores or online from people giving away materials.
4. Change Out Old Hardware
Replace outdoor fixtures and accents to create an intentional and updated look. Get new door handles, trim or metal accents for your home. This only costs $50 to $150 for supplies and labor and can make a big impact.
5. Add or Update Light Fixtures
Adding modern exterior lighting can bring your home into the 21st century. It can also make your home’s exterior appear cleaner and more attractive. Look for fixtures that compliment the color and style of your original home. You can even add lights to complement and draw attention to landscaping.
Updating lighting can cost anywhere from $80 to $6,000 depending on the number of fixtures you install. The most cost-effective way to complete this project is by replacing the existing lights yourself. But, if you’d like to add multiple new lights or need to replace wiring, it may be best to work with an electrician.
6. Overhaul Your Paint Color or Replace Old Siding
Update your home’s siding or paint color to a more modern color, especially if your paint is peeling. Choose colors for your siding and trim that complement one another. Or, go for an option with high contrast. In recent years, black and white have been popular since the colors draw attention to details. You can also replace the siding of your home to add modern detail. A vertical layout or using new materials, like wood, can completely modernize the look of your home.
When it comes to costs for these projects, prices can vary. Keep in mind replacing your siding and painting are not the same job. Painting is cosmetic whereas replacing your siding adds protection and insulation. Replacing your siding costs anywhere from $10,000 to $32,500, or more depending on the material. It's only necessary to replace siding if it’s damaged or you’re looking for a drastic change. For a more affordable cosmetic update try painting, which costs anywhere from $1,900 to $6,900.
How to Choose a Modern Exterior House Color
Finding the best color for your house can be overwhelming. Some ways to find the best exterior house color are to consider your home’s architectural style, neighborhood and how natural light can impact the color. You can also buy paint samples and paint them on your house to see how your choices look at different times of the day.
7. Replace Outdated Windows
Old, crumbling windows or the wrong color window trim can date your home. Depending on the number of windows you have, you may want to replace them. Replacing windows can be expensive, costing anywhere from $450 to $22,500. So, if you’re looking for a similar impact for less money, you may want to update the trim color of the windows instead. Or opt to dress up windows with a hanging window box.
Just keep in mind that replacing windows provides great weatherization. New windows both insulate your home and keep water out. If you live in an older home, you may have wooden windows. These sills can rot, allowing water in and causing potential damage. Check with a contractor to see if replacing your old sills is an option.
8. Paint or Install New Doors
Change your entryway and modernize your home by painting or updating your doors. The pricing on this project varies based on what you plan to do. Painting your door is inexpensive, and can brighten up and add a pop of color to your home. But, if you’re overhauling your doors, including your garage door, you can expect to pay more. Replacing the doors to your home can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,900. Choose a modern exterior door by finding inspiration online or try leaning into the home’s architectural style.
9. Replace Your Roof
Replacing your roof can modernize the exterior of your home almost instantly. This is especially true if you opt for a modern option, such as metal roofing instead of traditional shingles. It’s usually installed in sheets and can last between 40 and 70 years. It’s also impact and fire-resistant, making it more than a pretty choice.
Replacing your roof is a big undertaking in both cost and labor that shouldn’t be taken lightly. It can cost anywhere from $5,700 to $16,000 or more depending on the size of your roof and the material you choose.
10. Get Stylish Gutters
Your roof isn’t the only way you can modernize the top of your home. Replacing your gutters with a different color or material can add interest and modernity to your home's exterior. Copper gutters are both stylish and serve a function since they don’t rust as easily as aluminum. Another option is to replace your downspouts with rain chains to mix style and function. Replacing your gutters costs anywhere from $750 to $2,300, or more depending on the material.
11. Install a Porch
Highlight your entryway and add character to the exterior of your home with a new open-air or screen in porch. Just determine where the build location will be and get the correct permits. While you can DIY this project, it's easier to use a contractor to ensure your foundation is level.
Adding a porch to your property is a dramatic change but can also be costly. Building a new front porch costs about $6,000 to $18,000 depending on the size, materials and add-ons. However, a porch has weatherization and insulation benefits all while changing the look of your home.
12. Update Your Backyard
Modernizing and updating your home goes far beyond the front yard. The backyard can be just as important. Especially if you spend a lot of time back there. Turn your backyard into an oasis by adding some privacy and completing a few projects. If you spend a lot of time in your backyard, try the following ideas to give back of your house a more modern look.
Depending on the projects you choose to do, it costs around $15,000 to $50,000 to create and maintain a backyard. This includes full landscaping and a patio.
How to Modernize a Split-Level Home Exterior
A split-level home is a style of house with staggered levels, usually separated by short flights of stairs. This home style was popular in suburban areas from 1950 to 1970. The outside of the home usually has two distinct faces of different building materials or two types of materials on one face.
A lot of these homes still look the same, and for many, it’s a challenge to figure out how to update the exterior. Once you’ve freshened up paint colors and replaced your doors and windows, use the following ideas to make your split-level home look modern.
Remove or Paint Shutters
Removing your shutters or changing their materials can really update your split-level home’s exterior. Some popular shutter materials are cedar boards, wood cladding or even unique diamond-cut shutters.
Re-side the Taller Half of the Home
Split level homes are often half siding and half brick or stone. Replace the siding with new materials. Some ways to modernize your split-level home’s exterior siding include wide horizontal siding, narrow lap siding or architectural panels.
Update the Lower Facade
While half of your home is siding, the other half is usually brick or stucco. Replace the lower section of your split-level with cedar, stone or even a limewash. Small changes to stone can make a big impact. Plus, highlighting natural materials is trending right now. Making these updates can instantly change the look of your house.
Add Accent Trim
Outline your doors and windows with accent trim to make them pop. Split-level homes usually have two large windows and adding new trim will play into the home’s architectural strengths. The best locations to include trim are the front windows, the soffit, the doors and the corner boards. For the most modern look, paint it a color that accents your home.
How to Modernize a Ranch Exterior
Ranch-style homes have a long history in the United States. They first started appearing in the 1920s but became popular between 1940 and 1970 due to increased housing demand. Ranches come in all shapes and sizes but are usually identified by their horizontal lines and open layouts. Many people use ranch-style homes to lean into a 21st-century “mid-century modern.” This trend makes it easy to play up the original architectural features of your house.
Add Vertical Height
Because ranches have such long horizontal lines, you’ll need vertical interest to make your home’s exterior look more modern. Tall landscaping or vertical siding can break up these long lines. Try replacing a portion of your home’s exterior with small vertical wood slats. This is a modern choice that breaks up horizontal lines while giving a nod to mid-century design.
Change Out Your Windows
Many ranches have one or two large front-facing windows. Getting new windows can help create a focal point on the house to draw attention. Opt to use black-grid style windows for a modern look. Or, choose a window with no grid pattern at all.
Bring Focus to Your Entryway
Bring depth to your home by drawing focus to your entryway. A lot of mid-century ranches have a flat facade that lacks interest. Try changing out your door and entryway to create the illusion of depth and create a modern home exterior. Paint your door with a pop of color or a different wood stain. You can also add new lighting or decor to help solve this problem.
Change Your Roof
Ranches are all about breaking up horizontal lines right? The most impactful way you can do this is to change up your roof. Ranches have many different roof styles, so there are a few ways to do this. Try adding gables for any vaulted roofs and try to add height where you can. If you have a flat roof and it’s in your budget, add a porch overhang to create height and highlight your entryway.
Lean Into the Retro
Ranch homes have such a distinct look that it doesn’t hurt to lean into what’s already there and highlighting the unique architectural features of your home is popular. Enhance your home's characteristics by using natural materials, like wood, and use bright primary colors. Leaning into these features can help make the exterior of your home look intentional and on-trend rather than outdated.
How to Modernize a Colonial Home Exterior
Colonial homes have been around since the colonial era but have seen many revivals. These homes were popular from 1880 to 1930 and again from 1950 to the early 1960s. Colonials are usually characterized by their gable or gambrel roofs, broken pediments, symmetrical facades and double-hung windows. The look of a colonial is so prevalent that it can be tricky to modernize its iconic look, but it’s possible. Use the following tips to transform your historic colonial home into a modern marvel.
Add a Porch
A colonial usually has a flat entryway. Design a modern exterior porch to add depth to your home. Complement this new space with added lighting and a pop of color on your door for a new-home look.
Include Exterior Accents
Consider adding new elements to your home, like shutters, stones or even vertical siding. You can also choose nontraditional contrasting colors to keep the house looking modern or paint it one color for a monochromatic look. You can also add dormers to your windows, which can help add depth to the front of your home.
Add Columns
A lot of older colonials have less of a flat entryway due to their columns and stone pathways. If you live in a prefabricated colonial, take a page from more historic builds and add columns to your home. You can also add a portico, which is a small roof over your entryway, to protect your guests from the elements.
Get to Work Updating Your Home
Now that you’ve learned how to update the exterior of your home, it’s time to start your work. Will you be working on some smaller projects or tackling larger renovations? Regardless of your next project, rely on our helpful guides to tackle the job step by step.
Next Up
Use the following outdoor and exterior projects to transform your home.
