Steel log siding is getting a lot of attention from homeowners and design experts as a way to get a great log home look. But a lot of people don’t really know that much about this innovative siding product that can transform the look of your home and is durable, sustainable, and perfect for all …
Not every mansion has a circular driveway, but most properties that boast a circular driveway are also home to a mansion. Circular driveways are expensive, given all the concrete, brick and/or asphalt needed to create one. A circular driveway certainly adds a grandiose air to a property, especially when it comes to circular residential driveways. …
I had no idea a green exterior color for a home was as popular as it is. I had to weed out loads and settled on this collection. I chose the examples in this article so that it would be a diverse set of house styles as well as all shades of green (dark to …
Red brick is definitely a popular home exterior material. As you can see below, the result is nothing short of spectacular exteriors. While red brick costs more than vinyl siding and fiber cement, it’s less than natural stone. Depending on the brick you choose and labor costs in your area, expect to pay $6.50 to …
I’m surprised not many houses opt for a blue exterior. I like the look as long as it’s a good blue for exteriors. My preference is a dark blue or blue/grey offset with white trim. Speaking of white trim, you’ll notice most of the examples in this collection have white trim. It’s a great look. …
Do you like yellow as an exterior color for houses? As stated above, I sure do. Currently our house is dark green, which is okay, but I’d prefer it yellow. Our friends just painted their home bright yellow and it’s fabulous. It becomes a happy showpiece in the neighborhood. As you’ll see below, yellow works on …
Chinese architecture is one of the oldest and most influential in the world. The staples of traditional Chinese architecture – more specifically, the timberwork frames, primaryful stone carving, rammed earth constructions, bucket arch buildings and many other techniques – set it apart from other architectural styles by providing the buildings with grace and a certain …
I love creative living arrangements. It’s fun to imagine living in something different than most of us do. While our big change each year is a a couple of weeks camping, some people choose to live in creative home styles year-around. Here’s an awesome collection of unusual homes from around the world that people actually …
Asphalt has its benefits for a driveway material, but it’s not the prettiest. While it’s a good road material, you might want to consider something nicer for your home… not that concrete is the nicest either (which is what we have for our driveway). Here are 8 excellent alternatives to asphalt for driveway material. Includes …
When you’re replacing windows, it’s nice to know all the different parts of the window and window frame. That’s here these 2 diagrams come into play. The first illustrates the anatomy of a window and frame. The second showcases the anatomy of a cross-section of a three-pane window. Diagram: Parts of a Window Interior Casing: …
Most homes use regular gutters, you don’t have to use them. Perhaps you don’t like the look of them or the maintenance or you simply want to try something different. Below we set out 7 viable alternatives to gutters for your home. Check them out. Related: Parts of a Roof Gutter 1. Rain Chains Source: …
Like many aspects of a home, a roof is fairly complex. There are quite a few parts of a roof on a home including different layers and features. Below we created a very helpful custom diagram that illustrates the various features and layers of a typical roof. For more information about roofs, check out our …
There are a surprising few types of roofs for the home. While 36 sounds like a lot, when you check out our list below, several are variations of one type. Intricate roofs have many parts that incorporate several of the basic roofing designs such as a gable roof sitting atop a gambrel or variations of …
The roof truss structure and design are integral to the roof’s structural integrity and shape. There are many types of roof trusses (as well as many types of roofs)… more types than there are parts. This article and series of illustrated diagrams show you all the parts of a basic roof truss, king truss, and …
Just as there are many types of roofs with many roof parts, there are many different types of roof trusses. This extensive article explains through a series of custom truss diagrams the different truss configurations you can use for various roofs. While this article focuses on configurations, we also have a very cool set of illustrations …
A door, whether a front door or interior door of a home is a complicated component to the home as you’ll see in our various parts of a door diagrams below which includes illustrations of a door, door frame, hinge and knob. While we don’t include locks, you can read all about the different types …
Welcome to our aerial house photo gallery where you can check out aerial photos of all types of homes. Photos Related: All main house exteriors photo gallery Aerial view of this three-story house featuring an interesting rooftop architecture complemented with simple yet classy landscaping. Rainforest canopy trees served as a calming backdrop to the area. …
Home improvement projects can help you boost curb appeal, but they can also be functional, boosting home security and giving you and your loved ones greater peace of mind. Here are 13 exterior home projects to add to your to-do list. Related: Types of Safes | Smart Home Door Locks | Top Smart Home Cameras …
Cedar siding is a beautiful, durable material that is sure to stand out. To help you learn more about this remarkable product, a team of cedar siding experts based in Vancouver created the following guide to the pros and cons of cedar siding. What is cedar siding? Cedar is a beautiful natural wood that is …
You may be surprised to learn that steel siding is actually an amazing siding material to choose for the exterior of your home. Many of the same reasons why commercial buildings are often sided with steel are similar to why a residential home can also benefit. With a growing number of different steel siding manufacturers …
You’re probably familiar with accordion doors for reach-in closets, but did you know their are accordion style shutters too? While non-folding are far more popular, accordion (a.k.a. folding) are very useful in certain situations… specifically wide windows, openings and as room dividers. This article briefly explains what these types of shutters are, pros and cons and …
These tips were generously provided by Nigel Costolloe, owner of Catchlight Painting. As a long-time painting contractor, he knows the ins and outs of how to hire a painting contractor. In the old days, hiring someone simply meant asking a neighbor or friend for a referral to a craftsman or woman – this was usually the …
Picking the right type of siding for your house involves a variety of different considerations. You’ll want something that looks good and holds up to the harsh elements, but are still easy to maintain and easy on the wallet. Siding options like wood, stone, brick or stucco may look great, but they may require serious …
The American Foursquare home has a distinct architectural style on both the outside and inside. If you’re interested in foursquare home exteriors, check out our massive gallery and guide on 38 American Foursquare homes here. This gallery showcases the interiors of 2 fabulously restored/renovated American Foursquare homes in the United States. Key interior design features …
Last year my interest in the American Foursquare style of a home hit home as our family nearly purchased one. It’s a gorgeous home and we liked the style inside and out. It turned out we didn’t end up buying the house (opting to most likely build, which is a story for a later day), …
I remember the first time I saw a home with a Gambrel roof. It was a gorgeous, large home down the road from a childhood friend’s home. My first thought was that it was a barn turned into a home. As a kid I thought that was a pretty cool concept. Later, of course, I …
Welcome to our collection of shingle-style homes. Shingle style homes are popular in some pockets of the USA. The shingle exterior can be applied to many design styles. For example, above is a Victorian style home (source) with a shingle exterior. Shingle style homes were designed to resemble the colonial homes shingled exterior and size. …
The way the outside of your home looks is the first overall impression of your home. Between outdoor furniture, gardening accessories and other types of exterior decor, it’s easy to have a stylish and presentable yard, especially in the spring and summer months. The front and back of your home are equally important, being that …
Welcome! Below are the best and most interesting examples of front door and plant ideas you can easily copy to enhance your own front entry. To gain a good first impression, start it right at your front door. That is because a pleasing and welcoming entryway reflects your identity as a homeowner. Remember that guests …
Welcome to our gallery featuring 40 rooms with stained glass windows. We believe that the windows in a home are one of the most transparently important elements. A small space can be expanded visually with large windows. The natural light provided by windows can make wondrous improvements to almost any room. We have created this gallery as …
Welcome to our gallery featuring delicate cedar roof designs. Take a look around your neighborhood. What kind of roofing do you see? Nowadays, asphalt shingles are a very popular choice. Most of the time, asphalt is the most cost effective. Just because your neighborhood is flourishing with asphalt shingles doesn’t mean you should follow the group. …
Is it better to have a rancher style home or 2-story? At the end of the day it boils down to personal preference. If purchasing an existing home, it depends on the inventory in your area. If building a home, it depends on your lot. Nevertheless, there are some objective pros and cons to both …
Welcome to our gallery featuring a spectacular array of green roofs, one of the most innovative yet natural roofing solutions ever. We wanted to bring you a collection of roofs that covered the wildly varied and intriguing constructs also known as living roofs. A living roof is a roof of a building that is at least partially or …
First impressions are important, even when it comes to your home! While a smile or handshake can turn strangers into friends, the right front door can really help “wow” visitors who enter your home. Homeowners often want a front door that is classy, intriguing, fun, and sophisticated. Black front doors in particular exude sophistication and class, and pair well with nearly all colors. We’ve collected …
The front entry of everyone’s home is the center of its attractiveness. You can catch anybody’s eyes if you have a red door at your home’s entry point. Make an impact by dressing it up or by installing additional accessories that will enhance its vibrant color. Your red door should be a mirror of what’s …
Front doors represent the people living behind them. Every time you visit a home, whether it is small or tall, an apartment or an actual house, the first thing you would notice is the main entrance. The front door is actually the centerpiece of a home’s front exterior. It is one of first things that …
Garages aren’t the most exciting part of a home. But in our culture, they’re important and are a large part of most homes. The good news is that today’s homes actually strive to make garages and garage doors look good… often replicating the design of the home. Our massive gallery of garage door designs includes …
This is a very special post for me because growing up I was fortunate in that my parents purchased a small lot on a nearby lake where we spent summers. While it wasn’t on the lake and while our home wasn’t a villa, it was close enough to the water that we spent weeks every …
While the large white, symmetrical mansion with columns is the stereotypical “plantation home design” not all southern mansions are built in this style. In fact, the architecture across both historical and contemporary southern home designs varies. The overarching architectural term used to refer to plantation homes is antebellum architecture, which includes several forms of architecture …
Growing up and still living in a coastal community, I’ve been exposed to beach houses all of my life. Even when I went to college, which was located in Western Michigan which, spectacular lake beach houses (on Lake Michigan – see Lake Michigan image below). While I’ve never lived in a home situated on the …
I remember viewing my first modern home that was built in the smallish town where I grew up. There is a mountain on the east side of town where large homes were built. It was the premiere neighborhood in our town because the views are incredible. Far up the mountain in the late 80’s a …