Design blogs are filled with countless ideas for interiors. What about ideas for your exterior? How are you planning to envelop your home? Where will your main view look out to, your patio be awash with the smell of, and what will you drive up to at the end of each day? These fifty home exteriors show what it means to have a modern-looking façade. Using combinations of timber, plaster, bamboo, glass and concrete, they shoot up straight in large vertical panels, slither into long horizontal levels, and criss-cross with the forest and palm trees in a myriad of natural settings. Pick your favourite from our top 51 exteriors for yourself.
Sharply angled walls and windows give the upper floor of this modern home exterior added perspective, which directs the eye toward a beautiful Bonsai tree. 
Combine varnished timber, plaster and mushroom tones into one snazzy exterior design. This street side home finishes off its frontage with a row of manicured garden hedges. 
Integrate greenery into your home. This white brick creation lets in the light through a series of brick inlets, while a creeping fern drapes over the living area and garage. 
Modern houses don’t have to be in the city. Set in a stunning forest glade, white cherry blossoms and weeping willow trees create softness, while a black-painted column holds a room with a view. 
We’ve all dreamed of a modern log cabin from time to time. This paned wooden exterior runs its grooves smooth on the roof and perpendicular in its body, as it opens up its windows to a forest of pine. 
Sexy and sophisticated, this array of disjointed levels knows how to glow when the sun begins to set. A tall column of beige brick meets slatted wood panels in a plaster frame, letting light into common areas and giving privacy in areas where we like to hide. 
Sculpt your exterior garden with a few placed rocks. This modern building, resplendent with a tall concrete column, slatted wall of blinds and vertical glass panes matches its grey to a rock entrance and stairway. 
Use your pool to mimic the shape of your exterior. This long-line horizontal abode protects from the elements with glass and metal coverings, while a luxurious strip of blue runs its length. Two levels of patios are furnished with different types of modern outdoor chairs to delineate the specific functions of each area. 
Mix corrugated steel, plaster and concrete for the perfect blend of modern and homely. This two-storey residence on a flat plot of land lets in the sun with skylights up to the stars. 
Using a different material in one area can highlight a space. Enfolded in steel, concrete and glass, this stunning horizontal wooden panel marks a clear path to the front door. 
A beautiful balcony heightens your enjoyment of the outdoors. Large, open-framed windows make the most of this rural setting, while glass railings allow a comfy seat in an outdoor pod. 
Outdoor lookouts don’t have to be high. This white plaster dream seats a small party in a wooden enclave, providing the perfect view to watch trimmed hedges, birds and bees pass by. 
Three interlocking levels show versatility of colour in this two-storey mansion. Featuring large panes of glass and even wider viewing platforms, its open-plan form creates a rural oasis. 
Let the city in, or keep the city out. This innovative apartment open shutters at the main gate and central window façade, making them solid again to protect from noise and fumes. 
Tropical exteriors can work in urban districts. This two-level home uses a bevy of bamboo shutters, wooden pool decking, wild tussocks and palm trees to achieve the look. 
A great design for a home or office, this building offers an industrial twist on the home above. Instead of bamboo shutters, metal grating offers a glimpse of the outdoors between hanging fairy lights. Instead of palm trees, oak-lined boulevards make the space green. 
Surprise guests with an unconventional garden. Planting hordes of pussywillow afront decorated grey brick, a wooden corridor lit by hanging pendants draws the eye in. 
Zip away in your jet boat from the moment you wake. This contemporary abode uses concrete, slatted wood and glass to create a cascade of layers that stretch over a lake. 
Key elements of your exterior need not be standard. This house turns a traditional cathedral roof on its head, by slanting it diagonally across a concrete and wooden base. 
Grey and stone add a feeling of serenity to urban surroundings. Walk down the sanded wooden steps to a comfortable seating area nestled between the trees. 
Make the most of a view by building exterior protrusions. These five balconies offer a well-lit, design-cushioned view. Blue forget-me-nots offer a simple surprise on the way in. 
Succulents and shrubs offer an easy-to-maintain garden alternative. This brick and wooden home can enjoy their greenery on the ground floor, or look over them on a black iron balcony. 
Nature and technology merge in this beautiful autumn setting. Forming a series of blocks joined by a concrete-clad passage, a large glass lounge opens up the indoor-outdoor flow. 
Rooftop gardens bring nature to man-made constructions. This residence makes its stone layers shine with an array of palm trees, hanging flowers and vines dangling atop. 
Worried your white exterior looks a little too stark? Spice it up with double-roof layering, unconventional angles and a bunch of greenery growing from its edges. 
Belonging more to an art museum than a residential street, this towering masterpiece strikes a chord with a perforated yellow façade. Rows of rose hedges and an upper balcony offer differing views. 
Make your house the brightest on the street – and not just for Christmas. LED line lighting tracks the ceilings, walls and pot plants of this seriously innovative two-storey. 
