53 Beautiful Home Exteriors That Radiate Curb Appeal

What was supposed to be a small guest cottage on Brays Island in South Carolina quickly turned into a couple's dream getaway thanks to the home's incredibly livable and cozy details by architect Peter Block. The steep, curved gable roof with porches tucked underneath was inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement in England.

When designer Alex Papachristidis' asked his sister about the design of her summer home on Mecox Bay, Ophelia Rudin made clear that she did not want a typical shingled Hamptons home. Thus came a white stucco facade with Jerusalem limestone trim and floors throughout in all sorts of patterns. Though, the roof still has the traditional cedar shingles, “to bring it down a notch,” Papachristidis says, “and make sure it doesn’t feel out of place in the Hamptons.”

Textile designer Richard Smith describes his first impression of this once "romantic 17th-century wreck" as love at first sight. It took four years of external renovations for Fairlight Place's English charm to finally be restored. The Sussex sandstone farmhouse's porches and casement windows were believed to be added around 1805.

VERANDA's Next Legend Matthew Carter knew from the moment he saw this 70-year-old midcentury cottage on Harbour Island it would take an extensive renovation and sublime color to restore its Bahamian flair. The Kentucky-based decorator was more than ready for the challenge having a plethora of antiques collected over the years just beckoning to fill the cottage. The veranda’s blush pink exterior (Old Country by Benjamin Moore) and Chippendale-style railings create a relaxing spot to enjoy the warm island breeze.

Flat roofs are not a common sight on Lake Toxaway, but Al and Parker Platt were determined to construct a modernist lakeside cottage designed to blend into its surroundings. The roofs of the compound are almost entirely planted with native grasses and wildflowers which improve heating and cooling efficiency and absorb rainwater.

“I wanted everything to feel cohesive, clean, and tied together,” explains Richard Hallberg, who renovated this Nashville mansion. “I don’t like transitions to be jarring.” The Los Angeles–based designer painted the once red brick facade a soft grey color and lacquered the shutters and front door a deep blue shade to match the cloud-like palette of the home's interiors.

Set on 52-acres of endless vineyards with Mayacamas Mountains in the distance, the entrance of this storied estate by Ken Fulk needed to make a statement and connect to its lush surroundings. Mature tree ferns and Mexican fan palms frame the main house while a fresh coat of soft white paint in the facade recalls the old bleached stone seen throughout the property.

Upon first sight, the Woodall family was smitten with this weekend hunting lodge and bird-bountiful landscape in the Low Country. With the help of designer Andrew Howard, the South Carolina home became a cool-weather escape for friends and family to gather. The wraparound veranda, double-entry staircase, and lower gallery arches exude the region's classic raised-cottage architecture.

Nestled in the heart of the Hudson Valley, this neoclassical abode houses an extraordinary collection of museum-quality antiques and artwork. Architect Cynthia Filkoff borrowed details from a local Presbyterian church dating to the mid-19th century to ensure the new home fit in among its character-laden neighbors.

Designer Peter Dunham and architect Bob White of Forest Studio worked together to reimagine this Newport Beach, California, home with outdoor living and entertaining acting as the main focus. White maximized every inch of garden space and designed the backyard's stunning centerpiece: an English country-inspired folly housing private guest quarters and an airy second-floor office.

"I love seeing the white plaster silhouetted against a backdrop of big pines and eucalyptus," White says.

Built in 1999, this expansive brick home in Dallas's Preston Hollow neighborhood serves as a vivid entertaining spot for renowned hostess Kimberly Whitman. A grand front porch and second-floor balcony stuns at first sight.

Inspired by the homes she saw during her childhood summers in Colonial Williamsburg, designer Caroline Gidiere worked with architect James F. Carter to create her sublimely proportioned brick Georgian-style home.

“The symmetry and balance of it massages something deep in my brain,” says Gidiere. The front door and its surround was influenced by Philip T. Shutze.

Global designer and antiques dealer William Eubanks transformed this Memphis Tudor-style home into a romantic cottage with flourishing Anglican-style gardens. Ivy, white O’hara roses, and creeping fig blanket the 1920s house, creating a lush oasis.

Complete with a moat and a friendly peacock named Brunelleschi, the south France retreat of design legend Juan Pablo Molyneux radiates splendor throughout its grounds and walls. Château de Pouy-sur-Vannes’ structure dates from the 12th through the 17th centuries.