The exterior of a home speaks volumes about its character and style. Through carefully selected architectural features, a home’s facade can exude timeless charm and sophistication.
From grand columns that evoke classic elegance to intricate decorative trims that add subtle refinement, these elements transform ordinary houses into remarkable homes with unique curb appeal.
Discover how these 28 classic architectural features can elevate any home’s exterior, offering both aesthetic beauty and practical benefits, no matter the architectural style or era.
1. Columns
Columns have graced the facades of homes for centuries, offering a touch of grandeur that is both classic and commanding. These vertical structures not only support porches and entrances but also create a sense of strength and sophistication.
Whether fluted or smooth, columns can be crafted from various materials including stone, wood, or fiberglass, each lending its own texture and aesthetic.
Positioned on the front porch or framing the entrance, columns complement styles from colonial to neoclassical, inviting guests with their stately presence. Consider using them to highlight entrances or add visual height.
2. Shutters
Shutters serve as both functional and decorative elements, framing windows with warmth and charm. These classic additions can be operational or fixed, offering a picturesque complement to any style, from Mediterranean to farmhouse.
Crafted from wood or durable composites, shutters can be painted in a myriad of colors to match or contrast the home’s exterior. They bring depth and texture to the facade, creating a more inviting appearance.
Placing them on front-facing windows adds a layer of tradition and coziness, making homes appear more connected with their surroundings.
3. Gables
Gables are triangular portions of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches, adding vertical emphasis and charm. These features are especially prominent in Victorian and Gothic architecture, where they are often adorned with decorative trim.
Gables draw the eye upward, giving the impression of greater height and grandeur. They can be used to enhance rooflines, offering protection against elements while also providing aesthetic interest.
Their intricate designs can be tailored to fit various architectural styles, making them a versatile choice for both modern and classic homes.
4. Textured Stonework
Textured stonework brings an earthy, robust character to a home’s exterior, creating a sense of permanence and strength. This feature suits various styles, from rustic to contemporary, offering unique color and texture variations. Stones can be arranged in patterns or irregular designs, adding visual complexity and depth to walls and foundations.
Ideal for use on facades or as accent walls, stonework complements natural surroundings beautifully. It’s a durable choice that weathers gracefully over time, enhancing the home’s heritage and connection to the landscape.
5. Custom Door Designs
A custom door serves as the centerpiece of a home’s entrance, making a bold statement about its style and personality. These doors can be crafted from various materials, including wood, iron, or glass, each offering its own aesthetic and security benefits.
Stained glass inserts or intricate carvings add unique artistry, setting the tone for what lies beyond. Positioned at the main entrance, a custom door invites curiosity and admiration, enhancing the home’s curb appeal. Pair it with quality hardware to further elevate its elegance and functionality.
6. Decorative Trim
Decorative trim, often found along eaves, windows, and doorways, is a subtle yet impactful feature that adds elegance and detail to any home. This element is especially prominent in Victorian and Queen Anne styles, where intricate patterns highlight the craftsmanship.
Trim can be painted to contrast with the main exterior color or blend seamlessly, emphasizing architectural lines and details. It enhances visual interest and can be customized to fit personal style preferences. Decorative trim is an affordable way to add sophistication to both new constructions and renovations.
7. Arched Windows
Arched windows introduce a sense of elegance and openness, softening the look of traditional rectangular window designs. These windows date back to Gothic and Roman architecture, offering both historical charm and modern appeal. They can be installed in living rooms, entryways, or upper floors, where they catch and disperse light beautifully.
Arched windows can be customized with different materials and finishes, enhancing their versatility. They are an excellent choice for adding architectural interest, breaking the monotony of flat lines, and enhancing natural light flow into the home.
8. Bay Windows
Bay windows extend outward from a home’s main walls, creating a distinctive and inviting nook that captures light and views. These windows bring an element of dimension and space to rooms, perfect for adding seating or display areas. With their Victorian origins, bay windows suit both traditional and contemporary designs.
They amplify natural light, making spaces feel larger and more welcoming. Ideal for living rooms and kitchens, they draw the outside in, offering panoramic views and enhancing the connection between indoor and outdoor environments.
9. Cupolas
Cupolas are charming, small structures that sit atop roofs, often crowned by a weathervane. Historically used for ventilation and light, they add a whimsical touch to barns, garages, and main homes. Cupolas complement colonial, farmhouse, and coastal styles, offering a quaint yet functional aesthetic.
They can be made from wood, metal, or vinyl, with various roof shapes like domed or pointed. Positioned as a rooftop accent, cupolas draw the eye and add height, enhancing a building’s silhouette. Consider them to introduce character and tradition to any architecture.
10. Balconies
Balconies offer a private outdoor escape, enhancing the exterior with elegance and utility. These features are common in Mediterranean, French, and urban designs, providing spaces for relaxation and entertainment. Crafted from stone, wood, or metal, balconies can be adorned with railings and planters, adding layers of texture and color.
They extend living areas outward, capitalizing on views and fresh air. Positioned on upper levels or above entrances, balconies contribute to a dynamic facade, inviting interactions with the outside world while maintaining privacy and style.
11. Dormer Windows
Dormer windows protrude from a sloped roof, adding space, light, and ventilation to upper floors or attics. These windows are a staple in Cape Cod and bungalow styles, offering functional and aesthetic benefits. Dormers can be gabled, hipped, or shed in design, each contributing a distinct look.
They break up expansive rooflines, creating visual interest and enhancing the home’s profile. Ideal for bedrooms and lofts, dormer windows provide additional headroom and natural light, transforming otherwise unused areas into inviting living spaces.
12. Mansard Roofs
The mansard roof, characterized by its steep, double-pitched design, offers both style and practicality. Originating in French architecture, it maximizes the upper-level space, creating a functional attic or additional living areas. Mansard roofs contribute to the grandeur and elegance of a home, often seen in Second Empire and Victorian styles.
The steep slopes can be finished with shingles, tiles, or slate, complementing various architectural aesthetics. This roof style enhances the building’s silhouette and provides opportunities for dormer windows, increasing light and space.
13. Pergolas
Pergolas provide shade and structure to outdoor spaces, often enhancing gardens, patios, or walkways. These open-roof structures consist of vertical posts supporting cross-beams, creating a lattice that can host climbing plants or lighting.
Pergolas are common in Mediterranean and contemporary landscapes, offering a blend of function and beauty. They define outdoor areas, making them more intimate and inviting while extending living spaces into nature.
Positioned over patios or garden paths, pergolas draw the eye and create a sense of journey and exploration.
14. Turrets
Turrets evoke the romance and grandeur of medieval castles, adding unique character to modern homes. These small, tower-like structures typically feature circular or polygonal shapes, with pointed roofs and narrow windows.
Turrets can serve as cozy reading nooks, observatories, or simply as decorative elements that enhance a building’s vertical lines. Common in Victorian and Queen Anne styles, they create a dramatic silhouette against the sky.
Positioned at corners or central points, turrets elevate the home’s exterior, offering a whimsical touch that captures the imagination.
15. Stone Chimneys
Stone chimneys provide a rustic, earthy touch to a home’s exterior, connecting the structure with its natural surroundings. Crafted from stones of varying shapes and colors, these chimneys are both functional and decorative. They rise above rooftops, adding vertical interest and warmth.
Ideal for cottages, cabins, and traditional homes, stone chimneys complement styles from rustic to colonial. Positioned against exterior walls or centrally, they become focal points that enhance the architectural integrity and charm of the home. Consider them for both new builds and restorations.
16. Wraparound Porches
Wraparound porches offer expansive outdoor spaces that connect multiple sides of a home, providing ample room for relaxation and entertainment. These porches are quintessentially Southern, often enhancing colonial and farmhouse styles with their charm and utility.
Crafted from wood or composite materials, they can be adorned with railings, fans, and furniture, creating a welcoming extension of indoor living spaces. Positioned at the home’s entry or surrounding corners, wraparound porches invite leisure and gatherings, enhancing the facade with a timeless, hospitable appeal.
17. Ionic Pilasters
Ionic pilasters serve as elegant, flat-column features that add sophistication to facades without requiring full structural columns. These decorative elements, featuring iconic scroll capitals and fluted shafts, enhance neoclassical and Greek Revival styles.
Positioned along walls or framing doorways, pilasters introduce symmetry and grandeur, elevating the architectural presence of the home. Their timeless design connects classic aesthetics with modern builds, offering elegance without overpowering the overall structure.
Consider using pilasters to frame main entrances or highlight key architectural lines, adding depth and character.
18. Brick Facades
Brick facades are timeless, offering durability and classic charm to homes. The rich texture and color variations in bricks create a warm, inviting appearance that suits styles from Georgian to modern industrial. Brick facades can be left exposed or painted, providing versatility in design while maintaining structural integrity.
Ideal for both new constructions and renovations, brick adds a sense of history and permanence. Positioned on entire walls or as accents, bricks enhance curb appeal, creating a solid, cohesive look that withstands the test of time.
19. Board and Batten Siding
Board and batten siding combines vertical wood planks with narrow strips, creating a structured, textured exterior. This siding style is a hallmark of farmhouse and cottage designs, offering a rustic yet refined appearance.
The interplay of shadows and lines adds depth, enhancing visual interest and architectural detail. Positioned as full or partial siding, it complements both traditional and modern homes, adding versatility to exterior aesthetics.
Board and batten can be painted or stained, allowing for customization and a fresh, inviting facade that seamlessly blends into natural settings.
20. Fish Scale Shingles
Fish scale shingles, with their distinctive overlapping circular patterns, add unique charm and texture to a home’s exterior. Often seen on Victorian and Queen Anne homes, these shingles introduce whimsy and intricacy to roof and wall surfaces.
Crafted from wood or asphalt, they can be painted in varied colors to enhance their decorative appeal. Positioned on gables or upper walls, fish scale shingles break the monotony of flat surfaces, offering playful elegance.
They reflect light beautifully, highlighting architectural details and adding a distinctive, eye-catching element to the facade.
21. Gingerbread Trim
Gingerbread trim offers a fairy-tale quality to homes, with its ornate, lacy woodwork that adorns eaves and porches. This decorative element is a signature of Victorian architecture, adding intricacy and charm.
Crafted from wood, gingerbread trim can be painted in complementary or contrasting colors, highlighting craftsmanship and detail.
Positioned along rooflines and around windows, it enhances the home’s visual interest, creating a whimsical, enchanting facade. Ideal for both restorations and new constructions, gingerbread trim invites admiration and evokes nostalgia, transforming ordinary houses into storybook homes.
22. Carriage Garage Doors
Carriage garage doors reminisce the era of horse-drawn carriages, adding vintage charm to modern homes. These doors typically feature vertical panels, windows, and wrought iron hardware, offering a rustic yet elegant appearance.
Crafted from wood or composite materials, they enhance Craftsman and Colonial styles, blending functionality with aesthetics. Positioned as front-facing garage doors, they create a cohesive, inviting look that enhances curb appeal.
Consider carriage doors for their ability to seamlessly integrate with the home’s design, providing both privacy and decorative interest.
23. Lattice Fencing
Lattice fencing introduces both privacy and charm to a home’s exterior, with its crisscross pattern that supports climbing plants. This decorative fence style suits cottage and colonial homes, offering a delicate yet defined boundary.
Crafted from wood or vinyl, lattice fencing can be painted to match or accent the home’s exterior, blending seamlessly with gardens and landscapes. Positioned around yards or patios, it creates intimate outdoor spaces while allowing air and light to pass through.
Lattice fencing enhances the home’s connection to nature, adding elegance and warmth.
24. Leadlight Windows
Leadlight windows, known for their decorative stained glass, add artistic flair and historical elegance to a home’s facade. These windows feature intricate designs crafted from lead came and colored glass, illuminating interiors with vibrant hues.
Common in Edwardian and Arts and Crafts styles, leadlight windows become focal points that reflect personal taste and heritage. Installed in entryways or living areas, they enhance privacy without sacrificing natural light.
Consider leadlight windows to add a touch of artistry and tradition, transforming ordinary windows into captivating decorative elements.
25. Dutch Gables
Dutch gables combine the geometric precision of gable roofs with the decorative appeal of stepped or curved outlines. This feature is prominent in Renaissance and Colonial architecture, adding drama and flair to rooflines.
Dutch gables can be crafted from brick, wood, or stone, each material offering unique texture and character. Positioned on facades or rear extensions, they enhance the home’s visual interest, creating a striking silhouette.
Their intricate design offers a blend of functionality and aesthetics, making them a versatile choice for enhancing both traditional and modern homes.
26. French Doors
French doors, with their rows of glass panels, introduce elegance and openness, blurring the line between indoor and outdoor living. These doors, common in French Provincial and Mediterranean styles, invite light and views into the home, enhancing its aesthetic and functionality.
Positioned as patio or balcony entrances, they create welcoming, accessible spaces. Crafted from wood or metal, French doors can be customized to match the home’s style, offering a seamless transition to outdoor areas.
Consider them for their ability to illuminate interiors and enhance the facade with timeless charm.
27. Wrought Iron Detailing
Wrought iron detailing introduces intricate, artistic elements to a home’s exterior, offering both security and style. Common in Spanish and Mediterranean architecture, these details include railings, gates, and window grilles, crafted with elaborate patterns.
Wrought iron’s strength and malleability allow for designs that enhance facades with elegance and character.
Positioned on balconies, staircases, or entrances, these features add visual interest and a touch of luxury. They complement various architectural styles, providing decorative flair while maintaining practicality and sophistication. Wrought iron details transform ordinary elements into focal points.