34 Incredible Before-and-After Exterior Home Remodels

Before: Dated Brick Home

This home's midcentury modern charm was buried under years of neglect. The landscaping was overgrown and layers of dirt covered the facade. An exterior home renovation helped the sprawling ranch-style home step into view.

After: Midcentury Modern Makeover

Scaled-back landscaping lets the midcentury modern architecture shine. A bright white exterior color highlights the lines of the brick facade. Wood elements, including horizontal slat siding and a new front door, repeat across the exterior.

Before: Dreary Ranch

A hodgepodge of brick and crumbling concrete gave this ranch a dated appearance that buried its potential. See how an upgraded exterior color and a new entry changed the whole look of the home. This makeover proves that small changes can have a big impact.

After: Welcoming Home Exterior

Painting the exterior a warm white and coating the shutters in khaki, just a few shades darker than the house, was a budget-friendly move with big impact. Blue slate steps and stacked stone risers carve a clear path to the entrance, where a new portico defines the entry and creates a transition between the inside and out. Colorful landscaping completes the inviting look.

Before: Overgrown Exterior

This home was hiding behind overgrown landscaping. Hedges blocked the view from the street and drew attention to an old garden wall. During the exterior renovation, the homeowner replaced the hedges with lantana, a plant she saw growing wild on the side of the highway.

After: Bright Exterior Makeover

The goal for this exterior makeover was to lighten and brighten the facade but stay true to the home's original spirit. The homeowner kept the cinder block retaining wall and original entry gate, but everything else got the boot. The redwood tree was replaced with a pair of olive trees, which let much more light into the interior.

Before: Lacking Structure

The rear of the house had a poorly built addition that wasn't structurally sound, so the homeowner had to tear it off and start over. Removing it also gave her a chance to add French doors to the bedroom and the sunroom, changing the way the indoor and outside spaces relate. She wanted it to feel like a living room: well-appointed and cozy.

After: Outdoor Entertaining Paradise

New windows and doors create a strong indoor-outdoor connection. The homeowner set up multiple seating areas outside and chose pale finishes that will stay cool under the hot sun. Keeping all the plantings within a monochromatic palette helped create a cohesive look. The landscaping and decor reflect the homeowner's love for shades of green with white florals.

Before: A Work in Progress

Situated on a small lot, this home exterior had character but lacked polish. The bland beige siding and dark brown roof and trim gave the house a heavy, dated look. The finished exterior makeover demonstrates the difference a fresh coat of exterior paint—and new windows—can make.

After: Modern Farmhouse Exterior

Ripping off gables and a pretty arch to the right of the home was a big risk, but the exterior home remodel certainly paid off. Thoughtful updates, such as a cedar shake roof, an expansive dormer, and a glass-panel front door, transformed the home's previously lackluster exterior. Painted a crisp shade of white with black trim details, the home now boasts modern farmhouse style. A new paver pathway, planters, and landscaping add curb appeal.

Before: Builder-Bland Home

The mix of brick and siding on this builder-grade home exterior didn't help it stand out. Because the house stood in a coveted family-friendly neighborhood, the homeowners were willing to tackle a substantial renovation. With a reworked roofline and new pathway, the remodeled exterior makes a much stronger first impression.

After: Inviting Home Exterior

Two new dormers give height and natural light to the second-floor addition of this 1986 home. The dormers prompted a more substantial front entry with a white-columned portico. An expanded pathway accented with brick pavers ushers guests to the new front door.

Before: Bare and Bulky

This home's architectural style was charming but bland. Its small front porch and large bay window weren't ideal for outdoor family time. With minimal landscaping, the large front yard didn't boast much curb appeal either.

After: Welcoming Front Porch

The homeowners expanded the front porch, which suits the family-friendly historic neighborhood and allows for outdoor entertaining and relaxing. It's large enough to host a group of friends. Iconic Craftsman details, such as painted corbels and cased tapered porch columns, were added as architectural features. A new walkway and updated landscaping greet visitors with style.

Before and After: Cape Cod Charmer

Underneath overgrown landscape and dull colors, this Cape Cod home was a stunner waiting to happen. Watch and see how it was transformed into an inviting facade. These Cape Cod exterior home remodeling tips can apply to houses of all styles.

Before: Easily Overlooked Exterior

Surrounded by rose-filled lanes, historical architecture, and picturesque harbors, this vacation cottage in Nova Scotia has enjoyed scenic views since 1875. But along the way, the house itself lost some of its charm. A fresh coat of paint and porch decor details changed that. See how this home exterior design looks now.

After: Charming Historic Home

Without sacrificing historical character, gray-blue paint and cream-color trim offer a sophisticated palette for the Gothic Revival-style home. A pediment and brackets lend architectural presence to the front door. New benches and planters enhance the home's welcoming atmosphere.

Before and After: Ranch Redo

See how a humble ranch received a major boost in curb appeal. Fresh entryway ideas, including a renovated front porch, fresh landscaping, and a new walkway, add interest to the ranch home exterior remodel. Watch to gain tips for your own renovation.

Before: Rundown Cottage

A quirky facade with cottage charm had deteriorated over the years, leaving the home in shambles. Boarded up windows, a crumbling front stoop, and a barren yard signaled a cry for help. See what curb appeal tips the homeowners employed to give this home a brand new look.

After: Charming Cottage Renovation

A new exterior color, portico, and a few changes to the floor plan revamped the 1907 home. New garden beds enhance the property's cottage charm and welcome guests who step in through the new glass-panel front door. Even after all the exterior home renovations, the cottage's original character remains intact.

Home Exterior Remodel Ideas

See how these homes gained style and character with a few exterior upgrades. Architectural enhancements, door and hardware replacements, and fresh exterior colors are all easy ways to up your home's character and curb appeal. Plus, there are a variety of affordable options available.

Before: Drab Split-Level Home

The only eye-catching feature of this split-level home was its jarring combination of blue-painted siding and Santa-red brick. The entry was scrunched into a cramped alcove and upstaged by the garage. You might not even recognize the finished look after this brick house exterior makeover.

After: Splendid Exterior Makeover

A sophisticated Prairie-style makeover took this split-level from blah to beautiful. Stucco replaced cedar siding and the brickwork below was painted to match. The entry was pulled from the shadows and centered in a tall, gabled bump-out. Sidelights and a three-part transom dramatize the door. Pedestals were added to the revamped stoop, which leads into a colored-concrete walkway. Raised stucco trim surrounds new casement windows on the upper level. A band of slate tile strengthens horizontal lines, while a period light fixture adds a finishing touch.

Before: Dilapidated Exterior

This small Cape Cod home presented a less-than-friendly facade. The cedar-shingle siding had been blackened by pollution and oxidation. The dormers looked puny and out of place and the white garage door detracted from the rest of the home's architecture. See what kind of Cape Code exterior home remodeling tricks changed the look of this home.

After: Classic Cape Cod Home

An arched portico above a new brick stoop and an adjoining pergola-topped porch give this Cape Cod home a more welcoming entry. A new, rich-looking cedar garage door harmonizes with the cedar siding and is surrounded by arched trim to echo the portico's arch. Additional upgrades include a larger front window, bigger dormers, fresh roofing, and a gracious walkway with brick paving that emphasizes the green lawn.

Home Exterior Makeover Tips

Upgrades such as new siding, a fresh coat of paint, and eye-catching shutters restore the character to this 1885 home. The owners also did some impressive work with the landscaping that took it from overgrown to lush. Transform the look of your home's exterior with ideas from this amazing makeover.

Before: Out of Place

With a mismatch of materials and an awkward facade, this odd-looking 1950s Colonial begged for help. After an exterior home remodel, it became a romantic chateau inspired by the French countryside. It was in need of an upgrade that could give it new life without removing its strong character.

After: French Country Exterior

A former neighborhood misfit, this country French-styled home is now an old-world charmer. Rough stucco slathered over pinkish brick added several inches in thickness to the walls. A new slate roof received a gentle sweep on the ends. Lower windows were swapped for slender exterior French doors with arched tops, paneled bottoms, and iron hardware. The main entry now features an arched, solid-wood door flanked by sidelights that continue its curve. A rustic stone arch crowns the entry. A cut-stone terrace across the front of the house, a rustic flagstone walk, and a low stucco wall that serves as a fence add to the French-country romance.

Before: Run-Down Rowhouse

This classic Victorian rowhouse was in serious need of rescue with its decaying exterior, old windows, and overgrown landscaping. Wait until you see what a fresh paint job and smart window coverings ideas can do. Quality exterior paint was this home's lifesaver.

After: Restored Rowhouse

The rowhouse revival began with the replacement of every window, a new coat of gray paint on the siding, cream on the trim, and darker green on the accents. New wooden railings and balustrades ascend the concrete and terrazzo steps, and two new sets of columns support the portico. To perk up the lower level, a new garage was installed as well as an attractive garage door featuring inset panels and arch-top windows that echo the curve of the classic bay windows. Overgrown bushes were removed and stacked-stone retaining walls keep the new yard tidy.

Before: Ordinary Exterior

Odd window configurations, plain clapboard siding, and a nondescript porch gave the front exterior of this 1920s cottage very little personality. The owners were able to fix that with a curb appeal renovation you'll love. The new home exterior design boasts a much more sophisticated style.

After: Craftsman Home Exterior Renovation

A renovation that includes strong Arts and Crafts design elements gives this home plenty of personality. A new pitched-roof portico echoes the roofline of the main gable and two striking pairs of square columns support the portico's pleasing arch. New steps inlaid with pavers graciously lead guests to a custom mahogany door with leaded-glass sidelights that invite light into the home. Shaker siding in a mossy green color contrasts with the soft white trim. A low brick wall creates a formal separation from the new driveway.

Before: Disjointed Exterior

When it was built in 1927, this Nashville home exuded English Tudor style. At some point, the gables disappeared in a home renovation attempting to give the architecture a French twist. A few new exterior home updates restored the brick house to its original beauty.

After: Tudor-Style Home Makeover

The first order of business was restoring the stone-clad entry gable, a hallmark of Tudor style. New double doors enhance the drama. Framed by a stone arch, the heavy wood doors complete a curve when closed. Restoring the peak of the large cross-gable and adding a matching roof dormer and decorative half-timbering provides another layer of Tudor style. Fresh paint, pale gray roofing, and fine details, including window boxes and salvaged copper lanterns, round out the list of exterior home improvements.

Before: Run-Down Cottage

Built in 1933, this neglected home needed a dramatic makeover to become livable again. An impressive redesign did just that with the help of some serious upgrades. You won't believe your eyes when you see the new home exterior design.

After: Restored Beauty

A new door, siding, and windows plus extensive landscaping made this cottage livable and lovely. For a focal point, the new entry features a portico supported by triple Tuscan-style columns and built-in benches. Wide orchard-stone steps and a charcoal-dyed driveway give it an upscale touch.

Before: Unflattering Facade

This small 1940s Cape Cod was almost overtaken by shrubs that crowded the home and encroached the front steps. The uninviting entry offered zero dimension and little character. After this exterior home remodel, this home went from boring to beautiful.

After: Small-Home Exterior Update

Clearing out the overgrowth of shrubs, adding plants for shade, and building an entryway bump-out with a peaking portico over the front door gave this home much-needed dimension and personality. Low rock walls flank wide steps accented with stone, beefing up the front door's presence. New shingle siding in a soft gray hue and low-to-the-ground shade plants soften the exterior.

Before: Bland Brick Home

The wooded lot, solid foundation, and full basement attracted the homeowners to this ordinary 1950s three-bedroom brick ranch. After they moved in, they re-envisioned what the home could be and created a home exterior worth noticing.

After: Stunning Exterior Transformation

An upper-level addition created more living space and a spectacular new face. Architectural elements, including two gables and a shed dormer, add visual interest to the front exterior. The shed dormer breaks up the roofline and fills the home with natural sunlight. The home's brick, originally a patchwork of colors, is painted to match the shingles on the facade of the new upper floor, and white trim draws attention to the handsome divided windows.

Before: Crumbling Craftsman

From the outside, this Craftsman fixer-upper appeared to be falling apart. The siding featured peeling, discolored shingles, and the dark color scheme and rickety stairs set an unwelcoming tone. After a few structural fixes and fresh paint, the home regained its original charm.

After: Restored Exterior

Light gray paint brightens the exterior and unites the lower lap siding with the upper level's shingles. White trim gives windows, the front door, and the perimeter of the porch a cleaner look, while outdoor furniture and potted plants make the space more inviting. The stairs up to the door, porch railing, and columns were also reinforced to be sturdier.

Before: Not-So-Cute Cottage

The off-center front door threw off the balance of the otherwise symmetrical facade, and a covered porch spanning the home's front blocked natural light. Striped awnings on the upper windows made the upstairs equally dark and dreary. The newly redesigned exterior is hardly recognizable.

After: Classic Home Exterior

Removing the slope-roofed porch gave this home a happier exterior. The centered front door is now the focal point of the home's exterior. With warm wood casings and leaded glass panels, the door sets a formal tone to this refreshed home exterior. The door is covered with a flat-roofed porch with elegant side panels and pillars.

Repeating the sophisticated style of the front entry, a new second-story porch to the left extends the home's gracious exterior details. Low-maintenance vinyl siding in ocean blue contrasts nicely with the wood door and white trim.

Before: Cramped Cape Cod

With a new baby on the way, the homeowners had an excuse to add on to this one-bedroom 1922 cottage and improve the less-than-friendly exterior. The new addition brought with it an exterior makeover with timeless style. See what this ranch home exterior remodel looks like now.

After: Cape Cod Charmer

The home now features distinct Cape Cod style, thanks to a new upper floor with dormers, a gable over the front entry, and a main-level bay window that brings symmetry to the entry. Cedar shakes and white trim make the addition look seamless. A new walkway is gorgeous and even more defined than it was.

Before: Cold and Uninviting

Diagonal cedar siding in a dark finish gave the home a dated look. A solarium over the entry made the facade feel cold, closed-off, and uninviting. This old '70s house exterior makeover is one you have to see.

After: Warm and Welcoming Exterior

Removing the solarium makes room for a pretty porch with custom-built columns that improved the entry's function and provide the curb appeal this lakeside home needed. A handsome wooden door with sidelights serves as a focal point. New cedar shake siding gives the exterior a traditional look.

Before: Reason to Remodel

An infestation of mold in this home led to the removal of all windows, stucco, sheeting, and insulation. That created an exciting opportunity for the owners of the mid-1990s home: a chance to transform their plain, contemporary exterior. See what they did with their unique opportunity.

After: Classic Conversion

A new portico, crisp arched details, larger grid windows, and stunning stonework take this once-contemporary home from boring to traditionally charming. Wood-shingle siding replaces the old stucco. The white trim around the windows really stands out on a clear-sky, sunny day.

Before: Less Than Charming

The interior of this 1893 Victorian was full of details, but the exterior had lost its classic touches. The porch was previously removed because of rotting wood and the house was re-sided. A new wraparound front porch and a bold new exterior paint color update the home's exterior design and change the look of the home completely.

After: Charming Victorian Renovation

An extensive exterior renovation restored the Victorian's original grandeur. Half-round decorative panels on the highest parts of the facade and white trim provide a crisp contrast to the red-painted vinyl siding. A porch addition softens the entry and creates an inviting outdoor living space.

Before: Boxy Colonial

This large Colonial previously showed off the boxy, symmetrical features typical of the style. However, a faded paint job and lackluster entryway made the home look dated rather than classic. An exterior renovation added a portico and front porch to give the facade new prominence and timeless style.

After: Grand Colonial Home

Breaking away from its squared-off shape, the home now features cross gables over the garage and second level to create a more dynamic roofline. A large portico juts out over the front entry, which now features oversized French doors and a large lantern pendant overhead. Crisp white paint replaces the dull blue color and forms a distinctive contrast to the black shutters and doors.

Before: Generic Two-Story Home

With a bland exterior, sparse landscaping, and a blank white garage door, this vacation home was easily forgettable. Its beautiful lakeside setting demanded something more eye-catching. After a stunning exterior home renovation, the house looks completely brand-new.

After: Enviable Vacation Home

With new rooflines, natural cedar siding, and accents of rough-hewn stone, this weekend retreat gets the Arts and Crafts character it was lacking. A cross-gable roof extension, supported by a post-and-beam scissor truss perched atop two hefty stone pillars, gives the entry a whole new status. Colorful landscaping ups the charm along the pathway to the front door.

Before: Basic Ranch Exterior

Basic siding and heavy overhangs left this 1957 ranch looking dated and dark. Luckily, a ranch home exterior remodel was in the plans. The result of its extreme makeover is nearly unrecognizeable.

After: Glowing Exterior Update

Pergolas over the front door and garage add architectural interest, and carriage-style garage doors replace the generic ones to create a Craftsman look. New horizontal-bevel cedar siding spruces up the facade, and a new color scheme gives the exterior a much-needed pop of color. Removed brick was reused for porch columns and planters in the front of the home.

Before: Brand-New but Boring

This Georgian-style home failed to inspire and lacked the character of its namesake architectural style. The brand-new home needed an exterior boost to keep it from blending in with the rest of the homes in the development. See how a touch of exterior paint and a large addition gave this home a show-stopping exterior.

After: Noteworthy New Home

The addition of a front porch, dormers, and several styles of trim combine to create a custom appearance that brings the home to life. Low-maintenance fiberglass columns and molded polymer millwork, along with charming white rocking chairs, frame the new entrance. A sunroom addition visually balances the garage.

Before: Boxy and Boring

A beach home should be bright and breezy, but that wasn't the case with this 1960s home. The overall appearance was weighed down by the two carports topped by a screen porch. The porch's screens, which blocked sunlight from entering the home, reiterated the boxy shape of the space below, creating an unappealing stacked effect.

After: Beach Home Remodel

To give the beach home a lighter appearance, the exterior was painted a pale yellow with crisp white trim. The porch was transformed into an open-air retreat enclosed only by horizontal white railings. French doors along the back wall of the porch allow more light to enter into the living room. Swinging pressure-treated louvered pine panels painted an olive green camouflage the parking spaces below.

Before: 1950s Home

Tiny windows and a small, uninteresting entry left the homeowners of this 1950s ranch feeling trapped in the past. And with no front porch, they had no space for outdoor living. See what you can learn from this extreme makeover that left their home looking completely different.

After: Fanciful Country Cottage

The new double-gabled entry serves as a focal point and frames the enlarged foyer of the revived home. The eye-catching design combines two-tone brick cladding and cedar siding. Stone forms the walks and stairs, and larger windows supply cottage charm.

Before: Uninviting Home Exterior

A mix of Eastern and Western elements were successfully showcased inside the home, but this failed to translate on the outside. A poorly designed front porch and overgrown bushes and trees created a not-so-welcoming entry. The new home exterior design is one to behold.

After: Customized Home Exterior

The porch was replaced with a more traditional Arts and Crafts-style entry that stayed true to the home's Asian roots. The lantern, door, wood posts, and shape of the roof—constructed of a lightweight slate-look rubber-and-fiberglass material—complement the home's style. Overgrown bushes and trees were removed and the yard was razed to allow for an expanse of concrete pavers. Tidy trees and plantings were planted along the home's foundation.

Before: In Need of Repair

Yellow-beige paint with brown trim, too-small windows, and a low concrete-block wall that cordoned off the front yard left this bungalow in need of a serious facelift. See what exterior paint ideas they employed to work around strict neighborhood remodeling rules.

After: Updated Bungalow

Because the house was located in a historical district, rules required that the front windows, doors, and facade remain the same. Despite these limitations, the homeowner successfully improved the home's function and appeal. The home's stucco was redone in a natural color, the trim was painted white, and wide stone steps replaced the narrow concrete stairs.