Designing the exterior of a small home can be a daunting task, we are here to help you with 27 amazing small home exterior ideas to copy. Just because you own a small home, doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice your home’s style and design. Try these small home exterior ideas to boost your curb appeal and make your home’s value increase.
As the owners of a 1,200 square foot home, we know the struggle of trying to upgrade your home’s exterior without going over your budget. It was particularly hard for us to decide how much we wanted to spend on the exterior especially when we had to renovate the entire interior of the home. We are here to share with you our tips, suggestions, and small home exterior ideas that we love.
In this blog post, we will show you small home exterior paint colors, small home exterior design ideas, and small home exterior makeovers that will inspire you. Whether you are looking for easy ways to transform your exterior or want to start a complete makeover, these are the best ideas to copy for 2025.
This blog post is all about small home exterior ideas.
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What home exterior styles are timeless?
These are some home exterior styles that are timeless:
- Coastal
- Craftsman
- Cottage
- Bungalow
- Tutor
Best Small Home Exterior Ideas
Here are the 27 best small home exterior ideas that we would actually consider for our home.
1. Bold Exterior Siding Paint Color
If you have the opportunity to paint or install new siding, consider a bold or unexpected paint color for your home’s exterior. This mint green color makes this home feel unique and charming without being too bold.
2. Cottage Style Exterior Shutters
Add a touch of that cozy cottage feel to your home’s exterior by installing these elliptical wood shutters. The rounded edge on the top of these shutters makes the home feel cozy and rustic while still modern.
TIPS
- We suggest faux wood shutters because they can easily be power washed without damaging them and they will last longer than wooden shutters.
- Our favorite brand for shutters is Mid America because they are easy to install yourself, affordable and long lasting. My husband installs only this brand of shutters for all of his customers.
- Shutters are one of the most affordable and easiest ways to add curb appeal to your home if you are on a budget. A pair of vinyl shutters can cost you about $70 and hung for free if you do it yourself.
GET THE LOOK ON A BUDGET HERE:
3. Bold Front Door Exterior Paint Color
If you are afraid of the commitment of a bold siding color for your small home’s exterior, try a bold front door paint color instead! This is such a great way to add curb appeal to your home if you are on a budget or on a time crunch. The best part about painting your front door a bold color, is that you can always change the paint color in the future if your style changes or you want to freshen up your home’s appearance.
CLICK HERE TO READ OUR BLOG POST ABOUT FRONT DOOR TRANSFORMATIONS.
4. Compact Front Porch Design Idea
If you have enough space in the front of your home, consider adding a small front porch to your design plan. Create a cozy outdoor area in your small porch with comfortable seating and cozy decor. We love and use our front porch to drink coffee in the morning and have wine date nights on a cool fall night.
5. Beautiful Flower Beds
This is one of our favorite small home exterior ideas that we have ever seen! The gorgeous flowers along the front entryway of the home adds so much curb appeal and charm.
RECREATE THE LOOK WITH THESE FLOWERS:
- Knockout roses (bigger bushes that are easy to care for)
- Violas
- Geraniums
- Zinnias
- Begonias
- Marigolds
- Cosmos
TIP: Don’t forget to add your green border plants such as boxwoods to complete this design.
6. Charming Window Boxes
BEST FLOWERS AND PLANTS FOR WINDOW BOXES:
- Ivy
- Geraniums
- Petunias
- Zinnias
- Vincas
- Pansies
7. Dark Green Exterior
Dark green is an extremely popular paint color for home’s exteriors in 2025. While we mainly see this forest green color in the interior of a home, don’t be afraid to use this color for your home’s exterior too!
BEST DARK GREEN EXTERIOR PAINT COLORS:
- Cascades Sherwin Wiliams (deep dark blue green)
- Benjamin Moore Black Forest Green (dark greenish black)
- Sherwin Williams Dried Thyme (khaki gray olive green)
- Sherwin Williams Anonymus
- Sherwin Williams Dard Hunter Green
- Sherwin Williams Pewter Green
- Sherwin Williams Secret Gardens
8. Grey Siding For Small Home
If you are looking for a safer paint color option for your siding, try this stunning dark grey paint color. Design the rest of your home’s exterior in whites, blacks, and shades of brown to create a modern and classic looking exterior for your home.
Paint color in photo: Gauntlet Gray Exterior Home Paint Color By Sherwin Williams
9. Modern Small Home Exterior Design Idea
Add modern touches to your home’s entrance for a clean and minimalistic design for the outside of your home. Keep the landscaping simple with small white rocks and minimal greenery. Add a modern front door and simple exterior lighting to give your home a glow and visual interest.
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE MODERN EXTERIOR DOOR OPTIONS.
10. Modern Farmhouse Exterior Idea
Choose a modern farmhouse design idea for your small home’s exterior. This all white home with black finishes and a rustic front door has been trending over the past few years and is here to stay. If you are unsure that style to go with for your home’s exterior, this is a simple and trendy option you won’t regret.
11. Neutral Small Home Exterior
We adore this monochromatic and neutral small home exterior paint idea! They created this beautiful monochromatic look by painting the siding a light grey and installing shutters that are slightly darker to create dimension and complete the look.
Paint color in this photo: Repose Gray By Sherwin Williams
12. Small White Home Exterior Makeover Idea
How amazing is this small home exterior transformation idea? By adding this arched front porch, window boxes, a new front door, and light blue shutters, this home has totally transformed. This makeover is the proof that you don’t need to change the siding on the home to make an impact.
TIP: Try power washing the home’s siding to remove any green algae or dirt before considering if your siding needs to be replaced. We power wash our exterior every year and the finishes always come out looking brand new after.
13. Stone Siding Idea
Incorporate a blend of stone siding and vinyl siding to your small home’s exterior design. Not only does the stone add dimension and interest to the home’s exterior, it makes the home appear both modern and expensive.
14. Window Upgrade
Upgrade your small home’s windows with modern black window frames for an instant face lift. Consider installing windows with the black exterior frames and white interior frames so you can have the best of both worlds. Black windows are another trendy exterior upgrade that will make your small home stand out from the rest.
15. Front Patio Charm
One easy way to boost your curb appeal, is to always have beautiful seasonal flowers on your front porch. Arrange your pots in clusters up the stairs or around the entryway of your home. Be sure to swap out the flowers and porch decor for each season or holiday.
16. 1960’s Ranch Exterior Makeover
We adore this transformation of this simple 1960’s ranch home. The best part is they did not replace the siding due to the budget and still made a major transformation. Just by adding a small front porch, new windows, and a door it has made such a tremendous difference to the exterior!
We also live in a 1960’s ranch home, and renovated our exterior by installing a new front door, hanging new shutters, installing new gutters, and replacing the landscaping. Our windows and siding were in great condition so we kept them for the time being. We wanted to share with you the approximate prices for our small home exterior upgrade.
- New gutters & installation $1,200
- New front door $500 ( we installed it ourselves for free)
- New shutters $150 per pair ( we installed it ourselves for free)
- Landscaping $1,000 (we ripped out the old landscaping ourselves and planted new landscaping too)
We were able to stay within out budget by doing a majority of the work ourselves. For home improvement projects that we don’t feel confident doing ourselves, we always pay a professional.
17. Craftsman Small Home Exterior Idea
Craftsman exteriors are best known for their architectural features and artistic craftsmanship. Craftsman home’s showcase overhanging eaves, exposed rafters, and front porches with sturdy columns. Craftsman exteriors have a timeless look that is simple and perfect for any home!
18. Upgrade Your Front Walkway
Make an impact in your home’s front entrance by upgrading your front walkway. Whether you have the budget for pavers, concrete or stepping stones, this is the perfect way to add curb appeal to your home.
19. Mid Century Exterior
Create a mid-century modern exterior for your small home by designing sloping roofs, a minimalist aesthetic, and natural finishes.
20. Rustic Garage Doors
Opt for a rustic wood looking garage door instead of the typical white door. Not only does this help incorporate some natural wooden elements to your home’s exterior, it creates a subtle statement too. Keep in mind, these rustic garage doors range in price from $2000-$4000 which is pricier than the usual white garage doors.
21. Front Deck Improvement
Upgrade your small home’s exterior by adding or replacing your front deck. Add stained wood across the front of your home for a cozy and homey front entrance. We guarantee this will be everyone’s favorite spot of the house.
22. Black Siding Idea
Black siding on a home may seem a little intimidating at first sight, but black is actually a very timeless and classic paint color that will match every aesthetic. Black exteriors can add that touch of drama and elegance, and contrast to your home.
BEST BLACK EXTERIOR PAINT COLORS:
- Benjamin Moore Graphite
- Sherwin Williams Iron Ore
- Sherwin Williams Black Alder
- Black Magic Sherwin Williams
- Wrought Iron Benjamin Moore
- Smoke Gray Benjamin Moore
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE BLACK PAINT OPTIONS AND SWATCHES.
23. Small Home Exterior Lighting
Brighten up your entryway (literally) with new outdoor lighting fixtures on either side of your front door. Be sure to swap out all the exterior lights including any in the back of the home, side, or near the garage.
RECREATE THE LOOK FOR UNDER $35
24. Unique House Number
Make a big impact on your small home’s exterior by making the small change of upgrading your house number. Upgrade your house numbers with a modern design that can enhance the outside of your home and make sure the Amazon packages go to the right house (LOL). We adore how simple yet impactful it is to spell out your house number across the front of your home. This is such a brilliant and cost effective exterior upgrade you can do yourself.
GET THE LOOK FROM AMAZON:
25. Small Home Landscaping
Landscaping is one of pricier parts of an exterior home renovation project, however it is crucial to your home’s overall appearance.
If you are on a budget, try tackling the landscaping yourself to save on costs. Head to your local nursery and take your time researching what plants to best in certain parts of the home and how big the plants will grow. Remember that landscaping is about trial and error so give yourself grace in the beginning if your plants don’t love their new environment.
TIP: Remember your plants will grow over time so be sure to leave the appropriate spacing between the plants to avoid your landscaping to look crowded.
26. Coastal Exterior
Coastal home exteriors usually will have a calm color palette of whites, blues, and sandy neutrals. Whether you have a small cottage or a modern beachfront retreat, incorporating coastal elements add charm and beauty to the home.
27. Beach Bungalow
Give your beach bungalow a modern makeover by adding modern touches such as the black trim window frames, black outdoor lighting, and a small front porch. Keep the landscaping to a minimum by replacing the grass with tiny rocks for easy maintenance.
This blog post was all about small home exterior ideas.
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