Mediterranean house exterior ideas

A Mediterranean house exterior pairs warm, textured walls with a terracotta roof, wood doors and sun-loving planting. Below are six Mediterranean house exterior ideas shown on real ordinary houses, before and after, with what each change does and which details need more than paint. The examples use Preserve Structure, which is designed to keep existing materials, but in these photos the AI still redrew the walls and roof, so results can differ from a simple repaint.

HomeCompose editorsUpdated October 23, 2026

What makes a house look Mediterranean?

Warm, textured walls. Lime-washed render or plaster in cream, sand, ochre or soft peach, rather than white vinyl or gray siding.
A terracotta roof. Curved clay tiles in orange-brown tones are the strongest single cue.
A warm wooden door. A stained wood front door, often with wrought-iron details, replaces a painted black or white one.
Shutters and lanterns. Wooden shutters in brown or green, and iron or bronze wall lanterns, add character.
Planting. Lavender, olive trees, grasses and a flowering climber such as bougainvillea finish the look.
Shape. Arches, courtyards and deep porches are part of a true Mediterranean house, but they come from the building itself, not from paint.

6 Mediterranean house exterior ideas, before and after

Each example starts from a real photo of an ordinary house, shown before and after AI gives it a Mediterranean treatment in Exterior Design with Preserve Structure, which keeps the shape of the building and is designed to keep existing materials. In these photos the AI still redrew the walls and roof, for example as render and tile, and on your own house the result may keep its brick or shingles; for a stronger change, use Bold Exterior. AI can also change small details, such as windows, plants and trim, so compare each pair closely. The render and clay-tile looks here are visual ideas: on a real house they mean new cladding or a new roof, which needs a builder. Test real paint and tile samples before you decide. The photos were checked for legible house numbers and signs, and any found were removed.

1. Brick to cream render: a tile roof, brown door and lavender

Same house with cream render walls, a terracotta-toned tile roof, cream trim and garage doors, a dark brown wood front door, a new wall lantern by the door, rounded green shrubs and lavender in the front bed, with the same basketball hoop, driveway, porch rails and brick steps. — In Exterior Design, with the Mediterranean style and Preserve Structure, the red brick walls and the brick arches over the garage doors and front door look like cream render, and the dark gray roof becomes terracotta-toned tile. The white trim, the dormers, the bay window frame and the two white garage doors turn cream, and the black front door becomes dark brown wood. A wall lantern is added beside the front door. The large yellow shrub by the porch becomes two rounded green shrubs, lavender is planted along the front bed, the round green shrub at the lawn edge is gone and the sky turns blue. The dark metal bay roof, the two black garage lanterns, the basketball hoop, the white porch rails, the lower brick steps, the tall evergreen shrubs, the driveway, the lawn, the wooden fence and the neighboring houses stay, and the neighbor's gray roof, siding and brick are unchanged.Redesigned with AI in HomeCompose

Red brick house with a dark gray roof, two white garage doors under brick arches, a basketball hoop, a porch with white columns and a black front door, a large yellow shrub by the porch, tall evergreen shrubs and a concrete driveway. — In Exterior Design, with the Mediterranean style and Preserve Structure, the red brick walls and the brick arches over the garage doors and front door look like cream render, and the dark gray roof becomes terracotta-toned tile. The white trim, the dormers, the bay window frame and the two white garage doors turn cream, and the black front door becomes dark brown wood. A wall lantern is added beside the front door. The large yellow shrub by the porch becomes two rounded green shrubs, lavender is planted along the front bed, the round green shrub at the lawn edge is gone and the sky turns blue. The dark metal bay roof, the two black garage lanterns, the basketball hoop, the white porch rails, the lower brick steps, the tall evergreen shrubs, the driveway, the lawn, the wooden fence and the neighboring houses stay, and the neighbor's gray roof, siding and brick are unchanged.Redesigned with AI in HomeCompose

Here the walls change most: the brick reads as cream render, which with the roof is the strongest Mediterranean cue. A terracotta-toned tile roof, cream garage doors and a dark wood front door finish the look, and lavender replaces the yellow shrub's bright color. Compare the details closely, because the brick arches, the trim, the shrubs and the sky were redrawn. Render over brick is new cladding and a tile roof is a new roof on a real house, so both need a builder; test real samples first.

2. Terracotta roof: a brick ranch with brown shutters

Same house with a terracotta clay-look tile roof, brown shutters, a cream garage door, a dark wood front door, a round window, a white wall at the left and gray-green, lavender and magenta planting along the front. — In Exterior Design, the dark gray roof becomes a terracotta roof that looks like clay tile, the black shutters become brown, the white garage door becomes cream and the black front door becomes dark wood. The brick turns a lighter pink-tan. Gray-green shrubs, lavender and magenta flowers replace the planting along the front, a white wall replaces the chain-link fence at the left edge, and the small octagonal window by the garage becomes round. The porch columns, windows, rock bed, hose reel, lawn and driveway stay.Redesigned with AI in HomeCompose

Single-story brick house with a dark gray roof, black shutters, a white garage door with an octagonal window beside it, a covered porch with white columns and a black front door, a rock bed, a chain-link fence at the left and a green lawn. — In Exterior Design, the dark gray roof becomes a terracotta roof that looks like clay tile, the black shutters become brown, the white garage door becomes cream and the black front door becomes dark wood. The brick turns a lighter pink-tan. Gray-green shrubs, lavender and magenta flowers replace the planting along the front, a white wall replaces the chain-link fence at the left edge, and the small octagonal window by the garage becomes round. The porch columns, windows, rock bed, hose reel, lawn and driveway stay.Redesigned with AI in HomeCompose

The roof changes the whole house. Terracotta against pale brick, with brown shutters and a wood door, is a quiet Mediterranean look that suits a single-story house. Swapping shingles for real clay tile is a roofing job for a builder. Keep the lawn simple so the roof stays the focus.

3. Peach render: a green house made warm

Same house with peach-colored render walls, white window trim, a terracotta-toned roof, a warmer wood front door, a lit wall lantern, a magenta flowering shrub and a gray-green shrub, with the same dormers, car, bench and trees; the house on the left is peach too. — In Exterior Design, the green board siding becomes smooth peach-colored render, the gray-brown shingle roof becomes terracotta-toned and the orange window trim turns white. The existing wall lantern by the front door is now lit. The orange-flowering shrubs in front become a magenta bougainvillea on the left and a gray-green shrub on the right, and the bench looks paler. The dark front door turns a warmer, lighter wood tone. The roof shape, dormers, windows, car and trees stay, and the house on the far left turns peach too, with its dark roof unchanged.Redesigned with AI in HomeCompose

Two-story green house with board siding, orange window trim, a gray-brown roof, two dormers, a dark wooden front door with a lantern beside it, orange-flowering shrubs, a black car, a dark bench, trees and a lawn. — In Exterior Design, the green board siding becomes smooth peach-colored render, the gray-brown shingle roof becomes terracotta-toned and the orange window trim turns white. The existing wall lantern by the front door is now lit. The orange-flowering shrubs in front become a magenta bougainvillea on the left and a gray-green shrub on the right, and the bench looks paler. The dark front door turns a warmer, lighter wood tone. The roof shape, dormers, windows, car and trees stay, and the house on the far left turns peach too, with its dark roof unchanged.Redesigned with AI in HomeCompose

Peach and terracotta sit close together on the color wheel, so the house looks soft rather than orange. Trees and lawn keep it from feeling too hot. Check the new color next to the neighbors' houses before you commit.

4. Cream and green: a porch bungalow with a red-brown roof

Same bungalow with cream render walls, a red-brown roof, dark green posts, window frames and trim, a stained wood front door, cream render at the ends of the porch skirt, potted olive trees on the porch (the right one with purple flowers), black porch railings, and lavender and a magenta flowering shrub in the beds, with the same wooden steps, stone walls and chimney. — In Exterior Design, the yellow clapboard siding on the house and the dormer becomes cream render, and the dark gray-green roof becomes terracotta red-brown, though it still reads as flat shingles rather than curved clay tile. The white porch posts, window frames, dormer trim and eaves turn dark green, the stair posts and stair rails turn green too, the black porch railings stay black and the dark front door becomes stained wood in a green frame. The wooden porch skirt becomes cream render at both ends with a wood lattice panel in the middle. Two potted olive trees stand on the porch, the right one with purple flowers at its base, and two lavender clumps and a magenta flowering shrub are added in the front beds. The porch lantern, the mailbox, the wooden steps, the porch chairs, the trellis, the stone walls and steps, the brick chimney, the mossy patch on the roof, the wooden gate and fence, the bare trees and the neighboring houses stay.Redesigned with AI in HomeCompose

Yellow bungalow with clapboard siding and a dormer, a dark gray-green roof, a covered porch with white posts and black railings, a dark front door under a lantern, a wooden porch skirt, wooden steps up a stone terrace and a brick chimney. — In Exterior Design, the yellow clapboard siding on the house and the dormer becomes cream render, and the dark gray-green roof becomes terracotta red-brown, though it still reads as flat shingles rather than curved clay tile. The white porch posts, window frames, dormer trim and eaves turn dark green, the stair posts and stair rails turn green too, the black porch railings stay black and the dark front door becomes stained wood in a green frame. The wooden porch skirt becomes cream render at both ends with a wood lattice panel in the middle. Two potted olive trees stand on the porch, the right one with purple flowers at its base, and two lavender clumps and a magenta flowering shrub are added in the front beds. The porch lantern, the mailbox, the wooden steps, the porch chairs, the trellis, the stone walls and steps, the brick chimney, the mossy patch on the roof, the wooden gate and fence, the bare trees and the neighboring houses stay.Redesigned with AI in HomeCompose

Yellow siding is already warm, so cream render, a red-brown roof and dark green trim move the house toward Mediterranean without changing its shape. Dark green posts and frames against cream are a classic pairing, and potted olive trees and lavender add the planting. The roof still looks like shingles, so it reads as terracotta in color, not as clay tile. Render is new cladding and clay tile is a new roof on a real house, so both need a builder.

5. Cream and brown: from white brick to sun-warmed render

Same house with cream render walls, a terracotta tile roof, brown shutters and window frames, a carved wood door with a wreath, terracotta pots, and lavender and gray-green shrubs along the front, on the same lawn. — In Exterior Design, the white painted brick becomes smooth cream render and the dark gray roof becomes terracotta tile. The shutters are brown instead of black and one more brown shutter appears at the left end of the window group, the two black downspouts disappear, the window frames and the front door become brown wood with divided panes in the windows, and the sconce becomes a traditional lantern. The black urns with round topiaries become terracotta pots of boxwood and flowers, a wreath appears on the door, and lavender, gray-green shrubs and small pink flowers replace the small shrubs in the front bed. The roofline, window positions, concrete stoop, neighboring red-brick house, lawn, path and driveway stay.Redesigned with AI in HomeCompose

Single-story white painted brick house with a dark gray roof, black shutters, a black front door with two round topiaries in black urns, a concrete stoop, small shrubs along the wall and a large green lawn. — In Exterior Design, the white painted brick becomes smooth cream render and the dark gray roof becomes terracotta tile. The shutters are brown instead of black and one more brown shutter appears at the left end of the window group, the two black downspouts disappear, the window frames and the front door become brown wood with divided panes in the windows, and the sconce becomes a traditional lantern. The black urns with round topiaries become terracotta pots of boxwood and flowers, a wreath appears on the door, and lavender, gray-green shrubs and small pink flowers replace the small shrubs in the front bed. The roofline, window positions, concrete stoop, neighboring red-brick house, lawn, path and driveway stay.Redesigned with AI in HomeCompose

White brick looks crisp, and cream looks sun-warmed. Brown shutters, window frames and a wood door soften the front, and lavender in the bed is the quickest planting change. Compare the windows closely: the AI redrew the frames and added divided panes, so trim and proportions can shift. Render and tile are a new finish and a new roof on a real house and need a builder.

6. Cream siding and tile: a two-story colonial

Same house with cream siding, a terracotta tile roof over the main house and the porch, a cream garage door, a wood front door and black lanterns, without the white trellis beside the porch, with the same black shutters, porch, brick steps and bare trees. — In Exterior Design, the blue lap siding becomes cream, the gray roof over the main house and the porch roof become terracotta tile, the white garage door becomes cream and the black front door becomes wood. The two wall lanterns by the door are redrawn in black, and the white pergola-style trellis on the wall beside the porch disappears. The driveway and the path to the steps take a paving-stone pattern. The lower roofs over the garage wing and dormer stay gray, and the black shutters, brick steps, trees and lawn stay. The house on the left turns cream too, with its roof and garage door unchanged.Redesigned with AI in HomeCompose

Two-story blue house with lap siding, black shutters, a small gabled porch with a black front door and a wreath, a white garage door, a dormer, brick steps, bare trees and a green lawn. — In Exterior Design, the blue lap siding becomes cream, the gray roof over the main house and the porch roof become terracotta tile, the white garage door becomes cream and the black front door becomes wood. The two wall lanterns by the door are redrawn in black, and the white pergola-style trellis on the wall beside the porch disappears. The driveway and the path to the steps take a paving-stone pattern. The lower roofs over the garage wing and dormer stay gray, and the black shutters, brick steps, trees and lawn stay. The house on the left turns cream too, with its roof and garage door unchanged.Redesigned with AI in HomeCompose

A classic colonial shape is formal, and the cream and terracotta soften it. Black shutters stay crisp against cream, though in a real Mediterranean look they would be brown or green. The lower garage-wing roof stays gray here, so check every roof section on your own photo. This pair shows how far color alone can go before the shape of the house limits it.

Mediterranean exterior elements at a glance

Element	Mediterranean look	Good with	Watch out for
Walls	Cream, sand, ochre or peach render	Terracotta roof, wood door	Peach can turn orange in strong sun
Roof	Terracotta clay tile	Cream and sand walls	Heavy on a small house
Door and shutters	Warm wood or deep green	Cream render, iron lanterns	Black shutters stay a suburban cue
Garage door	Cream, sand or wood-look	Brick and render	A white door stands out against warm walls
Lighting	Wrought-iron or bronze lanterns	Wood doors	Cool white bulbs look harsh
Planting	Lavender, olive, grasses, bougainvillea	Terracotta and cream	Needs sun and little water

Common Mediterranean exterior mistakes

Mixing styles. Terracotta tile over cool blue or gray siding can look pasted on; start from the shape of the house.
Too much orange. Terracotta roof, peach walls and orange brick together overwhelm; keep one warm color dominant.
Keeping cool details. Black frames, gray gutters and cool white lights fight a warm palette.
Forgetting the neighbors. Check how the new color sits next to the houses on either side.
Skipping real samples. Test render, paint and tile samples in morning and afternoon light.

Where are Mediterranean-style homes found?

Mediterranean-style homes are most often associated with warm, sunny regions: the coasts of southern Europe and, in the US, areas such as California, Florida, Texas and Arizona. The style appears wherever people like it, though, and render-and-tile houses turn up well outside hot climates. This is a general pattern, not a count or a ranking. Thick, light-colored walls and clay roofs suit strong sun, which is part of why the look took hold there. If you live somewhere with hard frosts, ask a local builder how render (stucco) and clay tile hold up before copying the look literally.

Modern Mediterranean exterior ideas

A modern Mediterranean house keeps the warm palette and simplifies the detail. These are the usual differences:

Walls. Smooth cream or sand render with clean edges, instead of heavily textured plaster.
Roof. A low-pitched or plain tile roof without decorative trim.
Openings. Larger, simpler windows and a plain wood or dark-framed door.
Metal and light. Wrought iron as a simple railing or one lantern, not scrollwork.
Planting. A few olive trees, grasses and lavender in tidy groups.

Preserve Structure is designed to keep the shape of your building, so it should warm the colors and finishes rather than turn a traditional roofline into a flat one, though the AI can still redraw details, so compare the result closely. A new roofline is a building job.

Courtyards, house plans and floor plans

A courtyard is an open space enclosed by the house or a wall, usually with paving, shade planting and a focal point such as a small fountain or a tree. It is part of the layout, so a photo of the front of a house cannot add one. If you already have a patio or yard, Garden Design can show paving, planting and mood ideas on your photo. This page shows exterior looks, not plans, and it does not list homes for sale; for a floor plan with a courtyard, ask an architect or a plan designer.

Try a Mediterranean exterior on your own house photo

Upload a straight-on daylight photo of your house to Exterior Design, choose House and the Mediterranean style, then Preserve Structure to keep the shape of your building and, by design, its existing materials while it changes colors, finishes, lighting and planting. The AI can still redraw walls and roof as render or tile, as in the examples above, and your result may keep its brick or shingles; for a stronger change, choose Bold Exterior. Preserve Structure does not add arches, courtyards or a new roof structure; those come from the building.

The result is a design idea, not a construction plan or a material specification. Colors look different on screen and on the house, so test real samples before you buy. For palettes, see house exterior color ideas. For a different style, see modern farmhouse exterior ideas. For a small garden around the house, see small backyard garden ideas. More exteriors and rooms are on the HomeCompose design ideas page.

Frequently asked questions

What makes a house look Mediterranean?

Warm, textured walls in cream, sand or peach, a terracotta tile roof, a warm wooden door with iron details, brown or green shutters, and planting such as lavender, olive and bougainvillea.

Can I give my house a Mediterranean look without rebuilding?

Partly. Paint or render, roof color, doors, lighting and planting can change the look. Arches, courtyards and a real tile roof change the building and need a builder.

Which colors suit a Mediterranean house exterior?

Cream, sand, ochre and soft peach for the walls, with terracotta on the roof and brown or deep green on doors and shutters. See house exterior color ideas for more palettes.

Is it free to try?

Yes. You can start on the free plan, and it includes a limited number of designs.

How much does a Mediterranean-style house cost?

There is no single figure. The cost depends on the size of the house, the region, the materials and the builder. Stucco (render) walls and clay roof tiles can cost more than basic siding and shingles, and clay tile is heavy, so the roof structure may need checking too. Ask local builders for written quotes. An AI picture of your own house is a design idea, not a cost estimate.

What makes a house look Mediterranean?

6 Mediterranean house exterior ideas, before and after

1. Brick to cream render: a tile roof, brown door and lavender

2. Terracotta roof: a brick ranch with brown shutters

3. Peach render: a green house made warm

4. Cream and green: a porch bungalow with a red-brown roof

5. Cream and brown: from white brick to sun-warmed render

6. Cream siding and tile: a two-story colonial

Mediterranean exterior elements at a glance

Common Mediterranean exterior mistakes

Where are Mediterranean-style homes found?

Modern Mediterranean exterior ideas

Courtyards, house plans and floor plans

Try a Mediterranean exterior on your own house photo

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

Try Exterior Design on a photo of your own