The exterior features ornamentation created by George Elmslie, including bands of red and blue stenciled square motifs and sawn wood elements. These include playful symbols of Purcell's family life: for example, a sawn wood beam-end decoration above the side gate that includes the motto, “Gray Days and Gold,” in reference to Purcell's grandparents, the Grays, to the colors of the firm's progressive architecture, and to the funds supporting Purcell's architectural practice and house. Two art glass windows flanking the entryway door contain a written message for neighbors and callers: “Peek-a-Boo.”