Tying Your Home’s Exterior Together with a Metal Roof

A metal roof adds a different character to your home. Some design elements may need to be changed to incorporate the new material into the aesthetics of your home. The long-lasting durability and energy savings make the changes worthwhile when looking at the larger picture of your home. Let’s take a look at three exterior design elements you should consider.

Roof Color

Contrary to popular belief, a metal roof can be a variety of colors. Consider the aesthetics of your neighborhood when deciding on the color. You can either stand out from the crowd or choose to match the general theme. A metal roof has an element of reflectivity that traditional tar shingles do not. While tar shingles absorb the sun’s rays, metal roofing reflects it back toward the sky. There are specific paints designed to help control the shiny quality, and the natural patina of some metals can also change over time. When installing a metal roof, talk with a designer about the best options for the color scheme of your home and how the metal will age over time. You don’t want to make a change to the whole scheme of your home, only to have the metal change color over time due to the elements.

Paint Options

Use color to create a connection between the exterior design aspects of your home. Building materials are available in almost any color you can imagine. When choosing a color scheme for your home, keep these key factors in mind:

• Homes restricted to a certain color palette based on a homeowners association.

• Historical homes restricted to a color palette for accuracy of the time period.

• Commercial franchises need to follow the company’s exact color scheme.

• The style of your home may require a certain color palette. Certain types of homes look better with lighter or darker coloring. (e.g., Spanish or Mediterranean homes look better with a reddish roof to mimic terra cotta shingles.)

Landscaping Tips

Use landscaping to accentuate the details of your metal roof. Tall palm trees show off the vertical seams in your metal roofing panels. Rows of shrubs accentuate horizontal metal shingle roofing. Play with texture and use different elements of your yard to bring the entire design to life. Remember to plan your landscaping for multiple seasons during the year, not just one.

Incorporating different elements of color and texture into the exterior design of your home boosts your curb appeal and the value of your home. It is important to look at the design as a whole and make changes as needed. Choose what you love and use design elements to turn your house into a home.