More than just a necessary element that caps and protects the house, your roof is an important part of the face or appearance of your home. In general, roofing covers about 30 percent of the area seen when looking at your house from the street or drive. And although the facade holds a majority at 60 percent, the roof is still a large part of what makes a good visual impression for your home.
How to Maximize Your Roof
Roofing design may seem pretty straight forward. You simply need to figure out what type of roof will look best with your elevation and get it up there. But there are a few other essential elements that can transform your roof from something practical to an integral part of your home's design.
Color is a major factor. As is the profile of the roofing material. And finally, the fascia and gutters wrap up your roofing design and help to tie everything together.
The wrong roof on a house can be a disaster, creating a look that doesn't fit or one that actually distorts the overall appearance of the house. Also, poorly designed roofs can cause damage and end up leaving the inside of your home vulnerable.
Two Major Roof Styles
Choose between the two roof styles first, as this will help you to make better decisions later on.
A gabled styled roof is one that includes a peak with two sloped sections running from the ridge down past the eaves. This creates higher portions of the wall which are often called a rake.
Alternatively, there is a hipped roof in which the slopes run off in every direction, creating eaves all the way around your home. This is a common design, but does require proper planning on more complicated floor plans so that the roofs are not running into each other and creating dead spots. Hipped roofs are much better suited to extremely harsh weather conditions such as high winds. The extra bracing and framework done underneath give this style of roof added strength.
What Color Can Do
You may have a roof that climbs very high and dominates your facade. Use color to tone that effect down. Start with a darker colored roofing material, as that will make the roof appear more oppressive and low to the ground. Also, you'll need to choose fascia and trim that is a few tones lighter and closer in color to your bricks. This will give your bricks a leg up on the dominating roof line and will provide an optical illusion making the roof appear shorter.
If however, you roof seems too flat or doesn't make up about 30 percent of what is seen from the road you'll need to stretch the look of the roof carefully. Choose fascia and trim in colors that match the roofing tile color almost perfectly. This will allow the eye to be fooled into thinking the roof is larger than it actually is.
Roofing Material Profiles
If you choose shingles or roofing tiles as your preferred material, be sure to browse through the selection of different profiles. Opt for something that suits the style and period of your home. A roof can make a distinct architectural difference on your home, changing the entire look for better or worse.
Roofing design is about options that will present the best practical option for your home, as well as providing the best looking finish for your home. Use the color and profile choices to create a seamless look that's bound to impress. With the right roofing design your house will be both well protected and beautiful.
Posted by: TrustedProsSuggested Reading For You
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