Modernizing the exterior of your home can make an excellent investment, whether you want it to blend in or stand out. Before undertaking such an expansive undertaking, however, it’s vital that you conduct tests on paint colors and building materials prior to embarking on such an ambitious undertaking.
Emerging roofing and siding trends showcase an intriguing balance of style, sustainability and advanced technology that will increase both appearance and value of any home.
Green Roofs
Green roofs have become an increasingly popular trend associated with sustainability, yet they provide many additional advantages beyond environmental concerns. Some benefits of installing green roofs include reduced heat islands (in which an abundance of brick, concrete and other manmade materials increases temperatures in cities); natural air and water filtration; reduced traffic noise pollution such as aircraft noise pollution or machinery noise pollution; noise abatement due to traffic reduction as well as noise insulation benefits to reduce heating and cooling costs; as well as additional insulation which lowers heating/cooling bills.
Green roofs are layers of vegetation and soil covering traditional flat or pitched roofs, typically consisting of plants like moss, sedum, grass or small flowers that provide insulation against noise pollution while increasing biodiversity and improving air quality via carbon dioxide-to-oxygen exchange. Green roofs can either be extensive (with shallow dirt layers supporting groundcover plants), or intensive (with deeper soil layers supporting shrubbery, bushes and trees to form more of a rooftop garden).
Solar Roof Integration
Add energy efficiency to your home can reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality and cut water usage. Roof integrated solar is an easy and aesthetically pleasing way to go green – complementing the look of your exterior while still contributing towards sustainability.
This trend combines beauty and functionality, integrating solar panels seamlessly into rooflines as replacement tiles or slates. Unlike rack-mounted systems installed above-roof, roof integrated solar looks more like part of the house itself while providing extra tiles in case future repairs need to be made – providing homeowners with peace of mind.
Refurbishing the exterior of your home can transform it into something more inviting, thus increasing its saleability. A beautiful porch, gorgeous windows, and well-kept bushes can do wonders to your curb appeal and value.
Mixed Materials
Mixed materials can help modernize and unify the look of your home’s exterior, adding modernity while at the same time reflecting tradition and contemporary design philosophies. More homeowners are turning to mixed material cladding designs as an effective way of modernizing and unifying their home exteriors.
When choosing materials for your home, think about where you want to add visual impact and accents. Brick or stone trim around doors and windows or at the base can create an eye-catching focal point while elevating its overall design aesthetic.
Material choices generally follow regional trends; vinyl is most prevalent in the East and Midwest regions, brick is more popular in the South region, while natural wood siding tends to be found more commonly in the Northwest region. But with more and more homeowners moving across the country and bringing their unique design styles along, regional differences are beginning to dissipate altogether.
Bold Colors and Textured Siding
No matter if your home is traditional or contemporary in design, bold color can still make it stand out. Roof and siding colors can compliment each other to create contrasts or blend in seamlessly with their surroundings; lighter hues also create more modern looks while reflecting heat to keep the house cooler.
Choose the ideal colors for your home’s walls can make a significant difference to its look and appeal. A range of paint and stain options exist that will allow you to achieve appealing combinations that will catch people’s eyes.
Colored shingles, board and batten sections and wooden doors can add texture and visual interest to your exterior. Textured panels or cedar-look shingles also add visual interest while being easier to maintain than smooth panels due to their natural texture. This beautiful combination of shingle and wood complements each other beautifully on this Coastal Blue fiber cement home; its LP SmartSide textured lap siding holds onto the vibrant red front door color beautifully while the vibrant colors of metal accents and window shutters stand out against it all beautifully.
